Description
1904 British Duryea 3 Cylinder 12HP Surrey - VCC Dated
Registration No. 144 UXK
Engine No. 61
VCC Dating Cert No. 628
Produced under license in the UK
4 Seat Surrey Coachwork
3 Cylinder, 3520cc, 12HP Engine
Only known example worldwide
Completed LTBVCR 2024
Electric Starting
Charles and Frank Duryea built an excellent reputation for improving and building bicycles from as early as 1890. It was in 1893 however that they produced their first combustion engined vehicle, a single cylinder wagon which is believed to have made the first ever road test of a gasoline powered vehicle when Charles Duryea mounted it later that year.
The Duryea Motor Wagon Company was founded by Charles in 1896 and only lasted until 1898 at which point the company folded, with only 13 vehicles being produced, 10 of which were recorded as the first automobiles sold in America.
In 1896, two Duryea motorcars were entered into The Empancipation Run (LTB), one of which, driven by Charles Duryea himself was one of only 17 vehicles that that completed the journey to Brighton. The two cars entered were the first American cars ever seen in Europe.
It was this achievement that saw businessman and editor of 'The Autocar' , Henry Sturmey form The Duryea Company, which built Duryea motorcars under license in the UK, out of Coventry.
The early history of this example, engine No61 is unknown however it first surfaced in 1947 when it was jointly owed by Mr Kenneth Neve and Major James Gardiner, both located in Warrington and well known within the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain.
The car next passed to the Stothert family in Lancashire who set about a restoration to improve the running of the vehicle. This work was obviously completed as the car completed the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in 1956 although not without struggle, the car approached Madeira drive at 5. 45pm.
The car appeared for sale in the VCC Gazette in 1960 and it was at this point it changed hands to its longest term custodians, the Sharpe family, where the car sat out of site for 45 years.
In 2005, the car resurfaced after a 4 decade absence when it was auctioned by Christies along with many other vehicles as part of The Sharpe Family Collection. Sadly pre auction it was separated from the iconic 'M2' Registration number as seen in period images.
The car was purchased by collector Mike Timms, who undertook a painstaking restoration on the now registered '144UXK', no expense was spared and the car was represented as seen today in exquisite condition.
This British Duryea is a totally unique vehicle, its unusual appearance draws crowds wherever it goes and its 12HP 3 Cylinder engine is powerful enough to carry 4 or more passengers all the way from London to Brighton in comfort, a feat that it achieved in November 2024.
For further information please contact Tom Parrott on the details below or via the Website - details above
£POA
