By Phil Homer
Standard Motor Club Historian
Tom has acquired a 1923 Standard Model SLO4 Tourer, with a “Warwick” body, as a Restoration project. It presently resides in a Lockup workshop close to Weedon in Northamptonshire. Tom invited a group of fellow SLO owners to visit the unit and observe the work that is being done to bring this car back to the road.
The car at the 1960 Standard Rally.
The 1944cc Overhead-valve engine and 4-speed gearbox have been removed from the car and Tom has had the Engine running - and it is ready to go back in the frame. In the meantime, the body is being prepared for a repaint and retrim. It may seem that to achieve the rebuild by the Car’s 100th birthday, early next year, might not quite be possible. Tom is trying to do as much as possible of the work himself.
The car was registered PM4741 on 29th Feb. 1924. That is a Hasting registration. It’s chassis number 477 of batch 14.
Historical Notes (my thanks to Len Barr).
The earliest mention of the car is a letter dated 24th May 1960 from John Chick, who gave an address in Tile Hill, Coventry,
He signed the letter by saying that he was a "Standard Student Apprentice" and went on to say that he had just purchased the car, which he had towed home from Wembley, where it had been for some years. The engine had been rebuilt, the CAV headlamps had been reconditioned and four new beaded edge tyres had just been fitted. However, he also said that the original interior trim had become brittle and badly cracked, and the hood covering had also disappeared.
It was during Mr Chick's ownership that the car made its one and only appearance at a Standard Rally, the very first Rally that was held on 3rd September 1960 at the Factory.
By 25th November 1960, the car had been sold to Mr Buckler, of Nuneaton, who was to keep the car until March 2000, when it was sold to Mr Ibbetson of Hinckley, who kept the car until last year when it was sold to Tom Dawkins.
So in reality, the car has done very little in the last sixty-three years, and spent lengthy periods in storage with both Messrs Buckler and Ibbetson. John Chick sold the car to Mr Buckler, with the intention that he would fully restore the car, but apart from doing some small jobs, it would appear that much was left undone and is now being completed by Tom.
As can be seen, there was no hood, hood frame or sidecreens on the car in 1960. The car does however have a hood frame and covering now.
We wish Tom every success in his restoration and will report progress on the Website when I hear of it.
SLO “Owners Club”, left to right: Paul Newsome: SLO4 “Charlecote”, Len Barr: SLO 2 seater Tourer, Tom Dawkins SLO4 “Warwick”, Phil Homer SLO 2 seater Tourer
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Phil Homer
Historian
Standard Motor Club
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