1929 Talbot

This 1929 Talbot 14/45 features five-seat tourer coachwork from Darracq Motor Engineering and is said to have been delivered new in February 1929 in Exeter, UK. Chassis 25065 reportedly underwent a refurbishment over the course of several years between the 1970s and 1996 before it departed the UK circa the mid-2000s and was later imported to the US. Finished in blue over blue leather, the car is powered by a 1,666cc OHV inline-six that breathes through an SU sidedraft carburetor and is mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Additional features include mechanically actuated four-wheel drum brakes, Hartford friction shock absorbers, blue-painted 21” wire wheels, a side-mount spare, a black convertible top with matching side curtains, and an auxiliary fuel container. This 14/45 Type AG tourer was purchased by the selling dealer in May 2023 and is now offered in Costa Mesa, California, with a black tonneau cover and a New Hampshire title. The 14/45 was introduced in 1926 in an effort to restore financial viability to Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq Motors and featured power from a newly designed lightweight, high-revving six-cylinder engine. Based on a pressed-steel frame with a central X-brace, the 14/45 was available in a variety of coachwork configurations with most bodies supplied by Darracq. The model was produced in five series, including the AG launched in 1928 with various refinements and a power output rated at 46 horsepower. This example’s four-door open touring bodywork was refinished in its current shade of blue with black fenders during the refurbishment that was completed in the mid-1990s. Features include nickel brightwork, a V-shaped radiator topped by a Boyce MotoMeter, a tilt-out windshield with a high-mounted driver-side mirror, cowl vents, a black convertible top with matching side curtains, a fishtail exhaust outlet, a 20-liter auxiliary fuel container strapped to the left-side running board, and a fold-down luggage rack carrying a hinged number plate and directional signals. Front and rear license plates retain the car’s original UK registration number, RL-9317. A plaque engraved with a Rudyard Kipling quote is affixed to the frame ahead of the radiator. Blue-painted wire wheels are mounted with a combination of Excelsior and Puma tires, while the side-mount spare is wrapped in Firestone rubber. Stopping is handled by mechanically actuated four-wheel drum brakes with cast aluminum backing plates. The right-hand-drive cabin is trimmed in dark blue pleated leather over the front and rear bench seats with color-matched upholstery over the door panels. Additional features include color-keyed carpeting, debossed accents on the door panels and front seatback, fore and aft front seat adjustment, and a right-hand shifter. The four-spoke steering wheel sits ahead of a wood dash panel hosting a Jaeger 85-mph speedometer, a clock, and gauges monitoring oil pressure, amperage, fuel level, and coolant temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 28k miles, less than 10 of which have been added under current ownership. A 4k-rpm tachometer is mounted on the steering column. The 1,666cc inline-six features four main bearings, two-piece pistons, and a detachable cylinder head with overhead valves actuated by slim pushrods. Additional equipment includes an SU sidedraft carburetor, thermosyphon cooling, and a 12-volt electrical system with a twin-contact-breaker distributor and a combination dynamometer and starter. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission that shares the engine’s lubricating oil. Suspension incorporates an H-beam solid front axle with tubular ends, a live rear axle, leather-gaited semi-elliptical front springs and quarter-elliptical rear springs, and Hartford adjustable friction shock absorbers. The New Hampshire title describes the car as a 1929 Lago roadster and lists an “Antique Vehicle” brand.