10-10-2021, 10:44 AM (This post was last modified: 10-10-2021, 10:46 AM by Duncan Grimmond.)
Perhaps I've been unobservant but today is the first time I noticed the advert on the rear page of the Observer. An Edwardian scene with a modern bus transplanted into it. The shape of the radiator on the three-wheeler in front caught my eye and though obviously not an Austin it looked a bit BSA. However it's not a FWD model and though the wings are similar the scuttle mounted headlights and off-side mount for the spare wheel is not as expected this is a strange three-wheeler. Are any of the number-plate boffins and historians able to identify the car? Is that number PC 374 ?Could the pic be enhanced by our friendly photoshop master?
10-10-2021, 11:10 AM (This post was last modified: 10-10-2021, 11:14 AM by Mike Costigan.)
I would suggest the image dates from the early 1920s; my first thoughts were that the three-wheeler was a Castle Three (circa 1920-21), which has a similar radiator, but the opening was a distinctive castle shape, so it's not!
Edit: The PC registration letters were issued from July 1921 (Surrey County Council) which seems reasonable for this car.
Yes, Castle Three crossed my mind too but the almost flat top of the rad (without the castle shape) and bonnet rule it out unless it's a "Bitsa". The running board/step visible is a clue but to what I don't know
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 653 Threads: 16
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6 Location: The far North East of England
Car type: 1934 Austin 7 AVH Van (in bits & incomplete!), 1936 Morris 8 Series I Tourer
10-10-2021, 11:21 AM (This post was last modified: 10-10-2021, 11:48 AM by Jeff Taylor.)
It does appear to be PC, a Surrey registration. Apparently the PC registration record cards from 1921 to 1945 are held by The Kithead Trust in Droitwich Spa.
A Coventry Premier perhaps ?
10-10-2021, 12:48 PM (This post was last modified: 10-10-2021, 12:57 PM by Tony Griffiths.)
Hello Duncan,
Various "sharpening" techniques appear to confirm 374, but it might be that the letters are "PC". Unfortunately, the image looks to have been deliberately blurred in Photoshop before the modern bus was dropped in, making it very difficult to exact anything significant. With very dark or bright pictures getting hidden details out is relatively simple - but blurring is tough.
10-10-2021, 01:25 PM (This post was last modified: 10-10-2021, 01:27 PM by Mike Costigan.)
The Coventry Premier looks like a good call to me: it has the same short front wing, running boards, high-mounted spare wheel, wire wheels, similar shape to the radiator and front axle, headlamp position ... Yup, looks good to me:
The starting handle caught my attention... on the first picture is unusual in that it appears not to suffer from the droop familiar to Austin 7 owners (I'm told... no such problems here..!)
