Details
1950 LEA FRANCIS 2½ LITRE SPORTS
REGISTRATION NO. MMB 941
CHASSIS NO. 5168
ENGINE NO. 5189
BLACK WITH RED LEATHER INTERIOR
ENGINE: FOUR CYLINDER, 2,496CC, 110 BHP AT 5,200RPM ; GEARBOX: FOUR SPEED MANUAL; BRAKES: FOUR WHEEL DRUM; SUSPENSION: FRONT, INDEPENDENT REAR, SEMI-ELLIPTIC LEAF SPRINGS. RIGHT HAND DRIVE
ONE OF THE OLDEST NAMES IN THE COVENTRY MOTOR INDUSTRY AND ONE THAT HAD CLOSE PARALLELS WITH RILEY AND ALVIS, WAS LEA FRANCIS. THE COMPANY MADE INTERESTING CARS OF ABOVE AVERAGE PERFORMANCE IN THE 1920'S AND IN THE 1930'S ADOPTED THE HUGH ROSE DESIGNED TWIN HIGH CAM ENGINE. THIS WAS BROADLY SIMILAR TO THE RILEY 12/4 ENGINE, ALSO BY ROSE, WHO HAD JOINED THE LEA FRANCIS BUSINESS ON ITS TRANSFER TO THE FORMER GLORIA WORKS.
AFTER THE WAR LEA FRANCIS PROSPERED BRIEFLY, BUT THE WRITING WAS ON THE WALL FOR CAR FIRMS OF ITS MODEST SIZE, AND ITS PRODUCTION FELL STEADILY IN THE EARLY 1950'S. THE POSTWAR SPORTS MODEL STARTED WITH A 1,767CC ENGINE ALSO USED BY CONNAUGHT, BUT ITS DEFINITIVE FORM HAD GROWN TO 2,496CC TO PROVIDE 100MPH PERFORMANCE. AT ¨1,276 IT WAS A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE JAGUAR XK120, WHICH HELPS TO EXPLAIN WHY ONLY 77 WERE SOLD, DESPITE ITS OBVIOUS VIRTUES AND THE BONUS OF AN OCCASIONAL REAR SEAT.
THE MODEL HAS A HIGH SURVIVAL RATE, THANKS TO THE AMPLE SPARES SUPPLY RETAINED BY A B PRICE LTD. MMB 941 IS A PARTICULARLY FINE EXAMPLE WHICH HAS REPUTEDLY ONLY COVERED AROUND 70,000 MILES FROM NEW. ITS FIRST OWNER KEPT THE CAR FOR SOME 26 YEARS AND BY 1989 THE CAR HAD ONLY HAD THREE REGISTERED KEEPERS. THE CURRENT OWNER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE JUST OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AND HAS CARRIED OUT SOME SYMPATHETIC RESTORATION WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS RE-WIRED, THE STEERING REBUILT WITH A NEW DROP ARM, THE BRAKE PADS CHANGED AND THE DRUMS RE-SKINNED, THE CARBURETTORS WERE REBUILT AND A NEW EXHAUST, CLUTCH, TYRES, HOOD AND TONNEAU FITTED. THE CAR CARRIES OLDER PAINTWORK IN GOOD ORDER AND THE RED LEATHER UPHOLSTERY WAS FITTED IN 1987, IT ALSO COMES WITH A CORRECT PERIOD RADIO. THE CAR HAS ALSO BEEN RE-CHROMED AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE JAEGER INSTRUMENTS REBUILT HENCE THE RECORDED MILEAGE OF 2,331 MILES. OTHER EQUIPMENT WITH THIS ORIGINAL VEHICLE INCLUDE A CLAYTON HEATER, PUMP, CORRECT TOOL KIT AND JACK, AND A CONTINENTAL TOURING KIT WITH USEFUL SPARES SUCH AS GASKETS, FAN BELT, MAIN HOSES, BRAKE SHOES AND WIPER BLADES. THE ONLY NON ORIGINAL FEATURES NOTED WERE THE MODERN FLASHING INDICATORS AND A KENLOWE FAN TO AID COOLING.
IN THE FEBRUARY 1989 EDITION OF OLD CAR THIS LEA FRANCIS WAS USED AS A FEATURE CAR AND DESCRIBED AS A SUPERB EXAMPLE AND THIS WAS BEFORE ANY RESTORATION WORK WAS UNDERTAKEN ! CERTAINLY IT IS EXTREMELY RARE, HAS VERY ELEGANT COACHWORK A SPORTY PERFORMANCE AND WILL COST CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN A COMPARABLE XK120 TODAY.
REGISTRATION NO. MMB 941
CHASSIS NO. 5168
ENGINE NO. 5189
BLACK WITH RED LEATHER INTERIOR
ENGINE: FOUR CYLINDER, 2,496CC, 110 BHP AT 5,200RPM ; GEARBOX: FOUR SPEED MANUAL; BRAKES: FOUR WHEEL DRUM; SUSPENSION: FRONT, INDEPENDENT REAR, SEMI-ELLIPTIC LEAF SPRINGS. RIGHT HAND DRIVE
ONE OF THE OLDEST NAMES IN THE COVENTRY MOTOR INDUSTRY AND ONE THAT HAD CLOSE PARALLELS WITH RILEY AND ALVIS, WAS LEA FRANCIS. THE COMPANY MADE INTERESTING CARS OF ABOVE AVERAGE PERFORMANCE IN THE 1920'S AND IN THE 1930'S ADOPTED THE HUGH ROSE DESIGNED TWIN HIGH CAM ENGINE. THIS WAS BROADLY SIMILAR TO THE RILEY 12/4 ENGINE, ALSO BY ROSE, WHO HAD JOINED THE LEA FRANCIS BUSINESS ON ITS TRANSFER TO THE FORMER GLORIA WORKS.
AFTER THE WAR LEA FRANCIS PROSPERED BRIEFLY, BUT THE WRITING WAS ON THE WALL FOR CAR FIRMS OF ITS MODEST SIZE, AND ITS PRODUCTION FELL STEADILY IN THE EARLY 1950'S. THE POSTWAR SPORTS MODEL STARTED WITH A 1,767CC ENGINE ALSO USED BY CONNAUGHT, BUT ITS DEFINITIVE FORM HAD GROWN TO 2,496CC TO PROVIDE 100MPH PERFORMANCE. AT ¨1,276 IT WAS A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE JAGUAR XK120, WHICH HELPS TO EXPLAIN WHY ONLY 77 WERE SOLD, DESPITE ITS OBVIOUS VIRTUES AND THE BONUS OF AN OCCASIONAL REAR SEAT.
THE MODEL HAS A HIGH SURVIVAL RATE, THANKS TO THE AMPLE SPARES SUPPLY RETAINED BY A B PRICE LTD. MMB 941 IS A PARTICULARLY FINE EXAMPLE WHICH HAS REPUTEDLY ONLY COVERED AROUND 70,000 MILES FROM NEW. ITS FIRST OWNER KEPT THE CAR FOR SOME 26 YEARS AND BY 1989 THE CAR HAD ONLY HAD THREE REGISTERED KEEPERS. THE CURRENT OWNER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE JUST OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AND HAS CARRIED OUT SOME SYMPATHETIC RESTORATION WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS RE-WIRED, THE STEERING REBUILT WITH A NEW DROP ARM, THE BRAKE PADS CHANGED AND THE DRUMS RE-SKINNED, THE CARBURETTORS WERE REBUILT AND A NEW EXHAUST, CLUTCH, TYRES, HOOD AND TONNEAU FITTED. THE CAR CARRIES OLDER PAINTWORK IN GOOD ORDER AND THE RED LEATHER UPHOLSTERY WAS FITTED IN 1987, IT ALSO COMES WITH A CORRECT PERIOD RADIO. THE CAR HAS ALSO BEEN RE-CHROMED AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE JAEGER INSTRUMENTS REBUILT HENCE THE RECORDED MILEAGE OF 2,331 MILES. OTHER EQUIPMENT WITH THIS ORIGINAL VEHICLE INCLUDE A CLAYTON HEATER, PUMP, CORRECT TOOL KIT AND JACK, AND A CONTINENTAL TOURING KIT WITH USEFUL SPARES SUCH AS GASKETS, FAN BELT, MAIN HOSES, BRAKE SHOES AND WIPER BLADES. THE ONLY NON ORIGINAL FEATURES NOTED WERE THE MODERN FLASHING INDICATORS AND A KENLOWE FAN TO AID COOLING.
IN THE FEBRUARY 1989 EDITION OF OLD CAR THIS LEA FRANCIS WAS USED AS A FEATURE CAR AND DESCRIBED AS A SUPERB EXAMPLE AND THIS WAS BEFORE ANY RESTORATION WORK WAS UNDERTAKEN ! CERTAINLY IT IS EXTREMELY RARE, HAS VERY ELEGANT COACHWORK A SPORTY PERFORMANCE AND WILL COST CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN A COMPARABLE XK120 TODAY.