1936 Railton Fairmile II Drophead Coupe

Started by Invicta car builder Noel Macklin, the Railton brand of cars was built by the Fairmile Engineering Company in Cobham, Surrey. With the desire to build an automobile with the performance and quality coachwork of the Invicta at a reasonable price, Macklin began to import Hudson Motors' straight-eight cylinder chassis, whose performance impressed him. To ensure they handled to the penchant of British drivers, he then improved the chassis and suspension. The name came after land-speed record car designer Reid Railton agreed to the use of his name for the car. Production began in 1933 and the majority of the cars were powered by an eight-cylinder engine displacing 4,168 cc and offering 28.8 horsepower. During the 1930s, the Hudson eight-cylinder chassis became longer, wider, and heavier; included a twin-choke carburetor and manifold; and saw a slight power increase. The eight-cylinder chassis and light coachwork resulted in a car with staggering acceleration, torque, and top gear flexibility. Macklin contracted several independent coachbuilders to design and construct the initial three body styles: Light Tourers, Saloons, and Drophead Coupes. Customers could also specify their own preferred coachbuilder and create their own design. This Railton Fairmile II was built by Coachcraft, Ltd., which produced the largest number of bodies. Owned by the current owner since 2000, when it was housed in London, the car underwent a restoration to original specification starting in 2002, an effort headed by Beaufort Restoration Services Limited of Kent, U.K. Upon completion, the car was enjoyed in London before joining the owner's Stateside collection in 2014.