1939' Wolseley 25Hp Drop-Head Coupe

Few people have heard of the Wolseley 25HP Drop-head Coupe and fewer still have seen one. The car was conceived as a one-off, a present for William Morris, Lord Nuffield, from his Wolseley workforce. That car, presented to Lord Nuffield in December 1937, still exists and was for over 40 years displayed at the National Motor Museum. The model was so admired that a decision was taken to put it into very limited series production, always to special order. Just 154 cars were completed before the outbreak of war in 1939 stopped production. The Wolseley Register knows of just 18 survivors, worldwide.
The 25 HP DHC represented the pinnacle of what the Nuffield organisation could achieve in the 1930s. It has a 3 ½ litre engine, developing 108bhp and is capable of 90mph. The body and interior were of superlative quality and the car has been favourably compared to the Bentley 3 ½ litre and the Alvis Speed 25.
An example of this model is now available. This is FLY 531, which was bought by a friend, a leading member of the Wolseley Register, in 2013. He was a connoisseur of fine cars and consigned his for a full professional restoration with a well-known Wolseley restorer. My friend died last year with the restoration part-complete and a new owner is now sought who will finish the work.
Work completed to date brings the total investment in the car to over £140, 000. The car’s engine and gearbox have been fully re-built and the body completely restored to the highest standards. Lamps, including Lucas P100 headlamps, and other chrome have been restored by Genie of the Lamp and Derby Plating. Internal woodwork has been refinished to perfection. The work done so far has been fully documented and photographed. The principal work remaining is the removal of the body from the chassis, for painting; restoration of the chassis and axles; re-assembly and trimming. We estimate that to do this to the same superlative standard as the work already done would cost £70, 000, though clearly the work could be done for rather less. With this completed, the new owner will undoubtedly have the finest 25HP DHC in existence and a car which I estimate will be worth £80, 000 – 100, 000.
I am seeking offers for the car in its current part-restored state and will give priority to someone who will finish the restoration as my friend had intended, preferably, but not necessarily with the restorer who has done the work so far and who knows the car intimately.
The first two photographs show the car prior to restoration: the first in its original, special-order paint, and the second as it was before restoration began. The third photograph shows the car as it is at present.