Rare Find

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The 1925 FN (no, not a Frazer Nash but Belgian-built FN) which I owned for a short time in 1956 (Reg No ML 4317) and which I had seen only once, soon after I had sold it, has, rather remarkably, surfaced again. It was a very large saloon for its engine size of 1452cc, With twin carburettors, which suggested that it might just have been one of two FNs entered for the first Ulster TT of 1928. Not perhaps quite so improbable as it sounds, because in that race a Frazer Nash and a Riley 9 saloon also took part, along with such equally improbable cars as the Model-A Ford tourers. One of the TT FNs had, indeed, a saloon body; entered by F H Haywood, it retired after nine of the required 28 laps, with valve trouble. I got rid of this interesting but rather ponderous car because I was advised that the oddly-compensated 4WBs could never be made to operate effectively, a defect which I have heard was experienced on a sports FN of similar date. Now news is to hand that this rare car was discovered in Wigan in the late 1960s, minus its engine, where it had apparently lain in a lock-up garage for many years. It was rescued in the nick of time, when the garage was about to be dismantled. A visit to the Beaulieu autojumble by the new owner produced a clue which led to a butcher’s shop in Leytonstone High Street, where a correct type of engine was run to earth! The car is now back in Lancashire, awaiting restoration, for which a carburettor (four-bolt), dynamo, distributor and starter-motor are sought, or information as to the make and type of these componements. If anyone can help, letters can be forwarded. W B