conceptcarz.com

1926 Minerva AF

Société Anonyme Minerva Motors was established in 1903 by Sylvain de Jong, a manufacturer of bicycles and motorcycles in Antwerp, Belgium. The automobiles were initially powered by a variety of engines of side-valve configuration. They were popular in the United Kingdom where they were promoted by the firm's London agent, David Citroën, who had joined the Minerva Company in 1903. In 1908 the company obtained a license to produce engines in the Charles Yale Knight sleeve-valve design. Every Minerva vehicle that followed until the end of production in 1939 would feature sleeve-valve engines.

1926 Minerva AF photo
Town Car by Paul Ostruk Coachworks
Chassis #: 56543
Engine #: 56544 AI
View info and history
Auction entries : 2
Minerva earned a reputation for their build quality, advanced engineering, and craftsmanship. The vehicle's they built were popular among Europe's elite as well as with the wealthy and famous in the United States. The cantilevered rear leaf-spring suspension, which it shared with the Rolls-Royce, put it on par with the smoothness of its ride and ease of maintenance. The quiet operation was attributed to its sleeve-valve engine.

By 1910 all Minerva automobiles were powered by Knight engines. The larger models, such as the MM, were popular with European royalty, including the Kings of Belgium, Norway, and Sweden. The elegant and well-engineered automobile soon made Minerva the largest car plant in Belgium, employing 1,600 workers.

In 1926, Minerva introduced the AF model. A year later, the company joined with another Belgian automaker, Farbrique Nationale, who had been manufacturing automobiles since 1899 and would continue into the 1930s, making it Belgium's longest-lived make of car. Also in 1927, the engine in the AF was increased to 6 liters with double sleeve valves.

1926 Minerva AF photo
Town Car by Paul Ostruk Coachworks
Chassis #: 56543
Engine #: 56544 AI
View info and history
Auction entries : 2
For buyers seeking a sportier version of the AF, Minerva offered the AFS or Sport model. It had a shortened chassis, sporting coachwork, and a 5925cc Double Sleeve-Valve six-cylinder engine with a Zenith dual carburetor rated at 32 CV.

The Great Depression of the 1930s crippled Minerva's business. The company's fortunes declined steadily, and in October of 1935, it merged with Belgium's only other surviving motor car manufacturer, Imperia. The Minerva company limped along for another year or two, and after World War II, the company produced Land Rovers under license from the Belgian Army.


by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2019

1926 Minerva AF Vehicle Profiles

1926 Minerva AF vehicle information
Town Car

Coachwork: Paul Ostruk Coachworks
Chassis #: 56543
Engine #: 56544 AI

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

AF

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
149.50 in.
6 cyl., 363.21 CID., 70.00hp
149.50 in.
6 cyl., 363.21 CID.,
149.50 in.
6 cyl., 363.34 CID., 150.00hp

Related Automotive News

Gooding & Company Presents the Best of American Motoring, from Brass Era Legends to Postwar Sports Cars, at Its Pebble Beach Auctions

Gooding & Company Presents the Best of American Motoring, from Brass Era Legends to Postwar Sports Cars, at Its Pebble Beach Auctions

An incredible 1912 Simplex 50 HP Toy Tonneau, offered for sale from 111 years of single family ownership, will come to market for the first time, alongside motoring icons from the greatest eras of American automotive history. The official auction...
Past Best of Show Winners at The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Past Best of Show Winners at The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

overview1 The 70th anniversary of the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance was celebrated with a spectacular display of previous Best of Show winners. Thirty-seven examples graced the showfield and many were still with the same owners who raised the trophy...
Handle With Fun – RM Sotheby's Gearing Up For Its Most Whimsical Online Only Auction Yet

Handle With Fun – RM Sotheby's Gearing Up For Its Most Whimsical Online Only Auction Yet

ONLINE ONLY, TIME-BASED AUCTION TO FEATURE AN ASSORTMENT OF RARE AND VINTAGE COLLECTIBLES ALONGSIDE A CURATED SELECTION OF CARS LARGELY OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE OPEN FOR BIDDING 5 MAY AND CLOSING 12-13 MAY RM Sothebys is set to offer the...
The Charlie Thomas Collection Consigns 150 Vehicles to Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas and Scottsdale Auctions

The Charlie Thomas Collection Consigns 150 Vehicles to Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas and Scottsdale Auctions

Six vehicles from the collection will cross the block in Las Vegas at No Reserve with the remaining 140-plus vehicles selling at Barrett-Jacksons 46th Annual Scottsdale Auction, January 14-22, 2017 SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – September 27, 2016 –...
Auctions America By RM's 2012 Auburn Spring Auction

Auctions America By RM's 2012 Auburn Spring Auction

Variety is the buzzword for this years Auctions America by RM June 1-3 Auburn Spring auction, which will offer a huge range of collector vehicles and an enormous private collection of automotive memorabilia. More than 600 American muscle cars, Classics,...