1904 Crestmobile Model D 8½ hp Four-Seater Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Registration no. BS 8140 Chassis no. 412

Footnotes

Based at Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Crest Manufacturing Company first produced gasoline engines before venturing into car production, 'manufacturing all the parts to construct automobiles'. Crest first demonstrated its capability to do so in 1900, offering a three-wheeler initially, but by 1901 had settled for a four-wheeled, front-engined design to become known as the 'Crestmobile'. The first Crestmobiles were single-cylinder, chain-driven two-seaters - Models A, B and C - all of which had air-cooled engines although of varying power outputs. Shaft drive had been adopted by 1903 and a new 8½hp single-cylinder model introduced in 1904, but Crest was slow to adapt to changing expectations within the emerging market for powered transport, where multi-cylinder designs were becoming the norm, and folded in 1905.

Offered here is a fine example of the Crestmobile Model D, which was available in either 5hp or 8½hp forms and with a choice of two bodies: two-seater runabout or four-seater tonneau. The car was imported into the UK in January 1990 and in June of that year was purchased from 'The Brighton Connection' (Don Meyer/Reg Whapham) by Mr S J Timmins of Shropshire. The Crestmobile was dated by the VCC in 1992. Mr Timmins only ran the car once.

In June 1999 the Crestmobile was purchased from Mr Timmins by the immediately preceding owner and completed its first run with them that year. The car was maintained from 2000 to 2002 by NP Veteran Engineering, who carried out works to the engine and gearbox (£6,000), while more recently Historic Vehicle Restoration/Seb Marshall has been responsible for the its upkeep. In 2014 works to the engine and gearbox costing £12,000 were carried out. The car has also benefited from new kingpins, cooling fan, fan bearing, fan belt, exhaust and inlet valves, moved steering arm, and replaced wheel bearings, there being two related bills from 2016 totalling £21,000. In 2017 a further £5,000 was spent on the rear axle, new exhaust manifold, new fan, piston work, etc, while rebuilding the gearbox and fitting a new cylinder barrel cost £7,000 in 2018. Another barrel and new piston rings were fitted in 2019 together with new battery, new trembler box, new front wheel bearings, and reassembled front wheels (£15,000). Cosmetic attention to the body and wings cost a further £18,000 in 2019.

The current vendor purchased the Crestmobile at Bonhams' Golden Age of Motoring sale in October 2020 (Lot 221), since when the gearbox and hubs have been repaired by NP Veteran Engineering. NP's detailed bill is on file.

Four large files of history and paperwork include a VCC dating certificate; a V5C document; numerous old MoTs; London-Brighton programmes and entry details; and several finishers medals, the most recent being 2019.