SOLD

1937 Railton

Despite crippling taxation of large bore engines in Britain the attractions of America's big, slow-revving, inexpensive, reliable, powerful engines were impossible to ignore. One of the most successful manufacturers to blend American power with British handling and design was Railton. Established by Noel Macklin in 1933, Railton grew out of Macklin's experience building Invictas. He consulted with renowned engineer Reid Railton (builder of the Bluebird land speed record cars of Sir Malcolm Campbell and the ERA racing cars.) They selected American Hudson eight-cylinder chassis (with which Campbell set seven speed records at Daytona Beach in 1935) which were bodied, assembled and tuned in Macklin's factory in Surrey, England under Railton's highly regarded and recognized name. Hudson’s were particularly advanced by 1937, with four-wheel hydraulic brakes (augmented by a backup rear wheel mechanical braking system) and live front axle suspension with radius arm location for precise location. These attributes -- and not incidentally the 122hp of the 254 cubic inch Hudson inline eight-cylinder engine and its 3-speed synchromesh gearbox -- commended the Railton’s, as did their extremely attractive coachwork, to British buyers. Railton, as did most British builders of the Thirties, designed different body styles by name. This is the Stratton 4-door Saloon, a low slung, streamlined yet still spacious design characterized by long sweeping fenders that extend through the running boards to the rear fenders. Chrome piano hinges on the hood extend its visual effect to accentuate the body's length, heightened by the deep chrome radiator surround, a pair of chrome shell Lucas King of the Road headlamps and chrome rain gutters outlining the roof margins. It was restored by Barry Briskman in Arizona, a recognized expert in cars like this and is recognized by the Classic Car Club of America as a Full Classic (tm). Finished in Black with cream leather upholstery piped in brown, the roof is padded leatherette and has a sliding sunroof; gorgeous burl wood trim surrounds the interior and an impressive instrument panel with seven bright, crisp white-on-black dials. The paint, chrome, leather and wood have been restored and preserved to the highest standards. The engine is crisp and clean as well as being neatly disguised with a polished alloy cover over the head and spark plugs that gives it on first impression the look of an overhead valve design. This Railton is a well-known car with a high point restoration done by a professional experienced in similar automobiles. The touch of quality is immediately apparent throughout, from Macklin's original design right through this beautiful Railton's restoration, care and maintenance. Can you tell that we like it?


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