1. A Standard Nine saloon.
Thanks to David, who kindly sent the first pair of photographs over, showing a two door Standard that belonged to his father. For some reason I have quite a few photos of Standard Flying 8s on the site (for instance the saloon photographs on this page, and the tourer seen here), but until now not one of the Flying 9. One detail difference between the Flying 9 and the Flying 8, is that the latter has a cheaper pressed metal bumper when compared to the "Nine".
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The photo above is interesting for a number of reasons, not least the temporary lack of headlights fitted to the Standard in this view. I've not often seen pictures of small cars fitted with the marker posts fitted to the nearside front wing either, these are usually seen on lorries only (admittedly taller than that shown here). I wonder where DKC 543 ended up? DKC is a Liverpool area registration code. The photo below shows the same car, bonnet up and being worked on.
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David has fond recollections of his father's car: "We went over to Northern Ireland in the Standard Flying 9 when I was a child. I remember we went up to Stranraer because the weather was so bad in Liverpool and the storm travelled up with us! The car was winched onto the deck by crane with chain slings. No Ro-Ro then. One of the rear springs broke and my father, who had served some time as a blacksmith's striker, helped the local guy to make a new one". On the second photo, David adds: "My father working on the same car in Ireland. I think it was 1952 and I was 7 years old at the time. This car was, I think, his second after a Morris 8. Before that it was a motorcycle and side-car. He made the sidecar in our lounge. I remember my
mum complaining about the engine on top of a wardrobe!"
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Thanks for the photos and memories David.
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2. Another Flying 9 image turns up.
This old photo I've had in an album for some time. Again at first I assumed it was an '8', but the chromium front bumper, windscreen surround, and wipers mounted above the screen, all suggest Flying 9 once again. Note the extra lamp mounted at a jaunty angle, positioned to illuminate roadside signs perhaps?
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3. Front view of another Standard.
John Kelly posted the following photo onto the OCC Facebook page in February 2014 (link), and kindly allowed it to be re-posted here.
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He asked whether the car in his photo might be identified. It's a Flying-series Standard, pre-war rather than a late-1940s example (thanks to the presence of bonnet side louvres), and most likely a 9hp model. This Standard has just a single windscreen wiper, like the example at the top of the page, although unlike that car, the one shown below has the painted rather than chrome radiator surround. Thanks for the photo John.
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4. 1937 Flying 9.
AAJ 562 was first registered to an address in Yorkshire in 1937. Here the car, a '37 Standard Flying 9, is shown parked at a roadside accompanied by two ladies (mother and daughter perhaps). Identifying pre-war Standards can be something of a minefield, as not only did many models look rather similar to each other, but styling updates were rolled out on an almost-annual basis, making their exact identification quite a head-scratcher at times.
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Handily, the Standard Motor Company would put the engine's RAC "Horsepower" rating number on the starter handle hole cover. Flying 8s, for instance, have a push-in rubber blanking grommet, with "8" on it. Larger-engined cars of the era have a removable metal cover. The Flying 10 for example has a metal cover that rotates out of the way to the left, whenever a starting handle was required. The car in the following photo clearly has the number 9 on its cover, at the base of the grille. The registration confirms it to being a 1937 car, so its identity is assured.
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It was in immaculate condition at the time of taking this photo, its chrome grille, bumper and hubcaps all gleaming. The older of the two ladies is dressed for near-arctic conditions, which suggests a wintery time of year. In the windscreen is a late-1930s tax disc. I've not been able to identify the piece of paper showing in the screen alongside the tax disc though. Square in shape, it has a circular design on it with a cross in the centre.
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Note that it has a hand-painted numberplate, something more often seen on earlier, vintage, cars, rather than something built in the late 1930s.
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Return to Old Vehicle Photos Page 8. Two photos of the pre-war Standard 9 can be found here.
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