Tim Schofield
Head of UK Business Development, Motoring
LOT 563
1919 Thornycroft J-Type Drop-side Lorry Registration no. ED 1617 Chassis no. J-7860 Engine no. M4/6313
Estimate: £30,000 - £35,000
Lot 563
1919 Thornycroft J-Type Drop-side Lorry
The Beaulieu Sale: Collectors' Motor Cars & Automobilia|14 September 2024, 13:00 BST|Beaulieu, National Motor Museum
1919 Thornycroft J-Type Drop-side Lorry
Registration no. ED 1617
Chassis no. J-7860
Engine no. M4/6313
Registration no. ED 1617
Chassis no. J-7860
Engine no. M4/6313
• Kept by its original purchaser until 1979
• Present ownership since November 2019
• Restored between 2019 and 2024
• All-new bodywork
• Over 700 miles covered since the rebuild
This wonderful 'commercial' left Thornycroft's Basingstoke works on 21st November 1919 having been assigned chassis number '7860'. However, there is good reason to believe that the chassis and running gear predates this; indeed, this may well be one of the numerous WW1 'subsidy vehicles' repurchased by the manufacturer and overhauled before being assigned a new chassis number and sold on: evidence being the presence of the pre-1916-type engine and gearbox, and military specification chassis hooks. The vehicle was delivered to dealer J Melbourne of Warrington, Cheshire who sold it to Joseph Brierley & Sons, metal merchants and hauliers of Beatrice Street, Warrington. The lorry was registered 'ED 1617' on 29th January 1921 in accordance with the new Roads Act and remained with Brierley's until 1979, latterly in derelict condition.
Our vendor purchased the vehicle in November 2019 and commenced a thorough rebuild, stripping it to a bare chassis before restoring it to 1919 guise as operated by Brierley's. This involved a complete new ash-framed cab with traditional canvas roof and all new upholstery. An entirely new drop-side rear body was constructed from oak and Douglas fir, and a new, correct-style, five-piece riveted bonnet, and new, riveted and soldered fuel tank made, working from factory photographs. The Thornycroft is finished with traditional hand-applied paintwork in Brierley's livery, including traditional sign-writing and 24-carat gold leaf. Since the restoration's completion the lorry has been used extensively - driven to every event attended - including a trip to France and the successful completion of the 2024 HCVS London-to-Brighton run, where it won multiple awards.
• Present ownership since November 2019
• Restored between 2019 and 2024
• All-new bodywork
• Over 700 miles covered since the rebuild
This wonderful 'commercial' left Thornycroft's Basingstoke works on 21st November 1919 having been assigned chassis number '7860'. However, there is good reason to believe that the chassis and running gear predates this; indeed, this may well be one of the numerous WW1 'subsidy vehicles' repurchased by the manufacturer and overhauled before being assigned a new chassis number and sold on: evidence being the presence of the pre-1916-type engine and gearbox, and military specification chassis hooks. The vehicle was delivered to dealer J Melbourne of Warrington, Cheshire who sold it to Joseph Brierley & Sons, metal merchants and hauliers of Beatrice Street, Warrington. The lorry was registered 'ED 1617' on 29th January 1921 in accordance with the new Roads Act and remained with Brierley's until 1979, latterly in derelict condition.
Our vendor purchased the vehicle in November 2019 and commenced a thorough rebuild, stripping it to a bare chassis before restoring it to 1919 guise as operated by Brierley's. This involved a complete new ash-framed cab with traditional canvas roof and all new upholstery. An entirely new drop-side rear body was constructed from oak and Douglas fir, and a new, correct-style, five-piece riveted bonnet, and new, riveted and soldered fuel tank made, working from factory photographs. The Thornycroft is finished with traditional hand-applied paintwork in Brierley's livery, including traditional sign-writing and 24-carat gold leaf. Since the restoration's completion the lorry has been used extensively - driven to every event attended - including a trip to France and the successful completion of the 2024 HCVS London-to-Brighton run, where it won multiple awards.
Additional information
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