Footnotes

• "The low chassis Invicta was probably the best-looking sports car in the vintage tradition ever to be produced in England. I can think of no contemporary un-supercharged motorcar of similar capacity, made here, which could outperform it – and very few built elsewhere..." – J R Buckley, The 4½-Litre S-type Invicta, Profile Publications, 1966.
  
  In an era when most cars stood tall, the 4½-litre S-Type Invicta, with its dramatically lowered chassis, caused a sensation: few sports cars before or since have so looked the part. The Invicta Company's origins go back to 1924 when Noel Macklin and Oliver Lyle, both of whom had motor industry experience, got together to create a car combining American levels of flexibility and performance with European quality and roadholding. In particular, Macklin wanted to build a car powered by an internal combustion engine that would rival a steam-powered car for flexibility.
  
  Like the contemporary Bentley, the Invicta was produced to an exemplary standard. Price was only a secondary consideration, a factor that contributed largely to both firms' failure to weather the Depression years of the early 1930s. The final Invicta left the factory, appropriately enough, on Friday 13th October 1933, though a handful of cars was assembled at the company's service depot between 1934 and 1936. It is estimated that approximately 1,000-or-so Invictas of all types were made.
  
  Apart from a handful of prototypes, all Invictas were powered by the tireless six-cylinder engines made by Henry Meadows. Launched at the 1930 Olympia Motor Show, the S-type featured an new under-slung chassis that achieved a much lower centre of gravity by positioning the rear axle above the frame rails instead of below as was normal practice at the time. Like most low-revving engines, the 4½-litre Meadows delivered ample torque in the lower and middle speed ranges. Indeed, the Invicta can be throttled down to 6-8mph in top gear, despite its relatively high 3.6:1 final drive ratio, and will then accelerate rapidly and without complaint when the accelerator is depressed. The Meadows engine initially produced 115bhp at 3,000rpm, figures that were improved upon by subsequent development. In standard trim the meadows-engined S-Type breathed through twin 40mm SU carburettors and had twin-plug ignition sparked by battery/coil and a Scintilla magneto. Alloy-finned 14"-diameter brake drums restrained the S-Type's outstanding performance.
  
  It comes as no surprise to learn that Invictas shone in competitions of all kinds. The Cordery sisters set many long-distance with their Invicta, while Raymond Mays held the Brooklands Class C Mountain Circuit record for a time with his tuned (158bhp) India Tyres-sponsored S-Type. Mays also held the Shelsley Walsh sports car record by 1932. Stripped S-Types were capable of lapping Brooklands at almost 109mph, while away from the racetrack, Donald Healey's Invicta won the 1931 Monte Carlo Rally. Invictas also appeared in lesser rallies, hill climbs and beach races.
  
  The popular '100mph Invicta' tag notwithstanding, standard cars had a – still impressive – top speed of around 95mph with more to come in racing trim. However, it must be stressed that the S-type Invicta was primarily a very fast but comfortable high-speed touring car, its greatest attribute being an ability to cover a substantial mileage at high average speeds with no strain, either to driver or the machinery.
  
  Invictas are about as indestructible in normal use as a car can be. Approximately 68 of the 77-or-so S-types built are known to survive and most are in excellent order, testifying to the fact that they have always been regarded as high quality motor cars. Indeed, in pre-war days there was a club dedicated exclusively to the model and members famously christened individual cars with names like 'Scythe', 'Scrapper' and 'Sea Lion'. 'S91' was named 'Sentinel'.
  
  'Sentinel' was built in the early summer of 1931 and delivered new to Westover Motors in Bournemouth for their customer, name of Lawson; sadly, nothing else is known of its pre-war history. Bodied as a sports tourer by Carbodies of Coventry, and originally finished in light blue, the car was registered on 5th August 1931 as 'LJ 4313', a Bournemouth mark. Known subsequent owners include Rowland Smith (1938) and Sam Jackson of Melbourne, Derbyshire (1946). According to a hand-written history on file (presumed compiled by a previous owner), Sam Jackson bought the Invicta from a garage owner who had been asked to remove it from a coal shed at the rear of The Royal Hotel in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Reputedly, the car had been accepted by its owner in lieu of an unpaid bill.
  
  When Sam Jackson bought 'LJ 4313' it was painted Blood Red; he repainted the car in dark green and used it for two years, only selling it when his children had grown too big to fit in the rear! After a couple more owners in the Derbyshire area (Vintage Autos and R Ward), 'Sentinel' was sold to Sidney Bourne in 1954. Its new owner repainted the Invicta bright Bugatti light blue and used it for various competitive events as well as attending meetings of the newly reformed Invicta Car Club. During this period the Invicta featured on the front cover of Autosport magazine (6th March 1960 edition) taking part in a sprint at Brands Hatch, and in the late 1960s was the motif for a French postcard, published in Montreuil. The Beaulieu library has a b/w photograph of Sidney Bourne racing 'LJ 4313' at Silverstone in the late 1950s and there are others of him competing with the Invicta in a disabled drivers' challenge rally at Beaulieu in 1961 (four photographs in all during his ownership).
  
  Around 1963 Rob Pollock bought 'Sentinel' from Sidney Bourne and repainted the car in British Racing Green. He used the Invicta for competitive events during the late 1960s and early 1970s before taking the car off the road, his intention being to rebuild it. It is believed that in the late '80s or early '90s 'Sentinel' was fitted with a new body to correct Carbodies specification as delivered new, by Rod Jolley well known for the high standard of his craftmanship and the car did not return to active competition until 1988, and it was successfully campaigned by Rob Pollock and Jo Moss into the early 1990s in sprints, hill-climbs, and driving tests. During this period the Invicta featured twice in The Automobile magazine: in the September 1985 edition, photographed by Nick Georgano; and on the cover of the June 1991 edition in a four-page article with a photograph of Jo Moss at Oulton Park in 1990 and hill-climbing at Prescott.
  
  Next owner Sean Henry Poccock of Wimborne, Dorset acquired 'LJ 4313' on April 2nd 1993. In 1996 the Invicta was sold at a UK auction in dismantled but complete condition. The Invicta S-Type Register (2001) lists only one additional owner: Stephen Scollwoeck (Germany) in 1999. Its late gentleman owner, a highly respected enthusiast and prominent private collector, acquired 'Sentinel' on 1st June 2000.
  
  Since its acquisition 'Sentinel' has attended various historic motoring events including the National Classic Tour of Belgium in 2000; the Mille Miglia Storica in 2001 (First British Team Award recipient); Mille Miglia Storica in 2003 (number '121') and the Flying Scotsman in 2013; Invicta Car Club 75th Anniversary of the S-Type at Charlecote Park, Warwickshire on 12th June 2005. On the latter occasion, 'LJ 4313 ' was one of only two S-Types that were also at the Invicta Car Club's Annual General Meeting in 1955.
  
  The substantial history file contains an original sales catalogue, sales brochure and Instructions, Running and Maintenance book from 1927; assorted press cuttings, magazine articles and period photographs; and numerous invoices for maintenance (mostly from TT Workshops) totaling some £60,000.
  
  The Low Chassis Invicta S-Type is now regarded as one of the most desirable pre-war sports cars, sought after by collectors for its exceptional driving abilities, style and sheer presence. A guaranteed entry into the most prestigious rallies, Concours d'Élégance events and race meetings around the world, the Low Chassis has an enviable reputation among connoisseurs and examples are to be found in some of the most important private collections. With only some 68 surviving, and examples seldom offered for sale, 'Sentinel' with its desirable Carbodies original style coachwork and continuous history represents a possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the discerning collector to become part of this remarkable marque's ongoing story.