Early Box Saloon Identity

[Steve Parkin]

I recently discovered this family photo posted on-line to celebrate a centenary. John Tremain who is pictured was a student at Birmingham University around the end of WWII and he is seen here with what must be a short wheel base A7 box saloon. 

The forward opening doors and very short scuttle intrigue me. Any ideas on the model or coachbuilder? A look through the Brian Purves source book has thrown up some possible candidates but none appear to to me to fit the bill exactly.

[Peter Johnson]

Mulliner? I might be imagining things, but it looks to have holes where the dummy hood irons might have been.

There’s one here

https://www.pioneer-automobiles.co.uk/Re..._1306.html

[Hedd_Jones]

Its a Mulliner isnt it?

[Martin Prior]

I too think that it's a ('31-ish) Mulliner saloon.

[Mike Costigan]

Not all Mulliners had the dummy hood irons; here's an early 1930 one from Austin Harris' website:


  1930 Mulliner saloon red7560.jpg (Size: 135.66 KB / Downloads: 564)

The Pioneer Automobiles' one in Peter Johnson's link looks to be a dead ringer, a late 1930 car with the RL-style bonnet and bulkhead.

[JonE]

the '30 image is a fussy looking thing - nothing lines up.

[Hedd_Jones]

I've always thought that about them Jon, they look like the body is broken at the scuttle. The bonnet lines and the body lines are at odds. The later ones are no better.

[Monsdonnet]

Oh dear me, all this criticism of Mulliner bodywork...... well I have always liked mine.......see below...
Looking through the ledgers at Gaydon I was struck buy just how many chassis Mulliners took for bodying, far far more than Swallow or any other coach builder. 
So presumably they must have been liked at the time, and they are much more practical than Swallows !
Now back to the garage as I am working to get it back on the road for Moreton in July.... after 31 years off the road and early sixty years of ownership!

[Steve Parkin]

Many thanks for your help with identification.

It certainly looks like a Mulliner with the 1930/1 model sold by Pioneer (which has the correct scuttle and bonnet - RL ) coming closest.

[Monsdonnet]

Many thanks for your help with identification.

It certainly looks like a Mulliner with the 1930/1 model sold by Pioneer (which has the correct scuttle and bonnet - RL ) coming closest.

Yes, a late 1930 or 1931 Mulliner I think, and these had the lower half of the body panelled in aluminium.