Armstrong Siddeley Whitley

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This lovely old ‘Rum Tum Tiddeley’ is a Whitley model which features Armstong Siddeley's torquey and smooth 2.3-litre engine. It dates from 1951, although according to the V5 was first registered in the UK in May 1989, so it may have sat dormant for a period prior to that.

Very little is known of its life prior to entering our vendor’s hands in April 2015, although it has clearly had work done over the years, especially as it now sports a conventional gearlever sprouting up from the floor – not a standard fitting we suggest.

This makes it a particularly practical proposition though, removing a layer of pre-selector gearbox complexity that frightens some and to prove the point, the car is to be driven some 100 miles to our sale.

The exterior shows signs of what is commonly, and lovingly referred to as ‘patina’ but appears to be in good order as with the interior, but we shall let you be the judges of that.

Looking at what little history is in the file, a selection of five old MOTs show a mileage increase from 56,000 to 58,000 miles through 1986-1989 and then in 2011 a mileage of 8,478 - possibly as a result of the gearbox change?

Also in the file are a number of photographs of what is believed to be this car in a motion picture entitled “3 Steps to Heaven”, but it isn’t clear when this was and little seems to be known of the film.

A handsome and practical car that can be “used and improved”, it’s lucky owner will be able to travel round in a car that exudes the style and quality of a time gone by. We like it.