1939 Frazer Nash BMW 326

This example is one of those 60 and has lived a life less ordinary, to say the least. CBT600, bearing the chassis number 113302, arrived at AFN in Isleworth unpainted in the summer of 1939. It seems that the sleek saloon was held in stock for a couple of years (these were troubled times, of course, with German cars perhaps not being everyone’s first choice) before being first registered in November 1941 just in time to be promptly requisitioned by the RAF.

CBT600 doesn’t resurface again, then, until 1947 in the ownership of JH Harvey of London. Harvey sold the car in 1948 to a Bernard Babani of Shepherd’s Bush. Babani, due to a seized piston, commissioned Anthony Crook Motors to fit a Bristol 85B engine, gearbox, prop shaft and rear axle. Crook still couldn’t get the car to run properly and so he dispatched it to the Bristol factory in Filton. Bristol fitted CBT600 with a less potent, but sweeter running 85A engine. This is the unit that still powers the car today.

By the 1960’s the car was being used as a Bristol based garage as a parts delivery vehicle. Three more Bristol based owners covered the period between 1967 and 1970. It is believed that the current two-tone livery was applied during this period and the non-factory headlights were also added. By the early 1990’s the car was in the ownership of Brislington-based garage owner Ted Chick. Chick had the engine rebuilt and basically stored and preserved the car. 

Current owner Matthew acquired the car at auction in August 2023.

When compared to other saloons launched in 1936, particularly the British ones (such as the Austin 14, MG SA, Standard Flying Fourteen etc), the BMW 326 looked particularly modern and streamlined. Today it exudes more of a 1950’s persona, perhaps underscoring why the Aldington brothers were so keen on them.

This example presents a sunny demeanour with its two-tone blue livery which it reportedly acquired in the 1970’s. Given that assumed provenance the paintwork is somewhat of a curate’s egg as you might expect. The darker of the blues, let’s say midnight blue, has fared worst. This runs the gamut of conditions from slightly faded and chipped on the wings to cracked, crazed and flaking on parts of the roof. The lighter blue, possibly aqua, is better by a good margin. It could be that this shade predominantly adorns the less prone vertical panels. There is some crazing and cracking in places but nothing untoward for paintwork that is 50-plus years old.

The bodywork appears resolutely solid for a car in its eighties. Only the perennially vulnerable door bottoms show any obvious signs of active corrosion. Its originality is astounding, however, and the design throws up lots of charming period character. These include the doors hinged at the B pillar, the rubber dressed running boards and the split panelled windscreen and rear window – a neat way to circumvent glass manufacturing limitations of the mid-‘30’s. 

The front of the car exhibits an early design iteration of BMW’s signature “kidney” grills albeit in very slender and elongated form. The rear of the BMW features an integrated spare wheel cover, centred with a locking (!) chromed roundel that lifts to reveal the fuel filler cap. This flap is centred with the rare Frazer Nash BMW motif. A pair of articulated alloy luggage supporting arms are present and deployable as required. 

The BMW rolls on an original set of pressed 17-inch steel wheels. These are painted in the aqua of the blues and are centred with ribbed and chromed extruded hub caps. The condition of both wheels and caps appears very good overall.

It is reported that the cabin of the 326 was also on the receiving end of some 1970’s recommissioning, too. The quality of the work undertaken seems very good and the seat upholstery, particularly seeming to have stood the test of time very well. All seats are finished in a durable looking, lightly textured vinyl in a turquoise hue. The generously sized front perches offer an early 2CV aesthetic courtesy of the tubular seat frame extending from the seat backs as chunky grab handles. The rear bench is similarly trimmed, and the outer armrests appear to be in their original state giving a useful “carchaeology-esque” insight into original shades and substrates.

This appears to also be true for the door cards. These feature inset pleated map pockets and are in various states of perishing and cracking hinting at their originality. The apparent lack of floor coverings combined with the removable rear bench gives a useful insight into the condition of the floor pan. Aside from some surface watermarking they appear to be in good solid condition. The headlining is present and seemingly tightly fitted.

The eye-catching steel dashboard is fronted by a pair of silver painted instrument panels. In the right-hand panel sits the delightful side-plate sized Smiths tachometer. This in calibrated with a distinctive deco-style font and marked with a modest red-line of 4250 rpm. This is flanked by four auxiliary Smiths gauges covering all key metrics of the car’s condition. These sit behind the original three spoke steering wheel with Frazer Nash BMW boss. In a fashion that may fill many drivers with dread, the passenger gets to closely monitor road speed courtesy of the equally large Smiths 100mph speedometer mounted on the left. A number of Bakelite switches and knobs randomly occupy the space between the brace of instrument panels.

In factory specification the 326 was powered by a 1971cc straight-six engine with twin 26mm Solex carburettors producing around 50bhp. As mentioned earlier, however, this example was the beneficiary of a Bristol engine – reported as an 85A but bearing a brass plaque stating 85C. In either case the A and the C were only differentiated by their carburettors and separated by about 5 bhp. In both cases they were 1971cc straight six units (of a shared design and origin with the original BMW unit) but benefitting from the fitment of a triple 32mm carburettor set up –SUs for the A and Solex for the C – originally giving an output of 80 – 85bhp. Given that our car exhibits Solex carburettors suggests it is a C engine as per the attached plaque. It is also reported that a Bristol specification gearbox and brakes were fitted at the same time.

Lifting both wings of the centrally hinged bonnet reveals the triple Solex set up directly atop the engine. The condition under here is surprisingly good with some nicely powder coated black cam covers in evidence. Some of the inner panels exhibit some minor surface rust and the battery is noted as being absent. The underside of the car is mostly very good too. The box sections appear complete and sound. There is some pronounced corrosion noted, and pointed out, at an intersection of the body and the frame.

The paperwork accompanying the Frazer Nash BMW is modest but very instructive. This includes the original registration and taxation document with a series of handwritten entries. The current V5 registration document is also present. Naturally the 326 is classified as an Historic Vehicle and so MoT exempt and zero rated for VED in the UK. 

The remainder of the archive consists of a number of documents helping to establish the remarkable history and provenance of this car. The Classic and Sports Car article dating from February 2022 (and also available on-line) saw the car pressed into action for its photoshoot. The author reporting that “it started readily, stopped (sort of) and accelerated through its gears surprisingly briskly.”

The BMW 326 was an early indication of the dominance BMW would ultimately bring to the sporting mid-sized saloon segment and a warning shot across the bows, especially of British manufacturers. The fact that the 326 looks like a much younger design than it is, remains testament to its innate modernity. With over 15,000 326s built they were once ubiquitous. The British imports bearing the Frazer Nash branding and factory right hand drive are considerably rarer and all the more collectable for the fact alone.

This is surely the most exciting type of pre-war classic. An unrestored car with a fascinating provenance that actually appears to be in a fine, preserved condition. This circumstance alone almost renders hens’ teeth a widely available commodity by comparison. It’s such a charming car, too, with all those subtle but important Frazer Nash touches present and correct. With its interesting Bristol connection here is a classic pre-war saloon that demands and deserves preservation well into the future.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £11,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Basingstoke Hampshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.