1933 | Frazer Nash TT Replica

1933 Frazer Nash TT Replica 

• Part of the factory team on the Alpine Trial in 1933 and 1934

• Presented in exceptionally original condition

• Continuous history from new

• One-family ownership since 1968

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

From its adventures on the Alpine Trial during the 1930s to its long-term ownership in the hands of the same enthusiast family, this Frazer Nash TT Replica wears its illustrious history with pride. 

First registered on 4 February 1933, its original owner was Lionel Butler-Henderson – grandfather of former Top Gear and Fifth Gear presenter Vicki. It was a short-chassis model fitted with a maroon body by Elkington – which it has retained ever since – and the engine benefitted from the Albert Gough-designed ‘deflector’ cylinder head. Its registration number was the same one it wears today: AHX 617.

Butler-Henderson entered his new TT Replica on that year’s Alpine Trial, and at the last minute became part of a three-car Frazer Nash team alongside the factory entry of HJ Aldington and another privately owned car driven by TAW Thorpe. 

They would be part of a 132-strong entry, with their main opposition in the 1500cc class coming from Riley. The route covered 1193 miles and made its way from Merano in northern Italy to Nice, and included the Stelvio, Pordoi and St Bernardino passes. With co-driver RRK Marker alongside him, Butler-Henderson lost only four marks throughout the gruelling event – a superb effort, but on this occasion the Frazer Nash trio had to give best to the Rileys. 

Butler-Henderson took AHX 617 back to the Alpine Trial in 1934, this time with the Honourable W Feilding as his co-driver. The event started in Nice and covered 1800 miles through France, Switzerland, Italy and Yugoslavia before finishing in southern Germany. 

Butler-Henderson did even better than the previous year, finishing the event without dropping a single mark. He climbed the challenging Stelvio Pass in 23 minutes 26 seconds, against a standard time for the class of 30 minutes. 

Manufacturers always gained great publicity from their successes on the Alpine Trial, and Butler-Henderson’s efforts were celebrated in the adverts that Frazer Nash took out following the 1934 event, trumpeting the fact that six of its cars had taken part and all of them reached the finish.

AHX 617 then passed through two other owners before being acquired by Manchester-based Peter Higgins in 1937. It remained in the Higgins family until it was bought by a Mr Blackford in 1956, and then passed in short order to a Mr Tacon. He kept the TT Replica until 1968, when it was bought by a notable motoring family who had historic links to AHX 617 and who have retained it ever since.

They took the car on the Frazer Nash ‘Raid to the Alps’ in 1969 and 1973, and have always kept it in fine mechanical fettle. In later years, it has been looked after by noted specialist Jeremy Brewster, with recent work including adjustment of the gear linkage and a rebuild of the twin carburettors. 

With period success on the Alpine Trial and a continuous ownership history, this is an extremely well-known car in Frazer Nash circles. Now being offered for sale for the first time in more than 50 years, it must be one of the best and most original TT Replicas in existence.