1932 Talbot AM90 Speed

Georges Roesch’s Talbot 90 Team competition cars run by famed preparation specialists Fox and Nicholl caused a sensation when they appeared at the 1930 Double Twelve race at Brooklands, humbling far more complex and vaunted designs from Alfa Romeo, Bugatti and Bentley. They continued this form throughout the 1930 season of international sports car races. With strong results at the Irish Grand Prix, Ards TT, 500 Mile Race and perhaps most impressively Le Mans, with 3rd (1st in class and 1st in the coveted Index of Performance) and 4th places overall, beaten only by two Works Bentleys of much greater capacity and complexity.

The 90 arguably combines all the best parts of the Roesch Talbot design era - the ultra-smooth, light and torquey 2,276 cc engine, the beautifully precise 'silent-third' manual gearbox. To make a car which is arguably superior to the more famous AV105, being lighter to drive and more nimble, with a real feeling of vintage era quality matched by very few other cars.

The car offered is an example of the rare and sought after AM90 Speed, combing the lightweight of the 90 engine with the superior steering box usually found on the larger models, in the 9-foot 6 inch chassis as used on the AV105. As the name suggests the AM90 Speed was a very sporting model, several were built from new with period special light weight racing components and the steering box, sump and gearbox casing are all in Elektron (Magnesium) on this car, the steering box also has a higher than standard ratio in it, these features suggest competition use. The numbers on these components being close to the engine number (original still fitted to car) are almost certainly original to the car.

‘32863’ was ordered from Clement Talbot in 1932 by leading London Talbot distributor Warwick Wright and was delivered in March of that year. Little is known of the car’s early history but given the sporting nature of the car and the lightweight competition components it was supplied with, it is likely the first owner used it in some sort of competitive motoring.

In the 1960s ‘32863’ was found in a pig farm in the West Country by Talbot and Sunbeam restorer Mick Collis, complete but in need of full restoration. Collis rebuilt the car mechanically bodying it in the style of the AM90 Speed that Bill Esplen had used in international sports car races in 1931.

At some point the car was sold to South Africa, where it remained for some years until returning to the UK in the early 1990s, at which point it was owned by a Richard Charnock of Chorley. Our sister Talbot restoration business IS Polson selling the car on Charnock’s behalf to the current (now deceased) owner in 1991.

During his time with the car ‘32863’ appears to have been used sparingly but well looked after. Unused for the last 5 years or so due to the owners old age. Shortly before this period of inactivity the car benefitted from the fitment of 4 new road wheels, shod with new Blockley tyres, 4 new Alfin type aluminium brake drums and a rebuilt dynastart. As such it is offered with 4 spare wheels and 4 brake drums.

Got running and driving for sale ‘32863’ will require re-commissioning before serious use, but on the road it runs and drives as these cars should. Representing a relatively economical way of owning one of the finest British sports cars of the era, well suited to spirited pre-War motoring on the road, circuit, speed hillclimb or rally stage, just as when new a great all-purpose sportscar.