Talbot AV105 Brooklands Sport Racer - 1934
Chassis n° AV35499
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2020
Estimated : € 800.000 - 1.100.000
Sold for € 879.750
Talbot's reputation for producing highly effective competition cars owed a lot to the efforts of the Tolworth based motor dealership and racing preparation specialists, Fox & Nicholl, which looked after the works team from the beginning of 1930 to the end of 1932. The Fox & Nicholl Talbot 90s had dominated the 3-Litre class in prestigious international events such as the Le Mans 24-Hour race, despite displacing only 2.3 litres. For 1931, designer Georges Roesch produced a new car with a full 3-litre engine, which was lighter than its 2.3-litre predecessor and featured much larger valves in a staggered layout, giving improved breathing. This engine was fitted to a lighter and lower chassis, the new model being the AV105.
Famously registered 'GO 51' to 'GO 54' consecutively, the four Fox & Nicholl Talbot 105s enjoyed an outstanding run of successes during the 1931 and 1932 seasons. Highlights of the latter included 1st, 2nd and 3rd in class at the Brooklands 'Double Twelve' in 1931; 3rd overall at Le Mans and 1st un-supercharged car in 1931 and 1932; 1st, 2nd and 3rd in class in the Brooklands 500 in 1931 and 1st and 2nd in 1932; and 1st and 2nd in class at the TT in 1931 and 1932. There was also a glorious failure in the Mille Miglia in 1932 when a lone entry crashed after 900 miles when in 4th place overall.
In addition to its racetrack successes, the AV105 proved to be a formidable rally car. Roesch had always tested his cars in the Alps so it was no surprise when journalist Humfrey Symons borrowed an example to compete in the 1931 Coupe des Alpes (Alpine Rally). He lost no marks and won a Coupe des Glaciers, the highest possible award for a single entry.
The following year a more serious bid was mounted and a team of three tourer-bodied AV105s were prepared for the 1932 event by Fox and Nicholl. These cars were extremely successful, finishing without any penalties, and winning the Coupe des Alpes outright. Another AV105 team, this time with paired down cycle winged four-seater bodies, the famous 'BGH' cars, repeated the feat in 1934. The latter were the ultimate development of the competition Talbot and as such arguably represent the ultimate pre-war British racing sports car. By far the most developed of the three 'BGH' works cars was 'BGH 23' (sold by Bonhams in 2014) and the only other competition car that Talbot built to the same specification was 'AYL 2' offered here.
'AYL 2' was constructed at around the same time as the 'BGH' Alpine cars in 1934. It was ordered new by Dr E J H Roth, who was a leading Harley Street consultant and keen Talbot racer, having previously competed successfully with a 90 at Brooklands. Roth now wanted an even quicker Talbot to challenge for outright wins at the famed Surrey track, and saw the potential in a 'BGH'-style car. As such, the body was to the same general outline as the works Alpine team cars of 1934 but more pared down for track racing, being slightly narrower, with no hood fitted, the area this would normally reside in being panelled over. No windscreen was fitted and initially no passenger's side door, while the specification also included Zeiss headlamps, a Brooklands exhaust system, and André Telecontrol shock absorbers. As such, the car is widely regarded as a semi-works example.
Painted green with matching wheels, 'AYL 2' appeared for the first time at a Brooklands race meeting on 13th October 1934 and was raced by Roth in two races that day. Following this initial visit, Roth continued to race the car successfully at Brooklands, scoring a win in April 1935.
For the 1936 season, with Dr Roth in search of still greater performance and success at the track, 'AYL 2' was up-rated to single-seater specification with a new body manufactured by the famed ERA company of racing voiturette fame. For the BRDC 500-mile race of 1936, the car was prepared with works support to include the installation of the new 3.3-litre 110-type engine. It was driven in this, the most important Brooklands race of the year, by two of the best Brooklands drivers available, Chris Staniland (the 2nd quickest man ever to lap the circuit) and W M 'Mike' Couper. The latter was Talbot's crack 'works' Brooklands driver, famously piloting 'BGH 23' to many successes at the Surrey track. In single-seater form, 'AYL 2' never fulfilled its apparent potential; it is thought this was due to difficult handling caused by poor installation of the rear shock absorbers.
This period of the car's life, when it was fitted with the larger 110 engine, is nevertheless important, since 'AYL 2' is one of only two competition Talbots (the other being 'BGH 23') fitted with this engine in period. As a result, it is eligible today to run this larger and more powerful engine.
When 'AYL 2' was converted to a single-seater, its original sports car body was fitted in 1936 to an almost new Talbot AV105, registration number 'JJ 93'. The body would remain on this car for many years, unmodified apart from the useful addition of a passenger-side door and a windscreen.
In the 1950s, 'AYL 2', by now with its single seater body modified to two-seater configuration (and reregistered as 'JKJ 869' to take advantage of cheaper tax), passed through the trade (see advertisements on file) before being purchased by Arthur Archer, the highly respected Talbot restorer. By this time the original cylinder block was badly damaged; Archer scrapped the block but kept the rest of the car as a potential source of spares. Fortunately Archer never needed the spares and sold the car as a dismantled project to fellow Talbot specialist Ian Polson in 1975. He in turn sold the still dismantled project to John Ward, who rebuilt it using a replica body to the original pattern, as delivered to Dr Roth in 1934. Subsequently, 'AYL 2' was purchased by well-known long-term Talbot collector Nicholas Ward of Northern Ireland, Ward was able to purchase the remaining original parts that Archer had retained, and reunited the car with its original registration number.
Throughout this time the original 1934 team car-style body from 'AYL 2' had remained in good order, fitted to 'JJ 93' as mentioned above. Finally, in 2010, renowned Talbot collector and entrant John Ruston was able to purchase 'AYL 2' from Nicholas Ward and 'JJ 93' from its then owner Paul Wignall. 'AYL 2' was then reunited with its original body, as well as important original components such as road equipment and seats.
While owned by John Ruston and prepared and driven by Gareth Burnett, 'AYL 2' was again hugely successful both on road and track, exactly as its manufacturers had intended, winning two of the most highly regarded pre-war rally and race events: Plateau 1 overall at the Le Mans Classic in 2012 and the prestigious Flying Scotsman rally outright in 2013.
Following brief ownership by well-known German collector Michael Hinderer (who raced the car at the Goodwood Revival in 2015), 'AYL 2' was purchased by the current owner in 2017. A highly successful pre-war rally entrant, he wanted a car that would be equally at home on the rally stages as on the racetrack, and which was eligible for all of the world's great historic motoring events. 'AYL 2' has fitted the bill uniquely well. To ensure the car performed as well as possible, at time of purchase the engine was rebuilt around a new 110 cylinder block by Gareth Burnett. While in the vendor's ownership, the Flying Scotsman rally, Mille Miglia and Le Mans Classic were all completed successfully.
Being a man that likes his cars to drive and present as well as possible, the owner dispatched 'AYL 2' to Talbot specialist I S Polson at the end of the 2018 season with the brief to get the car running and driving on road and track to its very best capabilities. To this end the car was gone through from stem to stern. Works carried out included a complete rewire, top-end engine overhaul, remaking of the floor and associated brackets, re-fitting an original type radiator, re-plumbing the cooling system, rebuilding the seats, re-mounting the body, and overhauling the shock absorbers together with countless other smaller jobs (see invoices on file for circa £80,000). As such, the car only requires final set-up for a new owner to enjoy.
'AYL 2' is only offered for sale because a change in his plans means the owner will not be able to use the car as much as he feels an historic competition car of this quality deserves. A proven winner, this strong and successful post-Vintage thoroughbred is eligible to compete in all the world's best pre-war races and rallies, where its competition record speaks for itself. In the right hands, it is surely a car to be reckoned with, or in less skilled but equally enthusiastic hands, is a ticket for the very best the motoring world has to offer, just as it was for Dr Roth when new. Offered with current FIA HTP papers.
Talbot AV105 Brooklands Sport Racer - 1934
Chassis n° AV35499
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2020
Estimated : € 800.000 - 1.100.000
Sold for € 879.750
Talbot's reputation for producing highly effective competition cars owed a lot to the efforts of the Tolworth based motor dealership and racing preparation specialists, Fox & Nicholl, which looked after the works team from the beginning of 1930 to the end of 1932. The Fox & Nicholl Talbot 90s had dominated the 3-Litre class in prestigious international events such as the Le Mans 24-Hour race, despite displacing only 2.3 litres. For 1931, designer Georges Roesch produced a new car with a full 3-litre engine, which was lighter than its 2.3-litre predecessor and featured much larger valves in a staggered layout, giving improved breathing. This engine was fitted to a lighter and lower chassis, the new model being the AV105.
Famously registered 'GO 51' to 'GO 54' consecutively, the four Fox & Nicholl Talbot 105s enjoyed an outstanding run of successes during the 1931 and 1932 seasons. Highlights of the latter included 1st, 2nd and 3rd in class at the Brooklands 'Double Twelve' in 1931; 3rd overall at Le Mans and 1st un-supercharged car in 1931 and 1932; 1st, 2nd and 3rd in class in the Brooklands 500 in 1931 and 1st and 2nd in 1932; and 1st and 2nd in class at the TT in 1931 and 1932. There was also a glorious failure in the Mille Miglia in 1932 when a lone entry crashed after 900 miles when in 4th place overall.
In addition to its racetrack successes, the AV105 proved to be a formidable rally car. Roesch had always tested his cars in the Alps so it was no surprise when journalist Humfrey Symons borrowed an example to compete in the 1931 Coupe des Alpes (Alpine Rally). He lost no marks and won a Coupe des Glaciers, the highest possible award for a single entry.
The following year a more serious bid was mounted and a team of three tourer-bodied AV105s were prepared for the 1932 event by Fox and Nicholl. These cars were extremely successful, finishing without any penalties, and winning the Coupe des Alpes outright. Another AV105 team, this time with paired down cycle winged four-seater bodies, the famous 'BGH' cars, repeated the feat in 1934. The latter were the ultimate development of the competition Talbot and as such arguably represent the ultimate pre-war British racing sports car. By far the most developed of the three 'BGH' works cars was 'BGH 23' (sold by Bonhams in 2014) and the only other competition car that Talbot built to the same specification was 'AYL 2' offered here.
'AYL 2' was constructed at around the same time as the 'BGH' Alpine cars in 1934. It was ordered new by Dr E J H Roth, who was a leading Harley Street consultant and keen Talbot racer, having previously competed successfully with a 90 at Brooklands. Roth now wanted an even quicker Talbot to challenge for outright wins at the famed Surrey track, and saw the potential in a 'BGH'-style car. As such, the body was to the same general outline as the works Alpine team cars of 1934 but more pared down for track racing, being slightly narrower, with no hood fitted, the area this would normally reside in being panelled over. No windscreen was fitted and initially no passenger's side door, while the specification also included Zeiss headlamps, a Brooklands exhaust system, and André Telecontrol shock absorbers. As such, the car is widely regarded as a semi-works example.
Painted green with matching wheels, 'AYL 2' appeared for the first time at a Brooklands race meeting on 13th October 1934 and was raced by Roth in two races that day. Following this initial visit, Roth continued to race the car successfully at Brooklands, scoring a win in April 1935.
For the 1936 season, with Dr Roth in search of still greater performance and success at the track, 'AYL 2' was up-rated to single-seater specification with a new body manufactured by the famed ERA company of racing voiturette fame. For the BRDC 500-mile race of 1936, the car was prepared with works support to include the installation of the new 3.3-litre 110-type engine. It was driven in this, the most important Brooklands race of the year, by two of the best Brooklands drivers available, Chris Staniland (the 2nd quickest man ever to lap the circuit) and W M 'Mike' Couper. The latter was Talbot's crack 'works' Brooklands driver, famously piloting 'BGH 23' to many successes at the Surrey track. In single-seater form, 'AYL 2' never fulfilled its apparent potential; it is thought this was due to difficult handling caused by poor installation of the rear shock absorbers.
This period of the car's life, when it was fitted with the larger 110 engine, is nevertheless important, since 'AYL 2' is one of only two competition Talbots (the other being 'BGH 23') fitted with this engine in period. As a result, it is eligible today to run this larger and more powerful engine.
When 'AYL 2' was converted to a single-seater, its original sports car body was fitted in 1936 to an almost new Talbot AV105, registration number 'JJ 93'. The body would remain on this car for many years, unmodified apart from the useful addition of a passenger-side door and a windscreen.
In the 1950s, 'AYL 2', by now with its single seater body modified to two-seater configuration (and reregistered as 'JKJ 869' to take advantage of cheaper tax), passed through the trade (see advertisements on file) before being purchased by Arthur Archer, the highly respected Talbot restorer. By this time the original cylinder block was badly damaged; Archer scrapped the block but kept the rest of the car as a potential source of spares. Fortunately Archer never needed the spares and sold the car as a dismantled project to fellow Talbot specialist Ian Polson in 1975. He in turn sold the still dismantled project to John Ward, who rebuilt it using a replica body to the original pattern, as delivered to Dr Roth in 1934. Subsequently, 'AYL 2' was purchased by well-known long-term Talbot collector Nicholas Ward of Northern Ireland, Ward was able to purchase the remaining original parts that Archer had retained, and reunited the car with its original registration number.
Throughout this time the original 1934 team car-style body from 'AYL 2' had remained in good order, fitted to 'JJ 93' as mentioned above. Finally, in 2010, renowned Talbot collector and entrant John Ruston was able to purchase 'AYL 2' from Nicholas Ward and 'JJ 93' from its then owner Paul Wignall. 'AYL 2' was then reunited with its original body, as well as important original components such as road equipment and seats.
While owned by John Ruston and prepared and driven by Gareth Burnett, 'AYL 2' was again hugely successful both on road and track, exactly as its manufacturers had intended, winning two of the most highly regarded pre-war rally and race events: Plateau 1 overall at the Le Mans Classic in 2012 and the prestigious Flying Scotsman rally outright in 2013.
Following brief ownership by well-known German collector Michael Hinderer (who raced the car at the Goodwood Revival in 2015), 'AYL 2' was purchased by the current owner in 2017. A highly successful pre-war rally entrant, he wanted a car that would be equally at home on the rally stages as on the racetrack, and which was eligible for all of the world's great historic motoring events. 'AYL 2' has fitted the bill uniquely well. To ensure the car performed as well as possible, at time of purchase the engine was rebuilt around a new 110 cylinder block by Gareth Burnett. While in the vendor's ownership, the Flying Scotsman rally, Mille Miglia and Le Mans Classic were all completed successfully.
Being a man that likes his cars to drive and present as well as possible, the owner dispatched 'AYL 2' to Talbot specialist I S Polson at the end of the 2018 season with the brief to get the car running and driving on road and track to its very best capabilities. To this end the car was gone through from stem to stern. Works carried out included a complete rewire, top-end engine overhaul, remaking of the floor and associated brackets, re-fitting an original type radiator, re-plumbing the cooling system, rebuilding the seats, re-mounting the body, and overhauling the shock absorbers together with countless other smaller jobs (see invoices on file for circa £80,000). As such, the car only requires final set-up for a new owner to enjoy.
'AYL 2' is only offered for sale because a change in his plans means the owner will not be able to use the car as much as he feels an historic competition car of this quality deserves. A proven winner, this strong and successful post-Vintage thoroughbred is eligible to compete in all the world's best pre-war races and rallies, where its competition record speaks for itself. In the right hands, it is surely a car to be reckoned with, or in less skilled but equally enthusiastic hands, is a ticket for the very best the motoring world has to offer, just as it was for Dr Roth when new. Offered with current FIA HTP papers.