(first posted 3/19/2014) An Austin Sheerline A125 is not a common sight anywhere in the world but quite a rare one in western Canada. Perhaps most common in the United Kingdom as a “wedding car,” it was big and luxurious in the Rolls Royce vein but with a more modest price tag. This once grand old car now lives in front of a denture clinic.
The Sheerline story dates all the way back to 1942 when Austin decided they needed a large and traditionally styled big car to compete in the luxury and professional car market. While it wouldn’t have the same status as a Rolls Royce or the sporting pedigree of a Bentley, it would be sold at a lower price. The large, free standing headlights and a tall, upright grill were critical to achieving a traditional luxury car look., and the Sheerline wears its then fashionable razor-edge styling quite well. Designed during World War II, it was one of the first post war British designs, with production starting in 1947 under the A110 designation.
Image Credit: http://www.bestattungswagen-literaturarchiv.de/6028.html
The A110 featured a 3,460cc inline six engine with overhead valves but only 12 were built before a bigger 3,995cc engine was substituted, producing 130hp @ 3,700 rpm and 150 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. The model designation was swapped to A125 to reflect the engine upgrade. The Sheerline was a big car, especially by British standards of the day, with a 119.3 inch wheelbase and an overall length of almost 16 feet (191.5 inches). Width came to 73 inches against a height of 69 inches, and the A125 could also be purchased in a longer wheelbase chassis form, with most destined for ambulance or hearse duty. There was also a long wheelbase limousine built in very small numbers. Commercial car survivors, however, are very rare as the stout chassis was prized by banger racers (demolition derby).
Image Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1950_Vanden_Plas_Princess_DS2_Saloon.JPG
For those that felt that the A125 lacked a bit of class, Austin had a solution through their newly purchased coach building company, Vanden Plas. The Austin A135 Princess Mk I used the Sheerline chassis as well as all its running gear but softened the razor-edge styling a bit with semi-integral headlights. The Princess was the top of line flagship model and could be ordered either as a regular saloon or as a limousine with a glass divider separating the driver from the passenger compartment.
The massive headlamps gave the A125 an old fashioned or sophisticated look depending on who was asked, but even with the upright grill, they still looked more modern than their Rolls Royce counterpart.
Inside, the dashboard is almost completely faced with wood. Dual glove-boxes and centrally mounted gauges would have made it easy to convert the design from right to left hand drive. This example retains its right hand drive and seems have been imported from the UK at some point in its life. The door panels and some of the Bakelite knobs have started to disintegrate, however, and the 1970s or 1980s aftermarket radio is an unfortunate addition.
The view into the back is even more grim with everything looking rather dried out and musty. I owned a car with an interior in a similar condition once and if you touched the upholstery it would crumble and turn to dust.
Around the side, the thick paint was cracking and weathered with rust appearing at some of the seams. It would be a major undertaking to restore this car back to its prime. The A125 featured a beefy truck like frame with independent front suspension and I’ve seen others used as the basis for a hot rod with the ubiquitous Chevrolet V8 transplant.
Curiously, the rear still features a vintage British license plate. One has to wonder if it was ever registered for use on this continent. I can’t imagine someone would import one in this condition, though, so there is likely a great story behind this car. Notice the chrome t-handle next to the absent brake light lens; if it and the corresponding one on the left are turned, a panel will fold down to reveal the spare wheel compartment.
The once proud Austin has lost its hood ornament but has amazingly held onto its other vital chrome trim.
I’ve seen this Austin stored in this spot for over six years with its stay likely to continue much longer. I cannot help but think that it remains a good, solid and complete–if very ambitious–project car. You certainly wouldn’t see too many others out on the road.
As far as I know, this model – just like many British cars from the same era – has a wooden “coachwork” which supports the steel body shell. If so, restoration would be extremely tricky.
Fascinating to see this. I own one and have done so for 30 years plus. To clarify a couple of points on the thread: the radio looks like the original head to me (connected by rods to the valve pack behind and in the engine bay); bodywork is steel (the sister car, the A135, was aluminium coachwork by Vanden Plas); the doors are wooden framed and the way they are hanging now suggests the timber has either rotted or twisted – suspect corrosion of the mounting posts as well.
Mechanically these cars are not difficult to restore in terms of dismantling and assembling; most parts are available and a few very difficult (brake cylinders for example are v difficult to source). Bodywork is a different story – you are effectively on your own unless you want to use specialists breakers in the UK and even then the parts are rare. A shame to see such a grand old lady languishing: restored she will tour in luxurious silence and comfort all day, happy being left in top gear for anything much over 20 mph. Powerful brakes (brace yourself and you will manage four wheel lock up if you try really hard) and a surprising torque. It’s very common to see the rear seat passengers have nodded off, lounged against the armrests, side bolsters and shielded from the sun with the silk rear blind (an easy part to recover and repair) Come on, there must be someone brave to take on this potential mistress – and don’t worry about the mascot – that IS available!
“connected by rods to the valve pack behind and in the engine bay)”
For our US readers, “valve pack” refers to a radio chassis using old fashioned Vacuum tubes. As the attached image shows, the English call vacuum tubes “electronic valves.”
Based on Julian’s description, the controls on the dash connect to a remotely mounted tuner using mechanical rods or shafts. I’d love to see the details.
Pretty sure these were all steel only Riley were timber framed post war.
Nice pics, David. I prefer the razoredge styling to the 135, although those headlights throw the proportions out. Didn’t know about the banger and hot rod aspect, cheers. Speaking of motorsports, hoping for a followup on the old cat next to it, perhaps?
Interesting styling and it would have made a good “wedding car” here in the states too. Most would think that it WAS a Rolls Royce.
I think I had one of these as a wedding car. If I’d had a choice I’d have chosen something classier…
Our wedding car was a very nice 1950s Crewe Bentley. Very nice in the back, and we got to make royal waves at passers-by too!
Alongside a not quite contemporary Jaguar, perhaps a Mk IX, rather like the one pictured here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39302751@N06/6649314853/
Or a Jaguar Mk VIII which is visually identical to the Mk IX. There were a couple neglected, once grand old cars in this spot.
Like the green JAGUAR Kim Knovak drove in Hitchcock’s fabulous ‘VERTIGO’ (followed by James Stewart in his 1956 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman) I took a ‘Vanden Plas Princess’ in trade at my restoration shop when a friend used it as a partial trade for a ’64 black Imperial LeBaron, the Princess was silver with a crate Chevy, 350 and Turbo 4oo, unlike a hot rod it was stone silent and a nice wedding car. Did restoration on a 1956 big JAG sedan in the 1970’s, the customer used a heated up Chevy six with 4 speed.
Reading the early, historical parts of this story felt like reading the Daimler 420G article that I wrote several years ago, with the names and years changed! The two cars did fill very similar market segments, with the Daimler being a notch higher with its historic use by the British royal family.
It would be fascinating to see a comparison test of the Austin Sheerline and its competitors from Rolls-Royce and Daimler, to see which was better, the aristocratic Rolls-Royce, the aristocratic-turned-nouveau-riche Daimler under Jaguar ownership, or the Austin with its “common” origins.
Humber Imperial was a direct competitor a grade lower than RR or Bentley but still a coach built car.
Daimler had gone nouveaux riches before it was bought by Jaguar, thanks to its ownership by Lord Docker and the, um, flamboyant behaviour of his wife. The Royal Family had always preferred Daimlers to Royces, but the Dockers ensured that the Windsors became regular Crewe customers.
Jaguar, by contrast, just badge-engineered Daimler to extinction, in the very best traditions of the British car industry.
Re Daimler 420G you mentioned. As I recall there was only the Jaguar Mk 10/420G. There was a Daimler 420. Which was slightly smaller than the Jaguars.
What a grand old car. I hope some courageous person with deep pockets undertakes to save it, because it certainly deserves to live.
Often seen in black for funerals and white for weddings in 60s Britain.A few can still be seen doing the same today.It must be pretty rare to find another one in Canada
I actually have a 1948 Austin A125 Sheerline in Winnipeg rebuilding it as we speak.
Hi Preston, my father is restoring a 1949 model, but he has drawn a blank with the timber in the trunk (boot), as it has all rotted away and neither he nor I are sure about how and where we should fit replacement timber. Is there any chance of posting a photograph or two of a complete set-up to give us something to work off?
Iain
Here is my e-mail address, you can contact me and I will take any pictures you require. old_koote@Hotmail.com.
Preston
A propos of the recent Rocket 88 thread – the Austin Princess is a very rock’n’roll car indeed – the Beatles pretty much lived in Princesses at the height of UK Beatlemania, 1963-64 – look out for one in the movie A Hard Day’s Night. And Dylan used a Princess for the 1966 “Judas” tour, as can be seen in Don’t Look Back.
Unfortunately, the rust problems are only going to get worse if it continues to be parked over gravel.
Better than long grass I guess
Interesting find – and as always here in New Zealand, we got the Sheerline new in A125 and A135 form, with several still left. I saw a long wheelbase limo version at a show last year, and another on the motorway one morning going to work. Both SWB and LWB versions have been for sale on trademe within the last 6ish months. The limo has fold-out occasional seats in the rear, and is more common here than the SWB due to it (the limo version) being used for royal tours and as mayoral cars. The SWB ones look a little disproportionate in the metal, the limos are better balanced. Regardless of wheelbase, those wooden dashboards are quite oppressive in person, especially when the wood is very dry and rough like in the car I saw – looking at it makes me shiver like polystyrene does!
The dash is actually mostly bakelite not wood, there was a Sheerline atop a shipping container in a scrapyard here recently gone now and probably beercans in its new life
Hi Kiwibryce,
No, actually, the wood trim is walnut veneer. I have a 1952 Austin Sheerline Limo, and it is now for sale. I am on Camano Island, Washington State, USA. This auto has SO MANY advance features, like the 4 wheel electronic jacking system (like current days motorhomes), crank start along with electric start, sliding glass between the driver and passenger compartments, telescoping steering wheel, etc. You look at this car on the road and you think it’s an old Bentley or Rolls!!
Ok I wasnt sure on that its years since Ive looked inside one but it resembles the fake wood bakelite of other post war Austin and Morris products, the 4 wheel hydraulic not electronic jacking system was used on other British luxury cars of the era too even my Hillman has crank handle start as did nearly every British car of the era other than Vauxhalls and Ford Zephyrs.
My 1960 Hillman Husky (estate wagon) had the hand crank, & I used to use it every so often, it was a very easy starter.
Hey suebee, I was pretty sure it was real wood, thanks for the confirmation. You certainly get a lot of car for your money with a Sheerline!
British registration number letters MKL would have been issued in 1950. The second two letters : KL, tell you that this Austin was first registered in the county of Kent, ( by Kent County Council)
I’m desperately looking for someone to tell me where I can find the vin for my austin. I don’t know if it is a sgeerline, princess, or A135. I’ve had it restored but can’t register it. Gpe.ft81@gmail.com or 619-341-5777 and please let me know. I’ve had several potential buyers but all flake out because they think I’m lying to them.
I have only just found this as I was searching for something else, but I was interested as my late father owned a 1950 A135 Princess in the 1960s. It would have been a sister car to the one shown as the registration was a similar Kent one, MKK 750, although we lived in London at the time. The Sheerline had a steel body, I’m not sure if it was coachbuilt or not, but the Princess, which was more upmarket had one with aluminium panels over a wooden frame and was handbuilt at the Van Den Plas works in Kingsbury, North London.
The dashboard was definitely wood veneered and the upholstery leather. The car was fitted with the Smith’s Jackall hydraulic jacking system. You opened a small flap in the drivers floor and turned a knob to operate an electric pump which operated a hydraulic jack at each corner of the car.
Eventually the car became uneconomical to run and was replaced by a Mark 2 Jaguar, but I still have a brochure for it. Thanks fo reviving some happy memories.
Hi Justin,
I am restoring a 1954, A135 Princess. But I madly stuck. It came to me with a GMC engine. I managed to find a original engine and gear box for the car in Scotland. I struggling with weather strip rubbers for the car. Any leads would help. Are you gonna told on tp the brochure, or wanna let go of it. Stay in touch , Stay safe.
Joseph Dcruz
Dubai
I have a 1951 Austin Sheerline A125 that I purchased about one year ago after sitting for years in an open air building. Very unique body styling caught my eye. Unfortunately very poor body work done on this car many years ago is making it a major rebuild. Very hard to find any parts is making it more of a challenge. Looking forward to the day when the car will shine again!
Good luck with restoration, my car was a wedding car for years, now being retired to have some TLC. Very rare now A125 Sheerline 1951 (DM1)
1951 Austin Sheerline A125
Austin Sheerline starting to shine
HI Chester Atkinson, your Sheerline is looking good! I picked up one last year and wanted to see if we could get in touch.
Thanks
Andy
818/385.5796
Quietlion79@hotmail.com
I ran a sheerline from 1970 to 75, great car and last one in West of Scotland, only problem
petrol would boil in hot weather and engine would cut out. Radio was standard as was heater. Radio was 6 band long medium and 4 short wave fitted under bonnet with a vibrator pack providing 250volt dc to the valves aerial was on roof in front of Sun roof.
Hello on a different topic regarding the 1950 Austin Sheerline A125. I am looking for a complete set of brake liners and shoes (the metal that holds the Liner) would anyone know where to locate these brake parts for the Austen or a break conversation kit or??
Thanks
Hello from Austria!
If you dont find anything closer to you, I might be able to help!
but I am located in Tyrol.
I would need usable and nice door handles and door strips (chrome)
Clearly a low coefficient of drag wasn’t in the brief.
The Macau grand prix museum has one on display. The governor’s limo according to the blurb. Can’t remember which model it is, but is unlikely to be a runner; knowing how few skilled people live and work there.
http://www.marcburba.com/macaugrandprix.html
How can I obtain more information on a Sheerline? How will I be able to tell if this is a A110 or A125? This car is a Barn find, don’t have a lot of information on the.
Some information here: http://www.austinmemories.com/styled-33/styled-46/index.html and Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Sheerline
I used to own a short wheel base model in the the 60/s It was in perfect condition
but very expensive to run 11 miles to the gallon, the carburettor used to hold about more than a litre of petrol so if you run out of petrol which I often did you needed 2 gallons to fill it up to start, not good when you walked to a garage with your gallon can, The headlamp bulb I remember was £11.00 massif amount of money then, so I just used the spot lamps instead, kept it for 2 years and swapped it for a Triumph Mayflower 1954 with was a great car I believe it is now in a museum in London, Just some nice memories
I sat my driving test in 1960 in my fathers Sheerline. The instructor said it was the finest car he had ever tested in. He passed me. Great car. Hydraulic jacks were amazing. I was always told that the bodies were bought from Bentley. The engine apparently was also used in lorries.