Lot Ended
Description
c.1929 La Licorne Type H02 Femina
Extremely
rare French-built car; restored in the mid-1990s including full engine
rebuild; few owners; very smart, very interesting!
Jean-Marie Corre began making tricycles and light cars in
1901 using the tried and trusted De Dion Bouton engine. Sales took off following
motorsport successes in 1903 but Corre lost control of the company in 1907 and
the new owner changed the name to Corre La Licorne and eventually La Licorne
(Unicorn).
La Licorne gradually grew in size and by 1910 had three
different models in production, using single-cylinder, twin cylinder and
four-cylinder engines. By the mid-Twenties, the range included four medium-sized
models, light commercials and small buses, using a variety of proprietary
engines from Ballot, Chapuis Dornier and S.C.A.P.
La Licornes were well made and enjoyed some sporting
success, participating in premier events such as the Le Mans and Spa 24-Hour
races. Unable to compete with the vastly superior resources of their main
rivals, Citroen and Renault, La Licorne eventually folded in 1949.
This particular car is a Type HO2 which was in production
from 1928 – 1932 and featured a four-cylinder 908cc engine which gave it a top
speed of 50mph. A range of bodies were available including the Trianon and
Deauville saloons, the La Baule coupe, the Riviera cabriolet, the Torpedo tourer
and, as here, the Femina open two-seater with dickie. Around 6,000 of all types
were made in total and survivors are now extremely rare.
This very car is
featured in the 1982 edition of Georgano’s encyclopedia when it was owned by a
Mrs Angela Cherrett. A plaque on the dashboard suggests that it was first owned
by a Mademoiselle de Riemsdyk of Paris while an old V5 shows that from 1983 –
1989 it was owned by a Roger Prout of Old Forge Garage in Dymock, Glos, and from
1989 – 2018 by a Nigel Mills of Tirley, Glos, from whom our vendor (a relative
of Roger Prout), acquired it in May 2018.
During the mid-1990s the car
was treated to a body-off rebuild by Tom Bowhill Restorations of Cheltenham, as
documented by correspondence and an album of photos on file. This included
repairs to the ash frame, retrimmed interior, a new hood and a repaint from
powder blue to red. The engine was also fully rebuilt with new pistons and
bearings, reground crank etc.
An old MOT shows that it was back on the
road in October 1997 when the mileage was 31, the odometer currently showing 92
miles which is perhaps all it has done since the restoration was completed. The
V5C records the date of manufacture as 1921 and the engine capacity as 1100cc
but we can only assume this is a mistake. A useful quantity of spares is also
included.
As you can see in the photos, it is in lovely condition
throughout and has been starting promptly and running nicely as we have moved it
around on site. An extremely rare survivor (possibly unique), it would be an
ideal car to enjoy VSCC Light Car events, offering an intersting alternative to
the ubiquitious Austin 7 and looks a snip at the modest guide price
suggested. It will prove a real talking point wherever it goes.
For
more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email [email protected]
* All charges are subject to VAT