Who couldn’t be interested in a car called a “Roadrider?” Located in Federal Way, Washington after being imported from the UK in 2008, this 1937 Lanchester Roadrider Deluxe is being offered here on eBay where the buy-it-now is $8,300 and bids below that are being entertained. Only 1,850 of these 1.8 liter, 6-cylinder saloons were produced–there can’t be many left. Dubbed “Roadrider” for marketing purposes to highlight some suspension refinements, these classy but restrained cars had a worm-gear final drive to lower the driveshaft for more passenger room. The seller purchased the car from the leading expert on Lanchesters, Chris Clark (learn more about Lanchesters and Mr. Clark from this video) and had the car mechanically refurbished prior to shipment. The seller describes the reason for sale as “I find it sits in the rear portion of my garage and looking like it would prefer to have a new home”. Would you like your garage to be that home?
Not a car that will appeal to everyone, but whoever buys it will have one of the best-engineered cars available in prewar Britain. Lanchester was so particular that it manufactured its own nuts and bolts rather than use the standard fasteners used by everyone else, and during WWII, rather than manufacture others’ weapon designs, it designed and manufactured its very own high-quality submachine gun. This was not an ordinary car company.
Greetings All,
Karl, considering the era manufacturing your own bolts not that unusual. Ford did it with Model T’s. The engine builder usually made their own fasteners, and to top it off there wasn’t an SAE standard yet.
Not sure when BSF was standardized over there, but that might have played a part in the decision to go in-house.
Throw the freakin’ license plates in, you miser.
…” better for meandering on back roads”
and all that for a whopping $8300.
who can refuse that ?
“–there can’t be many left.” Another one bit the dust about a month ago in a massive garage fire that destroyed a collection of vintage and classic cars in my community in Arkansas. I always liked that car. It was so sad to see it after the fire–nothing even left to restore…
Didn’t Hammond buy one of these at auction on Top Gear?
Beautiful car ! My Dad had a Lanchester. Nice memories.
Sold for $8300. Someone got a car that nobody will be able to identify at nearly any car show…except possibly the British ones! ^_^
I have a 1937 Lanchester Roadrider DeLuxe its an awesome prewar car and rides and drives like a dream, once your used to the pre-selector (choose the gear you need next not the one you want to be in now – lol) Great Car.