Austin 16 Saloon

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The 16hp was Austin’s first new post-war car, although much of its underpinnings were shared with their pre-war models. The car did, however, have Austin’s first overhead valve engine – a 2,199c four (which was actually based on the Chevrolet “stovebolt” engine as seen in the Chevrolet Phaeton also offered in this auction). The engine was good for 67bhp and was used in such diverse vehicles as the London taxi and the Healey 100/4.

The Austin 16 was a quality car, good for 75mph, equipped with twin-leading shoe front brakes, a hydraulic jacking system and dual ratio steering to make parking easier. That the car was solidly built was demonstrated by Alan Hess, who took a fleet of three Austin 16s to visit seven northern European capitals in seven days during the harsh winter of 1947 (as detailed in his book “Gullible’s Travels”).

YVL 486 was first registered in August 1949, at a time when new cars were scarce and austerity was the watchword. The first owner must have been both wealthy and influential as new cars were extremely hard to source.

The car has an air of authenticity about it and, although the black paintwork may be more recent, it is believed that the blue paint is original. The interior is especially comfortable with its well upholstered seating and drop-down arm-rests for the driver and his mate ( the front seats were re-upholstered in leather within the last six years by the vendor’s father).

The car runs well, benefitting from a top-end overhaul in 2016 at a cost of around £400, when the valves were replaced, seats re-cut etc. The vendor has used the car regularly during the summer months, when the sliding sunroof must have been a welcome feature - particularly this year.

Those of you who are fans of the television series ‘Foyle’s War’ may recognise the car when it appeared disguised as an R.A.F. staff car. It has also been a regular at the Beamish Run.