Armstrong Siddeley began building motor cars in 1919 and, building on their reputation as aircraft makers, offered “Cars of Aircraft Quality”. They were low volume, handbuilt cars of high quality and with advanced features. In the late 1920s, when driving meant matching revs, no synchromesh and ‘crash’ gearboxes, Armstrong Siddeley offered a semi-automated gearbox known as a preselect, which made for smooth driving and importantly gave many women of the day their first opportunity to drive a motor car. The build quality and refinement earned their cars the slogan, “As silent and inscrutable as the Sphinx”, which became the mascot of the brand. The last Armstrong Siddeley car was sold in 1960, with the company choosing instead to focus on aircraft manufacture. Armstrong Siddeley made a wide range of pre-war models offering a large choice in body styles, sizes and engine capacity. The smaller vehicles were often marketed as “Cars for the Daughters of Gentlemen”
This is a 1934 12 hp with an Australian Ruskin body. My late husband Garth and I bought this car from Ballarat in 2009 after having seen it at various club events since the early 1970’s. It had been in the same family since 1957 and was well known around Ballarat. The car had not been started for more than 30 years but with a little fuel in the carbie and not much effort it burst into life. The restoration of the bodywork and interior took 2 years to complete and the engine and gearbox have now also been rebuilt.
The Armstrong Siddeley Car Club has about 180 members across Australia with local events normally held regularly in major cities and an annual rally rotating between states that attracts about 100 members. The club also has an active spare parts service and great technical support. It's a fabulous way to connect with like-minded enthusiasts.
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