1930 Austin Heavy Twelve Tourer Deluxe - "Old Min" Bought from Spike Milligan by Peter Sellers

The Austin Motor Car Company launched the Twelve in 1921 and it proved to be hugely popular thanks to superior build quality across a range of models and an engine quoted as capable of delivering some 40mph, tested, perhaps, on a steep gradient. Produced in 1930 this Austin Heavy Twelve Open Road Tourer Deluxe was bought by comedian Spike Milligan in the 1950s and affectionately nicknamed “Old Min”, inspired by the elderly spinster Minnie Bannister, a character from 'The Goon Show'. The car seemed to suit Spike’s appearance and personality but the car was to be coveted by another member of the Goons, the suave playboy of the group, Peter Sellers. The George Best of comedy and rarely seen without an attractive woman on his arm, Sellers famously owned some special Ferraris, naturally the latest Rolls-Royce and many Aston Martins, but “Old Min” had him under her spell.

By this time Sellers had met the world-renowned Aston Martin specialist Richard Williams, who took on the role of the actor's 'fleet manager'. Having enjoyed the Austin for 11 years, Sellers gave 'Old Min' back to Milligan only to retrieve the car almost immediately as he felt his friend was failing to care for it properly. The car's history following Sellers' death in 1980 is not clear, but Richard Williams later became acquainted with one of the subsequent owners and was able to purchase 'Old Min' in March 2010.

In 2012, Richard commenced a total restoration to Sellers' famously exacting standards, a long and painstaking process that would take the next three years to complete. The original hood was retained; the upholstery sympathetically refurbished; and the engine rebuilt by Vintage-era Austin specialist, Bob James. Richard spent over £45,000 on the restoration and his detailed summary of the costs may be found in the extensive history file together with old photographs, various invoices, magazine articles, and an original handbook inscribed 'Property of Spike Milligan – please return'. Used sparingly since the restoration the car was bought from the Richard Williams estate in May 2021 by our enthusiast vendor for family jaunts and is now offered to the next custodian.

Shortly after the restoration’s completion, "Old Min" was road-tested by Andrew Roberts for an article in Classic & Sports Car magazine (March 2016 edition, copy on file) in which he succinctly sums up its unique charm. "This test possibly means more to me than almost any other I've done for C&SC," he declared. "In my day job as a film historian, I genuinely regard Peter Sellers, at the height of his powers, to have been the finest actor in post-war British cinema, and so the experience of riding in Old Min was on a par with another motoring scribe driving the former property of Graham Hill or Jim Clark."

Photographs credited to Simon Clay.

Period photographs part of the Lot.