1912 Austin 10/12hp Two-Seat Tourer with Dickey, Registration no. AJ 1284 Chassis no. 10227

• An older restoration
• Exceptionally original
• Well known in VCC circles
• Substantial history file

General Manager of the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company, Herbert Austin set the Birmingham firm on the road to motor manufacture in 1896 when he designed its first automobile, a twin-cylinder tri-car. The first production Wolseley though, was four-wheeled and, like Austin's 1896 prototype, carried its single cylinder engine horizontally. Austin's belief in the horizontal engine's virtues was not shared by Wolseley's directors however, and he departed in 1905 to set up his own company at nearby Longbridge. Somewhat surprisingly perhaps, the first Austin cars were powered by conventional inline fours with side valves arranged in 'T-head' fashion. Chain drive was a feature of these early Austins but was supplanted by shaft drive within a few years. As well as the fours, Austin also marketed a single-cylinder model and a few sixes prior to WWI. Austin had its own large coachbuilding department and offered a wide variety of complete cars, and even in these early days was in the habit of using English place names for its various body styles. The 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, 10hp model was first introduced - for export only - in 1910, becoming available on the home market the following year, and in 1912 was upgraded with a 1.6-litre engine, as fitted to this car.

This 'Edwardian' Austin with two-seater-plus-dickey coachwork was purchased by its last owner, Harry Watson, in 1991 and registered to his granddaughter, Rebecca Leake. 'AJ 1284' has attended numerous VCC rallies and is said to start easily and drive very well. An older restoration, the car remains exceptionally original and is described by the vendor as in excellent condition throughout. It comes complete with full weather equipment (hood, tonneau, etc) and covers for the lights. The wooden box on the running board contains an impressive array of tools, and there is a rear luggage compartment for other items. The accompanying history file is substantial, containing correspondence and notes relating to the car's early days and listing previous owners. These notes include discussion of whether the car was built with the 1.2-litre engine and returned to the factory to be fitted with the 1.6-litre unit, or whether it has had the latter from new. The file also contains a VCC dating certificate (issued 1952); a V5C Registration Certificate; and a (photocopy) handbook.