1931 Invicta Model S

Sold for $852,000 at 2020 Bonhams : Amelia Island Concours.
This Invicta is chassis number S102, wears Vanden Plas body number 1711, and powered by engine number 12371. This LeMans Type 4 Seater was originally registered on the U.K. roads in 1931 and owned by an individual living in the Reading area of the U.K., south of London. Later owners include Rowland Smith and F.R. Walker. It is believed that its original crankcase for the engine number 7515 was replaced with the current unit, numbered 12371.

It is listed as having left the factory as a left-hand drive car but currently has right-hand drive configuration.

By 1956 the car was in the care of Frederick Stahl and later given a restoration (while in his care) by Russ Sceli of Hartford, Connecticut. In 1971 ownership passed to Mark Gibbons of Cambridge, Mass. In November of 1982, it was sold to Dean Edmonds. He later commissioned RM Auto Restorations in Chatham to perform a restoration, lasting from 1991 and continuing through 1994. Upon completion, he brought the Invicta to the Pebble Beach Concours in 1995 where it won a First in Class award. The car was also shown at the Concours d'Elegance at Cranbrook, Michigan on occasion, the 1996 Eyes on Classic Design among other events.

The car is powered by a 4.42 liter, single overhead cam, inline 6-cylinder Meadows engine fitted with twin SU carburetors. It develops 103 horsepower at 3,000 RPM and is backed by a four-speed manual transmission. There are leaf spring suspensions in the front and rear, and four-wheel drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2020