Hi Ben. I bought a sapphire more than 30 years ago. I was told by an British A/S specialist that my 4-light was wery rare. It was almost impossible to find the Designer and engineer behind the car. Just a few years ago I found out the reason why. Henry Royce and his successor Arthur Sidgreves from Napier Motors disliked the competition from the Bentley8 that was more powerful than RR Phantom 2. Sidgreaves found out a conspiracy to kill off Bentley Motors 1919 and get rid of W.O. Bentley. In 1935 bought Thomas Sopwith and Harry Hawker , John Siddeley´s empire and got many manufacturing companies. They immediatly started to build 1000 Hawker Hurricanes on oown behalf as they feared that Hitler was going to start War 2. Seems that Thomas Sopwith had a cristal-ball. During the war he built many more Hurricanes and also Lanchester bombers. Before the war he asked Frank Whittle to build a jet engine for him. After WW2 was the Hawker Siddeley one of worlds largest industrial conglomerate ruled by Thomas Sopwith. The first commercial military jet engine Sapphire was going to be presented 1948 by Armstrong Siddeley. Sopwith also wanted to build the Car of the JetAge. but his Armstrong Siddeley factory had not that skill. Therfore he asked W.O. Bentley who had helped him to build a realible engine for the Sopwith Camel during WW1 When W.O. told Sopwith the problem he had with RR helped Sopwith him to start a design & engineering business. Sopwith also contracted W.O. to build a luxury car for the American market. W.O. suspected that RR was going to stop his name as designer and creator for the Sapphire Car. Artful W.O. know that a picture says more than a thousand words and took advantage of Armstrong Siddeley´s Sphinx hood ornament. He designed an ancient futuristic Jet Shuttle where he hid his face statue in Tutankhamons mask on the Sphinx. If You have a good close up camera, Take a pictire from side and You will find W.O. in racing position on the front of his last masterpiece. He created the Sapphire 4-light Sports Saloon prototype with a preselect gearbox. A/S restyled the car to a 6-light Saloon
Hi I have a Mark 2 Sapphire with twin strombergs which I am also recommissioning. My car ran but badly. I removed the carbies and found not only that they were full of rusty sludge but more significantly they were suffering from neglect and incompetences. So stripped them down and found that the idle jets tubes were blocked. The carbi accelerator pistons were frozen bent and set incorrectly. Mainjets blocked. Float valves not seating resulting in flooding. I thoroughly cleaned and replaced various parts new gaskets and seats. I reset linkages and carbies up on my work bench as you cannot reset them while they are still attached. My ignition leads were incorrectly fitted. There is a fine screw under the carbon bush in the distributor cap. This screws into the coil lead. Mine wasnt so it was self timing! I have removed the fuel tank to acid remove rust service fuel sender guage neutralise and coat with Red coat to permanently stop rusty fuel getting near the carbies. Currently wheels are off to service and rectify brake binding on front wheels. I am also treating underbody and other jobs. Robert Penn Bradley's books are very helpful. My engine now finally ticks over perfectly. cheers
If the tank is rusty the only proper fix is to remove the tank and acid remove the rust. In all probability the fuel gauge will need to be removed cleaned and serviced. Mine now works. The brake system on my car had been played with by an incompetent mechanic. All wheel cylinders master cylinders slave cylinder PBR power booster brake linnings and flexible hoses were replaced and vacuum hoses replaced. The car now has high quality brakes after pressure bleeding and power bleeding. They are really good. Weeks of work and careful measurement to set them up exactly. Everything comprehensively serviced. It now runs and drives really well.
You bet, they’ve been brilliant and have provided me with everything I’ve needed in the last 6 months or so. Just got two balljoints and an oil filter adapter from them. They’re great 🎉🎉
@@MrTimcoronel I don’t know I did one take recording a voice over on my phone and made it up on the spot. I think I may have been trying to be sensitive to the family
In 1956 my Granfather was thinking about one,but opted for a Mark VII Jaguar in black! Thank You.
Love the Mk VII! Before buying the Sapphire, I was very close to getting a Jaguar 420 - but I wanted a saloon from the ‘50s
Looks promising.
Thanks Michael! Coming along slowly but I’ll get there.
Great looking project!!
Cheers!!
Hi Ben. I bought a sapphire more than 30 years ago. I was told by an British A/S specialist that my 4-light was wery rare. It was almost impossible to find the Designer and engineer behind the car. Just a few years ago I found out the reason why. Henry Royce and his successor Arthur Sidgreves from Napier Motors disliked the competition from the Bentley8 that was more powerful than RR Phantom 2. Sidgreaves found out a conspiracy to kill off Bentley Motors 1919 and get rid of W.O. Bentley.
In 1935 bought Thomas Sopwith and Harry Hawker , John Siddeley´s empire and got many manufacturing companies.
They immediatly started to build 1000 Hawker Hurricanes on oown behalf as they feared that Hitler was going to start War 2.
Seems that Thomas Sopwith had a cristal-ball. During the war he built many more Hurricanes and also Lanchester bombers.
Before the war he asked Frank Whittle to build a jet engine for him.
After WW2 was the Hawker Siddeley one of worlds largest industrial conglomerate ruled by Thomas Sopwith.
The first commercial military jet engine Sapphire was going to be presented 1948 by Armstrong Siddeley.
Sopwith also wanted to build the Car of the JetAge. but his Armstrong Siddeley factory had not that skill.
Therfore he asked W.O. Bentley who had helped him to build a realible engine for the Sopwith Camel during WW1
When W.O. told Sopwith the problem he had with RR helped Sopwith him to start a design & engineering business.
Sopwith also contracted W.O. to build a luxury car for the American market.
W.O. suspected that RR was going to stop his name as designer and creator for the Sapphire Car.
Artful W.O. know that a picture says more than a thousand words and took advantage of Armstrong Siddeley´s Sphinx hood ornament.
He designed an ancient futuristic Jet Shuttle where he hid his face statue in Tutankhamons mask on the Sphinx.
If You have a good close up camera, Take a pictire from side and You will find W.O. in racing position on the front of his last masterpiece.
He created the Sapphire 4-light Sports Saloon prototype with a preselect gearbox. A/S restyled the car to a 6-light Saloon
Very very interesting!!! Thanks so much for that background information!
GOOD PROJECT
Cheers Thomas, I reckon so too!!
Hi I have a Mark 2 Sapphire with twin strombergs which I am also recommissioning. My car ran but badly. I removed the carbies and found not only that they were full of rusty sludge but more significantly they were suffering from neglect and incompetences. So stripped them down and found that the idle jets tubes were blocked. The carbi accelerator pistons were frozen bent and set incorrectly. Mainjets blocked. Float valves not seating resulting in flooding. I thoroughly cleaned and replaced various parts new gaskets and seats. I reset linkages and carbies up on my work bench as you cannot reset them while they are still attached. My ignition leads were incorrectly fitted. There is a fine screw under the carbon bush in the distributor cap. This screws into the coil lead. Mine wasnt so it was self timing!
I have removed the fuel tank to acid remove rust service fuel sender guage neutralise and coat with Red coat to permanently stop rusty fuel getting near the carbies. Currently wheels are off to service and rectify brake binding on front wheels. I am also treating underbody and other jobs. Robert Penn Bradley's books are very helpful. My engine now finally ticks over perfectly. cheers
Keep us updated!! I’m thinking we might need to flush the tank on this too, but for now we’ve just got a filter installed before the carbs.
If the tank is rusty the only proper fix is to remove the tank and acid remove the rust. In all probability the fuel gauge will need to be removed cleaned and serviced. Mine now works. The brake system on my car had been played with by an incompetent mechanic. All wheel cylinders master cylinders slave cylinder PBR power booster brake linnings and flexible hoses were replaced and vacuum hoses replaced. The car now has high quality brakes after pressure bleeding and power bleeding. They are really good. Weeks of work and careful measurement to set them up exactly.
Everything comprehensively serviced. It now runs and drives really well.
Have you contacted the Australian Armstrong Siddeley spare parts store for the items you needed?
You bet, they’ve been brilliant and have provided me with everything I’ve needed in the last 6 months or so. Just got two balljoints and an oil filter adapter from them. They’re great 🎉🎉
@@bens54sapphire Excellent. Look forward to seeing an updated video of the Sapphire.
@ 0:22 - What did the original owner pass - a bus, a truck … ?
Hardy har har - passed *away* 😅
@@bens54sapphire 'died'. Why use a euphemism?
@@MrTimcoronel I don’t know I did one take recording a voice over on my phone and made it up on the spot. I think I may have been trying to be sensitive to the family