Sold | 1932 Wolseley Hornet Special Very rare coachwork by Patrick Motors Ltd. of Birmingham

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£16,312 (Est: £16,000 - £20,000)

1932 Wolseley Hornet Special Very rare coachwork by Patrick Motors Ltd. of Birmingham

United Kingdom • 3 Dec 2025

Vehicle Details

AI Listing Summary

This 1932 Wolseley Hornet Special features rare coachwork by Patrick Motors Ltd. It was saved from an orchard in the late 1960s and underwent a comprehensive restoration between 2019 and 2023, including a body-off, chassis-up rebuild and engine work, after being purchased by the vendor following a period of deterioration.

Condition

7

The car underwent a comprehensive restoration between 2019 and 2023, including body, chassis, engine, and interior work. The description mentions that some parts of the ash frame had to be renewed, the aluminum skin was stripped and repainted, and the interior was refurbished. While it's now "looking very pretty," the need for such extensive restoration suggests that it had deteriorated before the restoration. There is no mention of any existing wear and tear since the restoration.

/ 10

Transmission:

Manual

Chassis No:

10527327351

Odometer:

[Odometer Reading]

Reg Number:

OV 9141

RHD/LHD:

RHD

Introduced in April, 1932, the Special was a more performance-orientated version of Wolseley’s existing Hornet model.

Sold only as a bare chassis without factory coachwork, the newcomer was powered by a 1,271cc OHC straight-six engine allied to a four-speed manual transmission.

Numerous independent coachbuilders proceeded to offer their own open and closed coachwork for the racy model, including the likes of Avon, Abbey, Swallow, Cunard, Whittingham & Mitchel and London Wolseley dealer Eustace Watkins.

A team of three Hornet Specials driven by F.

S.

Hutchens, B.

Wickens, and E.

Erith won the 1932 L.C.C.

Relay Race at Brooklands (averaging 77.5mph for 270 miles).

Notable for its early use of hydraulic brakes, the sporting Wolseley was progressively developed and gained a stronger chassis, crossflow cylinder head, and part-synchromesh gearbox before production ceased in 1935 after some 2,300 had been sold.

Among the rarest variants of the Wolseley Hornet Special are those bodie...