The mystery 1939/40 luxury ASM Prototype
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The
mystery 1939/40 luxury ASM Prototype
This is one of only two known
photographs of an experimental luxury Armstrong Siddeley built, so it very much appears,
on the orders of the company's then new chief engineer, Stewart Tresilian. It is
recalled that it was built behind sheets in the tinsmith's shop at the end of 1939 or
beginning of 1940. No other details are known, other than that on the day this
photograph was taken, it carried the registration plate EYO 9 and that it looked and
sounded like no other car the factory had ever made. The photographs appear in the
personal album of Stewart Tresilian, so it is likely that it was something quite special
as few cars made it into that album. It has been suggested that it might have been
powered by a V12 Lagonda. Tresilian had been the V12 Chief Designer at Lagonda and
had suggested that Lagonda and W.O. Bentley be given some sort of design commission by
Armstrong Siddeley when he joined the company in about June 1939. Lagonda certainly
could have used the extra income that any such deal might have generated. The car
was discretely scrapped in about 1946 or maybe 1947. According to the late John Densham,
who knew nothing about its existence, it "appeared out of nowhere" to be broken
up at Parkside. John Densham used its flush headlights which he bought for 10/-
[50p] in one of his John Densham Riley Specials.
This photograph (one of two) was made available by kind permission of the Tresilian
Family.
© 2000
Richard Hodgson (only as to text) - may not be reproduced in whole or in part
without permission
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