This is a rare early London Taxi that was modified by a previous owner to more closely resemble a "hire car". Where the baggage shelf was in front, there's an additional single matching seat, and a door was added on the front passenger side. The original flipout turn indicators were replaced by rooftop lights, and the taxi sign above the windscreen was removed.
The picture shows the vehicle as it was when I purchased it, but many changes for the better have been made since then.
It's currently in the shop of a custom paint and body craftsman, where we've brought it back to more closely resemble its original look. I removed the interior components in back, and metal repairs were made to areas that had corroded over the years, such as the wheelwells. He has reinstalled the taxi sign and the turn indicators. And, we've done a beautiful two-tone paint job, using black and the original royal claret color that was a special feature of some of these vehicles in 1952 to celebrate the coronation of Elizabeth II.
The engine was rebuilt shortly after I took delivery of the taxi, and it has fewer than 100 miles on it since then.
I could classify this as a project car, but there's very little that needs to be done to it. Reinstall the seats and panels, put the trim pieces back on, clean it up, get it started and it's ready. Consider it a fun project rather than an expensive one, because the costly things have been taken care of. The new owner might want to replace or rechrome some things and maybe add his own creative touch to the interior.
I have the original and very mechanically-detailed driver's manual, as well as authentic license plates and inside signage. Replacement parts are available, and there's a national vintage London taxi owner group that can lend additional support and expertise.
If you aren't familiar with these charming vehicles, I encourage you to do some research online. There's a wealth of information available.
On Sep-21-09 at 15:45:33 PDT, seller added the following information:NOTE: Seller reserves the right to end the auction early if vehicle sells by other means.
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