Sold | 1920 Essex Model A Tourer

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£8,680 (Est: £8,000 - £10,000)

1920 Essex Model A Tourer

United Kingdom • 1 Apr 2026 • Lot 46

Vehicle Details

AI Listing Summary

This 1918 Essex Model A Tourer is a rare survivor from the second year of production, boasting a lusty 3-litre engine and a rich history of VSCC events. With a distinctive 'oily rag' patina, it comes with detailed maintenance logs, sundry spares, and technical literature, ready for a caring custodian to continue its preservation.

Condition

6

The car is described as being in good working order but with an 'oily rag' patina, which implies moderate wear. There are also several maintenance highlights that suggest that some reconditioning has been done over the years. It has a canvas tonneau cover for the rear passenger compartment but no hood or hood frame. As you can see in the photos, Mable is in great shape for a 106-year-old.

/ 10

Transmission:

Manual

Chassis No:

A35600

Odometer:

55,383 miles

Reg Number:

SX801

RHD/LHD:

RHD

Description Rare survivor dating from the second year of production; always in regular use and a veteran of many VSCC events; wonderful 'oily rag' patina; lusty 3-litre engine; driven to the sale from Ludlow Founded in 1918, Essex was a strategic ‘budget brand’ created by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit to steal sales from the likes of Henry Ford.

Legend has it that Hudson executives chose the brand name by looking at a map of Britain in search of somewhere that sounded sophisticated and English to attract middle-class Americans who wanted something more upscale than a Ford but cheaper than a Cadillac.

A far cry from the (mainly derogatory) connotations that the E-word conjures up today! The Model A was the first vehicle produced by Essex and proved surprisingly fast and rugged for its price point.

It was powered by a 2,928cc F-head 4-cylinder engine mated to 3-speed manual transmission with rear-wheel mechanical drum brakes.

In an era when the Ford Model T produced about 2...