Estimate: £19000 - £25000

Sold: £21500

Specialist tuners such as Vic Derrington and Michael McEvoy were quick to see the potential of the Hornet’s lively 1271cc engine. They developed four-speed remote control gearboxes, improved camshafts and twin carburettor conversions to extract more power. In April 1932 the Wolseley Company bowed to the inevitable and marketed the Hornet Special in chassis form only.

Some of the early Specials were entered into various sporting events of the time, with perhaps the most notable being the 1932 relay race at Brooklands race track, which they won with a respectable average speed of 77.57 mph with the fastest member averaging 82m.p.h. The winning team was entered by F.S. Hutchens and supporting drivers B.H. Wickens and E.J. Erith. The team comprised two Eustace Watkins - Daytona’s (named after the beach hosting world record breaking events) and a 1931 E.W International bodied car.

1933/34 Wolseley announced their new Hornet special chassis. This was an under slung arrangement of the rear axle, with a cross bracing arrangement designed to reduced some of the flexibility in the chassis (up to now the chassis had been over slung). The chief changes to the engine were a new cylinder head of a cross flow design still with twin carburettors and a new block. The gearbox was different incorporating synchromesh on 3rd /4th gear and a free wheel arrangement as per the equivalent 12hp saloon. This free wheel was retained for one year only. The radiator was changed for a more rakish version and is characterised by a U shaped chrome embellishment where the earlier cars had the single strip. The bodies however had now put on a lot of weight with only a small increase in performance (45bhp) and were more tourer’s than sports cars.

Registered on the 3rd October 1934 this Wolseley is one of the rarer and more sought after coach built 4 seat tourers with a 6 cylinder 1271cc engine with a cross flow head. Fully restored in the 1980’s but never put on the road until it was acquired by the current owner a few years ago, whenthe car was refurbished with new leather upholstery and red carpets, full weather gear plus side screens and a complete re-spray in the original red as indicated in a Buff Log Book from 1963. The owner informs us that the car has all its original features and recently the car was reacquainted with an owner from the 50’s who confirmed the dash board etc was how he remembered it.

The car is described as being in good original specification with the interior described as being excellent and oil pressure is reported to be very good at 40-50psi.

Supplied with new tyres all round, a V5 document, MoT certificate valid until July ’09 and a buff log book, this little car is well known to the Wolseley Hornet Special Club since the 50’s and is a great opportunity to enjoy pre war motoring at its best.