1936 Austin 18, Montana

My wife and I came across this beautiful car while driving through western Montana.  It was parked in one of my favorite classic car stops in the town of Noxon (actually the parking lot of a real estate office).

The vehicle looks like it might have been driven by Al Capone, and I don’t recall ever seeing a car like this before, so it was fun to study it, do some research, and share it with you today.

The car is a 1936 Austin 18, a large British six-cylinder car produced by the Austin Motor Company at Longbridge, England  It was part of the company’s mid-1930s Sixteen series.  Hard to believe it is almost a century old.

The car was crafted to be roomy and comfortable – not really aimed at the sporty market.  It was available with either a 16 hp or 18 hp engine   It was described as having good hill climbing ability and being cozy and reliable.

My subsequent research into the vehicle revealed the following information about the cars’ features:

• 4-speed manual gearbox. An optional early automatic (Hayes self-selector) was offered in the mid-1930s but was not popular.
• Wheelbase 112 inches for shorter models or 120 inches for longer ones; overall length around 168–176 inches.
• Top speed roughly 60 mph.
• Fuel economy around 20 mpg.
• The car was offered in a variety of styles, including 5 and 7 seaters.  This particular model was intended to be a limousine, with a glass plate separating the driver from the passenger compartment.
• Prices in the mid-1930s were typically in the £298–£335 range depending on exact specification and options such as upholstery.  This was pricy for the time.
• Color choices included Royal Blue, Maroon, Westminster Green, Black, and Ash Grey.

Production of the Sixteen/Eighteen models between 1935 and 1937 is estimated at around 12,731 units.  These cars are rare today, especially to find in such nice condition as this one was.

The back seat of the vehicle even contained a detailed plaque of the car’s history, of the type one might see on display at car shows.  It was interesting to see that it might actually have been owned and used by the Winston Churchill family.

They don’t make ’em like this anymore.