Lot 2 , A 1937 Railton Fairmile series III Drophead Coupe, reg. no. MG 5335. Completely restored by The Vintage Carriage Company, over many years, to a very high standard. Winner of the John Cobb Cup at the Railton Owners Club N

A 1937 Railton Fairmile series III Drophead Coupe, reg. no. MG 5335. Completely restored by The Vintage Carriage Company, over many years, to a very high standard. Winner of the John Cobb Cup at the Railton Owners Club National meeting, at Hever Castle, in June 2002. After selling Invicta to Earl Fitzwilliam in 1933, Noel Macklin and his works manager, Leon Cushman, began searching for a new automotive venture. Inspired by the speed records being set by Hudson’s Essex-Terraplane subsidiary, Macklin secured a supply of rolling chassis from the parent company. He enlisted Reid Railton, a well-known designer of Land Speed Record cars, and commissioned coachbuilders such as Ranalah, REAL, Carbodies, and Coachcraft to design bodies for his Anglo-American hybrid. The first series of Railtons, equipped with a 4010cc Terraplane 8 engine, a three-speed manual gearbox, and improved damping, offered a superior power-to-weight ratio compared to Derby Bentleys or Lagonda M45s. The car’s striking design, including a radiator by motoring artist F. Gordon Crosby and an Invicta-style riveted bonnet, quickly made the Railton brand known for its acceleration and flexibility in top gear. In 1934, Macklin adopted the Hudson Eight rolling chassis for the second series of Railtons, featuring a two-inch longer wheelbase and a more powerful 4168cc engine. Coachcraft produced around 178 Railton Eights as Fairmile Drophead Coupes, distinguished by their swooping tails, full-flowing wings, and quad-hinged ‘suicide doors,’ of which only thirty-five are believed to survive today.

We hold a huge amount of past history documents, including invoices totalling over £130,000 for past restorations, servicing etc.

The car drove beautifully from its home, some 20 miles away, to our auction galleries in Lewes.

FOR NUMEROUS ADDITIONAL IMAGES, PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE www.gorringes.co.uk

IMPORTANT NOTE - 12% BUYERS PREMIUM
£25,000-35,000

Unsold