Description
-Highly unusual Danish produced coachwork
-Versatile car being a Drophead with wind up windows
-A charming car in touring condition
Chassis number 49RE carries beautiful and unusual coachwork by Danish coachbuilder, Dansk Karosseri Fabrik. The car has particularly attractive lines and proportions, with a comfortable, well finished hood and ?wind up? windows. It must be said, the dickie seat for rear passengers offers more basic accommodation. The car is nicely trimmed in Bedford cord and has an attractive dash. The headlamps are lovely, produced by Bleriot, an appropriate feature for a car with European coachwork. ?Easy clean? wheel discs complete a sophisticated appearance.
The attractive coachwork was constructed in 1927 and first fitted to a 1915 Silver Ghost, chassis number 5CB. During that year 5CB was exhibited on the coachmaker?s stand at Forum Copenhagen. Photographs taken of the car whilst on display are included within the car?s history file, and these confirm virtually no changes to the coachwork have been made. 5CB remained in Denmark until the 1970s when it was exported to the UK, shortly after this the Dansk Karosseri Fabrik body removed and fitted to 49RE.
When new, 49RE was supplied via Cockshoot of Manchester, carrying Rippon Bros Double Landaulette coachwork. Its first owner was John W. Potter, the descendant of a shipbroker, Potter, Wilson & Co. The firm had leased China tea clippers including the Cutty Sark and Thermopylae, which raced each other in 1872 from Shanghai to London. John Potter died in 1933. Chassis build cards also state the car was nickel finish, had B-rake steering, wire wheels, a standard engine and side lights to be carried on dash.
Not much is known about subsequent owners, but by 1970, 49RE was in Liverpool, as a complete rolling chassis having been separated from its original Rippon coachwork. In 1982 the car was offered at auction by Christies, now carrying the Dansk Karosseri Fabrik DHC body fitted today. The car was described as unrestored, with the engine dismantled due to frost damage.
Between 1992 -1998, Jonathan Harley conducted an extensive mechanical restoration, this work spanned two owners and cost approximately £82, 000. The car?s original registration was also regained during this period. The current owner (who is Danish and resides in the UK) purchased the car in 2010. He is understandably very enthusiastic regarding the car?s Danish heritage and has enjoyed local and overseas tours with the car.
