A Vauxhall VY Cadet?
Thanks to Rob for sending this photograph over, and for giving permission for it to be reproduced at oldclassiccar.co.uk!
Rob sent this photo over, asking if I could identify the pre-war car shown in it. The shape of the radiator grille, and the curved flutes that run along the bonnet to the curved top edges of the grille, confirmed that it was a Vauxhall, dating to sometime in the early 1930s. However I wasn't too sure about the model, wondering perhaps if it could be a 20/60. Rob went away and did some more research, and believes that it is a Vauxhall Cadet, and from the photos I've found online of similar cars, I'm inclined to agree (unless someone out there knows different of course!).
Some background information to the people in this photograph: "This is a photo of my wife's Great Grandfather, Joseph Robinson, taken
probably somewhere around Lancashire, possibly Burnley."
The Cadet was one of a number of six cylinder Vauxhalls produced in the pre-war years, pre-dating the 14hp ASX and 12hp ASY ranges (I rescued a 12hp ASY some years ago, registration AND 300, where is it now???). The Cadet however had a larger engine than my car. These Vauxhalls were seen as a quality motor-car in their day,
a cut above your Austins and Morrises in many ways. They were modern cars, featuring syncromesh gearboxes no less, when
many motorists were still grappling with the crash-box. The purchase prices, in 1933 at any rate, for the Cadet started at 295 GBP for the 17hp four door saloon. The 'Grosvenor Saloon De Luxe' could be purchased at 325 GBP, and for 10.00 extra the lucky buyer could drive away in the 'Tickford All Weather' saloon. For the same price as the base car, you could have opted for a 2 or 4 light 'Fixed Head Coupe', the '2 or 4 light' option referring to the number of side windows in the bodyshell, rather than the car's illumination credentials. Two other variants were on offer also, the 'Romney 2 seater Drop Head Coupe' (325 GBP) and the 'Denton 4 seater Drop Head Coupe' (335 GBP).
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