Beschreibung:

The success of the Nine Sport at Le Mans led immediately to the introduction in 1933 of the first Le Mans model. This was the two seater equivalent of the Nine Sports and it typified the British sports car of the 1930's. At a price of 215 pounds, an output of 34 h.p. and a top speed of over 70 m.p.h. with the windshield lowered, it provided keen competition for its closest rivals, the J2 and P series M.G.'s. The Le Mans 4 cylinder performance engine of 972 cc included high lift harmonic cams, a counterbalanced crankshaft and an extra large capacity ribbed oil sump for greater cooling capacity. Additional drive train modifications included a heavy duty clutch and a closer ratio gear box, with third gear reduced from 8.7:1 to 7.5:1. Body changes included the addition of an externally mounted 12 gallon slab fuel tank, fitted with a quick action filler cap and twin rear mounted spare tires to complete the competition look. The new upswept scuttle cowls also signaled that this was a machine that meant business on the road as well as the track. The first 60 cars were built with 'Suicide' type doors. Of these, less than a handful of cars are known to still exist in their original configuration. Registered on the 24 th of November 1933 this is officially a 1934 series car, the main visual difference being the front hinged doors, it was originally supplied by Gap Bridge Motor Company, Wimbledon to Mr W.M. Lavender of Worcester Park, Surrey. The original colour of was registered as Ivory and Red although the colour before restoration was, in fact, green. This spirited sportscar could be seen around the Greater London area until 1966 whereupon it moved over to the Leeds area with the present owner bought it for the princely sum of two pints of beer. After storage in a stone garage on the North Yorkshire Moors until his retirement in 2003, it was the subject of a comprehensive process of restoration as a present to himself. The restoration was a body off and complete mechanical refurbishment using many new parts including wings, lights and wiring loom. The owner was as pains not to build a new car but to use as many of the original parts as possible and so, after some two years, an extremely well put together and usable car emerged. After a mere 94 miles, it was dry-stored until now. It comes with a green 1966 log book, a V5 document, current MoT test certificate as well as a number of old ones. A parts manual and photographs of the restoration are also included. Certainly a well documented and straight example of this very pretty marque.