The Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) manufactured all manner of items from bicycles to buses and firearms to machine tools; not to mention motorcycles and motorcars. In 1929 BSA merged with Daimler and turned its attention to front-wheel drive three-wheelers. Though commonplace now, powering the front wheels was relatively novel at the time, and BSA combined the configuration with such niceties as a reverse gear, electric start and full weather protection. Having foreseen the growing demand for small, lightweight cars, BSA added a run of fun, affordable four-wheelers. A direct development was the BSA 10 of 1933 which was based on the Lanchester 10 chassis and running gear with a 4-door 4-seater body by Pressed Steel. It could also be ordered with a coachbuilt body by the likes of Mulliner or Peerless. It was powered by a water-cooled 1,185cc straight-four, sidevalve engine that drove through a fluid flywheel to a Wilson four-speed pre-selector gearbox, giving a top speed of 58mph on level ground. The standard 10hp saloon cost £235 at launch with coachbuilt models costing about £20 more.
AGY 57 was first registered on the 15th June 1933 and although over 80 years old still retains its lovely original registration mark and continuation brown ‘buff' logbook dating back to the 1950's. The vehicle history file contains many photographs of a substantial body off restoration carried out during the 1980's. Photos show the rolling chassis with body removed and a major body and mechanical overhaul was undertaken, carried out to a very high standard. In 2003 one of our long standing regular customers bought the BSA and used the car on a regular basis. Receipts between 2003 and 2006 total to around £7000 for work that included re-chroming bumpers, re-painting the body, new wiring loom, rebuilt radiator, speedo overhaul, stripping the stub axles and overhauling king pins and bushes and re-conditioning the dynamo.
Since the more recent major work between 2003-2006, further work on the BSA includes a new carpet set, re-upholstering front seats and fitting a new headlining. Very recently the BSA has been serviced, brakes all checked and driven over to us from nearby Malton. The BSA drives incredibly well with good performance, engine oil pressure is very good and the pre-selector gearbox works superbly. The BSA is very enjoyable to drive, the steering feels good and the brakes pull up sharp and straight. AGY 57 presents well with a lovely older paint finish, chrome work is bright and the interior is smartly presented although the rear seat is totally original. AGY 57 is ideal for local use, shows, events or just something lovely and pre-war in the garage to detail and clean and take to the pub on a Sunday. This is a charming little car, it has a nicely aged feel to it and on the road it drives very well indeed. The BSA 10 H.P Saloon is today a very rare car and this one has some real qualities to include working sunroof, very valuable original registration mark and a superb performing pre-selector gearbox.