Identify a vintage car

[tank slapper]

A relative has been looking through some old photos and came across this photo from a family wedding:


Does anyone know what the car is? We think it dates from around 1915/6.

[rijmij99]

that'll be a T shirley

[tank slapper]

I don't think it is a T, as the bonnet is a slightly different shape and the front suspension arrangement seems wrong - the T has a straight front axle, whereas this one is shaped in the middle.

[nicanary]

Way way too big to be a T. Laundaulette body, only found on larger and posher types of chassis.

This could take a long time - in those days there were hundreds of marques in the UK alone.

[williamp]

Its a lovely photo. I originally thougth Napier as the bodywork is grand enough, but the radiator is wrong.

With the time, its probably french. De Dion?

[Excelsior]

Quite a lot of similarities to an 06/07 Rolls Royce

[benjj]

Nothing more than a gut feeling: Renault.

[nicanary]

benjj said:

Nothing more than a gut feeling: Renault.

A Renault of that era would have had a coal-scuttle bonnet and scuttle-mounted radiator. I too thought about a 30hp RR - the radiator is about right and the mascot had not yet been introduced.

[Pothole]

nicanary said:

Way way too big to be a T.

Absolutely. Amazed anyone would even think it, let alone write it.

[tank slapper]

From looking around, the 30HP Rolls Royce does look very similar. It's hard to find decent pictures to compare though as there were seemingly as many body styles as there were cars.

[Excelsior]

Rolls would supply a chassis to the coachbuilder of your choice - almost all of that time unique as bespoke.

I looked at hubs/front axle/radiator/bonnet to scuttle join as my cues

[RDR 838]

You could do a HPI check on it.

[nicanary]

RDR 838 said:

You could do a HPI check on it.

[Huntsman]

I think it might be a Royce, worth sending the pic to prewarcar.com, someone there will know.

[tank slapper]

That's a good idea. I'll post it there.

[FarmerJim]

I am fairly certain that it is an early (pre 'Silver Ghost') Rolls-Royce; either a 30HP or perhaps a 1905 20 HP 'Tourist Trophy' model.

If you email the photo to the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Club (email address on their website) someone will probably come back with chassis number and full details of the car.

[Excelsior]

Gratuitous picure of Silver Ghost in glass:

This is a twenty square foot stained glass panel I've just finished to celebrate the centenary of the Rolls Royce success in the Alpine Trial

[silverfoxcc]

RREC now on the case!!

[tank slapper]

Excellent - thanks.

[tank slapper]

The answer courtesty of Prewarcars.com:

Ariejan Bos said:

The car is a 1909 Armstrong-Whitworth landaulette. Although the early Rolls-Royces had comparable (though slightly different) bent front axles, you may notice the absence of a straight steering rod before the axle. The steering rod of the Armstrong-Whitworth was placed behind the axle and was bent in the same way. Therefore it can hardly be seen on the photograph. Moreover there are slight differences between the radiators. One of the differences is a slight outward curve at the bottom side of the radiator, where the Rolls-Royce radiator remains straight.
But don't be diappointed, an Armstrong-Whitworth seems to me a nice wedding car as well!