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Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 346 — 1953

Armstrong Siddeley 346 Mark 1 Four-Light Sapphire is an early model that is highly coveted within the Armstrong Owners Club. It has been meticulously maintained and is fully operational. The owner has cherished and preserved this car for the past 35 years.

Shaun Major
Inspector
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Rebecca R Bengtsson
Case manager
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"The car has recently undergone a thorough review, with a complete brake overhaul and inspection, costing over 100,000 SEK. It was then driven 120 km to our depot. The engine starts easily, runs smoothly, and offers nice braking and road handling. The pre-select gearbox may require a learning curve, but once mastered, driving is effortless."

COUNTDOWN
CURRENT BID
ENDED
118 000SEK
LOT NUMBER
LOCATION
17066
SANDRARED
RESERVE PRICE
Reached
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Shaun Major
Inspector
Send message
Rebecca R Bengtsson
Case manager
Send message

"The car has recently undergone a thorough review, with a complete brake overhaul and inspection, costing over 100,000 SEK. It was then driven 120 km to our depot. The engine starts easily, runs smoothly, and offers nice braking and road handling. The pre-select gearbox may require a learning curve, but once mastered, driving is effortless."

Description

Originally sold new in Sweden, the car likely spent some time off the road before being re-registered for traffic in 1967. The current owner purchased it in 1988 and has been a member of the Armstrong Owners Club for over 30 years. The car has been actively driven during the summer months and always stored in a garage. The only reason for selling is due to illness; otherwise, this loyal car would be kept. About 40 years ago, the car underwent a renovation and repaint, which still looks fantastic today with no rust issues. It requires no repairs—simply turn the key and it's ready to drive away.

It is equipped with a robust 6-cylinder engine, offering a 3.4-liter capacity and 120 horsepower. Notably, it includes a Wilson gearbox, a semi-automatic transmission with an electric selector, a pioneering technology Siddeley introduced in 1928 through a sister company. This move from unsynchronized to semi-automatic transmissions was a major success, positioning it as a quintessential English cruiser.

Armstrong Siddeley cars were renowned for their high quality and "aristocratic touch," but they were also notoriously expensive, leading to a decline in sales. In 1959, the company was acquired by Rolls-Royce, which subsequently ceased its car manufacturing. Only 7,697 Sapphires were ever produced. However, the legacy of the Armstrong Siddeley factory lives on, now producing engines for Rolls-Royce.

Technical data

  • Year
    1953/1953 
  • Registration date
    1967-08-22 
  • Mileage
    4162 km 
  • Kw / hp
    88 / 120 
  • Fuel Type
    Petrol 
  • Transmission
    Manual/Pre Select 
  • Interior finish
    Leather 
  • Colour
    Light Blue 

Condition

  • Mechanical condition:

    The car is in great condition, featuring a very smooth-running and sounding engine. Once you familiarize yourself with the gearbox, it becomes easy to drive. There are no issues to report; it's ready to drive away.

  • Interior condition:

    The interior remains largely original except for the carpet, which has been replaced at some point and shows some wear in places. The car features nice leather bench seats that exude the classic old English leather scent, complete with patina and natural wear, although there is a small rip on the edge of the passenger seat (refer to the picture). The headliner, door cards, and wooden dashboard and trims are all in good condition, complemented by a very nice old bakerlite knobs, adding to the vehicle's vintage charm.

  • Exterior condition:

    The bodywork and panels on the car are straight with no significant rust issues, and the underbody is similarly free of rust, though it exhibits some normal surface rust in places. The older paint job has maintained its integrity very well and continues to look appealing. On closer inspection, you might notice a few minor paint bubbles and slight cracks, but these are not conspicuous. The chrome and glasswork are nice and bright, adding to the cars overall attractive appearance.

  • General condition:

    This car has been lovingly maintained in a great driving condition, used almost every summer as documented in the owner's mileage diary (refer to pictures). With fewer than five similar models in Sweden, treat yourself to this wonderful piece of English automotive history.

MOT (tech. insp.)

Fordonsstatus: Itrafik 1994-04-18 (Konvert)
Ursprungsbesiktning: 1967-07-14 (regbes)
Datum i trafik första gången: 1967-08-22
Senast godkända besiktning: 2024-04-10
Besiktningsbefriad: Ja
Skattebefriad: Ja
Körförbud: Nej
Antal ägare: 8

Facts about the model

English car manufacturer (1907-1959), known for well-built and reliable cars. It was actually Armstrong Siddeley that the expression "the poor man's Rolls" was coined for. In addition to car manufacturing, the company was renowned for producing high-quality tank and aircraft engines. The latter were used in many famous warplanes from World War II. The factory named its products instead of using dull model designations, and the first jet engine they built was named Sapphire. This name was also given to the contemporary car model. Note that the radiator mascot was complemented with two small jet engines.

Location and viewing Information

Location: Sandrared

For viewing the vehicle, contact the inspector/case manager:

Shaun Major
+46 709-72 40 07
shaun@bilwebauctions.se

Pick up

Collection must take place before: 2024-05-30.

NOTE! Payment (deposit to our account) must be made within 5 days and before collection.

Auction information

General information about the condition of the vehicles .
  • At this auction, many vehicles have been included in car collections and have been stored (mothballed) for a long time. For this reason, they are described from a collector's perspective and may need technical reviews and maintenance service - oil, battery replacement, new tires, brake review, etc. - before they can be used. .
  • During the auction days information about a vehicle may be updated up to the day before the auction ends. When you bid at the end of the auction period - and also if you have made an earlier bid - we therefore ask you to read the descriptions carefully, in case something has been changed due to new information.
Important to know before placing your bids!
  • Once you have called in an item and the reservation price is reached we want you to deposit the entire purchase amount into our client funds account before retrieval can take place.
  • When you need to retrieve a called in object we want you to examine it carefully. If you consider that the item does not match our description you do not need to complete the purchase. In this case the deposited purchase sum and the entry fee are refunded.
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