Dave & Kate Smith – Lancaster

Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster, 16HP 1946.
First registered in Huddersfield 16/11/1946 and has retained its original registration which proves this. It then came to the Midlands, Birmingham area for the majority of its life so I’m led to believe.
I bought it on my 38th birthday in 2018 from its previous owner. Sadly where it had been stored on a forecourt it got vandalised meaning all of the original glass and headlamps were all broken. I bought the car regardless and transported it back to Worcester/Hereford border to my workshop. I spent approx a month emptying the vast amount of parts from inside the vehicle and going through them to identify what they were and to see if any parts were missing. All parts were carefully logged into boxes and stored on racking. Due to broken glass etc the rain had got in and alot of the chrome had sat in water too long amongst other parts. All the veneer had lifted off the dash. So the first few months were drying parts out and familiarising myself with the car and what exactly was missing.
One of the first jobs was to get the dash and instrument panel repaired and reveneered (see photos). I made an instrument wiring harness for the dash which is now installed to the instruments and switch gear. I made the wiring harness from the correct cloth covered, herringbone pattern cable. This is when I knew I had a really early Lancaster as the later cars were fitted with a Bakelite switch surround on the dash. Barry Price who at the time owned Lea Francis carried out the veneering work. The next task was to source the 10 pieces of glass. Pilkingtons were approached but the cost of their classic car service outweighed the actual purchase price of the car. I met a club member at the centenary who was from the Netherlands who had two Lancasters, one of which was used for spares. We made a deal and very kindly later that same year he drove all the glass and chrome frames over from the Netherlands, however I like to keep originality so I will be using my original frames. The glass is all great and I’m now trying to source the correct seal profiles to install the glass which the club are currently working on and sorting out hopefully to keep a set in stock. After this I moved onto the headlamps. Alot of people drill the front wings and convert to sealed beam. I want to keep the car as original as possible being an early model. I spent many weeks researching the correct type with many disappointments. Especially finding the correct lens patterns from period. I then had to source the original Bakelite bulb holders for the headlamp and pilot lamp which shines through a separate clear lens in the back of the headlight unit. According to the repair manual mine were fitted with MKII type headlamps that had a die-cast projection that locates the headlamp into the backshell. I’ve managed to restore all of this to complete originality as it left the factory rather than sealed beam conversion route. It was found also that all the door look barrels and keys were missing. I researched these through the club and found them to be originally made by Tenaxit and not Willmot and Breedon. These were unavailable and I had them designed in CAD and manufactured/machined to fit the various handles that required them. This included making my own retaining grub screws in original BA size. These are all made and fitted up to the door handles now ready to be fitted when the doors are built up.
All the window regulator and door lock mounting plinths inside the doors had all rotted out. New ones have been made from marine ply for all 4 doors and work has begun building up the nearside rear door, trial fitting the parts up and lock mechanism, window regulator. Colin Manchester, a highly regarded club member has very kindly also put a huge amount of time and hardwork in on the project. Colin has repaired the leather on both front door cards and is currently doing the same on the rear door cards, remounting them onto new ply accurately cut to the correct door profile. I had the leather colour matched and dyed the leather door cards back to original colour. I did this by spraying them then after a period of time treating the leather both previously before spraying and after.
At the moment I have the wooden floor pressings removed to remake from new marine ply but I’ve found a small amount of corrosion on the body to deal with at the same time. I’m also staining the door cappings to match the newly veneered dash / instrument panel.
I’ve not had the Lancaster running as the engine has a cracked block and the coolant hoses are badly perished. The car also needs a complete rewire to start everything safely. I’ve restored the wiper motor and bench tested it and painted with original black crackle paint. I’ve recently managed to source a new old stock Smiths mirrored clock to replace mine that I do have but is beyond repair from water damage. Its been my life long ambition to restore a post-war Armstrong Siddeley. I joined the club quite a few years before owning one so I definitely felt ready and supported when the right car came along.