Lot 31: Wolseley HORNET SPECIAL

Making its first appearance in April 1930, the Wolseley Hornet was one of the first a new breed of 'pint-sized sixes', powered by an overhead camshaft engine of 1271cc, which was effectively an enlarged version of the 847cc Morris Minor unit with two more cylinders. This new engine was mounted in what was effectively a lengthened Minor chassis. Early examples were fitted with light fabric saloon or semi-sports 2-seater coachwork and the Hornet proved particularly brisk and made an immediate impact, selling well both at home and in the colonies, also being available in chassis form. The sporting potential of this new light car quickly became obvious and a number of coachbuilders offered various styles of sports bodywork, one of the earliest being an Abbey bodied example built for the London Wolseley dealers, Eustace Watkins. The Hornet's engine was also used (albeit with a certain amount of disguise) in the MG F1 Magna and a variety of specialist tuners rapidly exploited the potential of the lively OHC engine. From April 1932, Wolseley marketed the Hornet Special in chassis form only, which was to see further coachbuilders offering a myriad of different sporting styles and the car was now available in a vast variety of guises to suit virtually all tastes. The Special chassis boasted 12 inch hydraulic brakes, a 4-speed gearbox with remote linkage whilst engine changes were to include twin carburettors, oil cooler and the vertical drive dynamo was now deleted and a chain drive used. At this point, the typical cost of a Eustace Watkins Special in 1933 was �298, which compared favourably with other light sports cars of the period. Dating from early 1932, the Hornet Special offered here was first registered in New Zealand and was imported to the UK in the late 1980s. In the current ownership for the past ten years, it has been in regular use for club events and has been well maintained with more major work having included brake overhaul, re-bushing of the steering box, steering joint and king pin replacement and fitment of a new head gasket. An older restoration, the car is reported as being in sound order with no major faults evident anywhere mechanically. Finished in British Racing Green, with the bonnet in bare aluminium, the car has black trim and a serviceable hood and sidescreens. Offered with an MOT certificate valid until 17th April 2009 along with a V5C document and catered for by the extremely enthusiastic Wolseley Hornet Special Club, this car is of course eligible for the VSCC and must represent extremely good value for money when compared to other 6-cylinder sports cars of this era.