This is a photograph of a 1915 Overland Tourer which took part in the annual Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run organised by the Lancashire Automobile Club and run on 2nd June 1991. The programme of the event gives this information about the car:
'1915 Overland Tourer
Reg: AD 4296 4 cylinder 15/20 hp
(Robert S. Kemp, Aughton)
This Overland was a one-family car for
more than 40 years from new. It is still in
totally original condition, and has only
covered minimal mileage in its lifetime.'
According to the Wilkipedia website about the Overland Automobile Company Overland Motors was purchased in 1908 by John North Willys and the company was renamed Willys-Overland in 1912. This 1915 car should therefore be a Willys-Overland. Willys-Overland is best known, of course, for the design and production of the military Jeep during the Second World War.
This particular car was sold at auction in April 2011 by H&H Classic Car Auctioneers.
This particular car was sold at auction in April 2011 by H&H Classic Car Auctioneers.
My Grandfather bought this car in 1916 when he moved to Thornbury, north of Bristol. Thereafter my father used it as shown in his 1922 diary which I have. The car was laid up until the mid 1950's until my grandparents died. It was then sold to a man in Leeds as I recall and transported on a flat bed lorry by Thornbury Transport to Leeds. I have fond memories of playing with this old car where it was stored in the dry in a galvanised coach house which is still standing today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for those interesting memories. Robert Kemp, who owned the car in 1991, was obviously aware of its one-family history. I don't know if it was a member of his family who bought the car and had it transported to Leeds - Aughton is in West Lancashire about half-way between Liverpool and Ormskirk.
ReplyDeleteThat was very interesting Dave. Thanks! I was at school the day the car was collected but my Dad told me that they cleaned the plugs and the magneto and after restoring a bit of compression with a drop of Castrol, no doubt, via the plug holes, the car started without too much fuss. Thereafter it was towed from its home at Milbury Heath on the A38 to Berkeley Vale Motors at Alveston about two miles away. There the Overland was unceremoniously pushed onto an outside ramp, raised to lorry height and finally pushed onto a flat bed lorry, no doubt with considerable improvisation.
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