1934 Talbot AV105 Coachwork by James Young
Chassis Number: 35496
Registration Number: BGH 413
As a Swiss, Talbot Chief Engineer, Georges Roesch, designed his cars with Alpine motoring in mind. With their combination of a strong and powerful push-rod six cylinder engine, powerful brakes, light and accurate steering and a compact, light yet sturdy chassis it is no surprise that Talbots excelled in the Alpine Trials of the 1930s, then undoubtedly the foremost long distance rally and an incredible test for both car and driver. Coupled with their successes at Le Mans, Ards and Brooklands the Talbot AV105 was clearly the most effective British sporting car of its size in the period. These successes culminated in the 1932 and 1934 Alpine Trials where the famed Talbot Team of specially prepared cars, got through these most arduous of events without losing a single mark on both occasions. This success has been echoed today and Talbots have been hugely successful in rallies such as the Flying Scotsman, 1000 Mile Trial, Alpine Trial and countless others.
Here we are pleased to offer for sale a Talbot AV105- arguably the most effective and desirable of Talbot models, fitted with this to our eyes most handsome and very sporting coachwork by James Young, as such making it an ideal pre-War rally car.
As shown in the Talbot factory sales ledgers ‘BGH 413’ was delivered as a bare chassis to Talbots most active dealer of the period Pass & Joyce of Hanover Square, London in May of 1934. Pass & Joyce had a financial interest in James Young and the majority of Talbots they sold were bodied by them.
Although the identity of the first private owner is not known, they clearly had very sporting tastes. Since the 2-seater with Dickey seat body created by James Young is among the most sporting non-competition bodywork we have seen fitted to a 105, being compact, virtually all aluminium panelled, with exceptionally light and slim doors, a light and simple hood and a bare minimum of extraneous bracketry.
Little is known of the cars early history, it became known to the Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Register in 1965 and there are expired MOT certificates and old tax discs on file dating from 1966. There are also photos on file of the car taken during the 1960s showing it to be correct and complete.
The current family ownership commenced in 1986 when purchased from family friend David ‘Dick’ Whittington- as shown by a sales receipt on file, a photograph of the car as purchased shows it to be complete and together but clearly in need of restoration by this point. Whittington was a well known Jaguar E-Type racer in the then very popular Modsports Series, he had owned ‘BGH 413’ since the early 1960s and it may well have been in his family for many years previous to this.
A restoration of this most sporting of Talbots commenced in 1986 which was to last until 2012, with work entrusted to various specialists, see copious invoices, photographs and notes on file relating to this process. Principle amongst these was highly respected Talbot specialist the late Arthur Archer, who rebuilt the engine (the original to the car), front axle, attended to the gearbox, dynastart and much else beside as shown by many invoices on file, whilst our sister restoration business Talbot specialists IS Polson supplied parts and encouragement.
Sadly, by the time the restoration was completed in 2012 age had caught up with the owner and he was not able to enjoy the car to any great degree. It is believed to have covered circa 30 miles following restoration and has been in dry storage since then.
Got running and driving for sale by IS Polson, ‘BGH’ still requires running-in of its newly rebuilt engine, a thorough service and the inevitable post restoration sorting.
But on the road even being driven gently it is clearly a most sprightly car being light and agile with exceptionally good steering. Very much living up to the promise of its sporting coachwork and promising to be an ideal pre-War rally car, combining lightweight agility and comfort for its next custodian.