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Mystery Coachwork on 1925 Talbot 18/55 (Update: Martin & King ?)
Research is underway on a 1925 Talbot 18/55 (essentially a rebadged Sunbeam 16/50) located in Western Australia. The car carries a saloon body that so far defies all attempts to identify the coachbuilder. Talbot’s records show it was sold for export in 1925 as a Darracq-bodied tourer, and it was likely rebodied in Australia around 1930–1932.
The photos are a mixture of how I first saw it in 1965 and how it appeared when I saw it again a few days ago—in a dark shed. The exterior door handles, window openings, and windscreen pillars are quite distinctive and may provide the right clues for an expert. The doors are timber-framed, so I suspect the entire body is constructed the same way.
I’d be delighted to hear from anyone who can help.
Text and photos: Peter Ransom
This question was originally published on June 20, 2015
Published:
Friday August 29th, 2025
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Comments
Michael Ognenis
29 August 2025, 00:19
This looks to be the same car. It's been sitting for about 15 years or so and still starts on the button and drives! And yes, it's in Western Australia. Please comment if you need to get in touch.
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Unknown
22 June 2015, 22:59
R Mawer... I too hope the Darracq tourer body finds a bare chassis, this Sunbeam saloon is far to nice for any anatomical swaps...I have no idea which Roesch Talbot chassis ditched this tourer body to make yet another Brooklands lookalike....
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Unknown
22 June 2015, 12:14
Will do Peter, I will try and replicate several of your pics
Cheers
Lance
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Cheers
Lance
Unknown
22 June 2015, 09:30
What a very attractive, well-balanced car !
I do hope the owner will not be tempted to rebody it with the Darracq tourer body offered-there will be quite a few "utes" or bare chassis around (not necessarily Sunbeams or Talbots ) crying out to make a better use for this. I wonder what happened to the car that originally had this tourer body on it ?
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I do hope the owner will not be tempted to rebody it with the Darracq tourer body offered-there will be quite a few "utes" or bare chassis around (not necessarily Sunbeams or Talbots ) crying out to make a better use for this. I wonder what happened to the car that originally had this tourer body on it ?
Unknown
22 June 2015, 01:49
Lance, could you post a picture or two of your Lancia, please?
Michael, it's not my car. I'm just doing the research.
Nick, yes, they went a bit overboard with the visor but it's a good idea, especially as the windscreen doesn't open (sort of balances out, doesn't it?).
Neil, do you mean a boot's been added or is "rebooted" a term for rebodied? I'm from Queensland - we know nothing up here...
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Michael, it's not my car. I'm just doing the research.
Nick, yes, they went a bit overboard with the visor but it's a good idea, especially as the windscreen doesn't open (sort of balances out, doesn't it?).
Neil, do you mean a boot's been added or is "rebooted" a term for rebodied? I'm from Queensland - we know nothing up here...
Unknown
21 June 2015, 09:55
Martin and King is a possibility, they did a lot of european stuff in the period. Though Australia had numerous local body builders due to a tax anomaly that meant it was cheaper to body cars locally than import them. This body seems to have similarities to this car http://www.grahampaigeaustralia.com/Images/slope_front_612_sedan_2.jpg
That is a rebooted 1929 Graham Paige. We have found 5 or six of these over the years, we initially assumed they were customised, but the more we found we have come to the conclusion that they were either unsold cars that were rebooted in the early 30s to update them, or maybe they owners couldn't afford a new car so went the cheap option. We still don't know who did these bodies either
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That is a rebooted 1929 Graham Paige. We have found 5 or six of these over the years, we initially assumed they were customised, but the more we found we have come to the conclusion that they were either unsold cars that were rebooted in the early 30s to update them, or maybe they owners couldn't afford a new car so went the cheap option. We still don't know who did these bodies either
Unknown
21 June 2015, 08:12
Some of the external beading features say Martin & King to me - having viewed some Alvises using their coachwork. The general shape is a copy of the English Austins of the early to mid Thirties era. M & K often took their styling from the English makers with minor adaptions for the local market; hence the deep visor over the screen for sunny climates!
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Unknown
21 June 2015, 05:19
I can't help with ID, Peter... but I do have a Darracq tourer body of the period, happy to make it available if you feel a touring body would be a worthwhile option for some future restorer...
I'll run an advert under parts.
Mike
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I'll run an advert under parts.
Mike