1934 | Miller Special "The Craftsman"

Lot details

Year: 1934
Make: Lamb
Model: 'Craftsman' Special
Registration: UN 7132
Chassis No: HG8900
Engine No: HG6463

• Built with extreme attention to detail by Lamb Precision Engineering
• Unique tribute to the Harry Miller built Indy cars of the 1920's &1930's• Ford 4.3 litre flathead V8

Harry Miller was a prominent motor racing engineer, best known for his innovative work in the early 20th century. Born in 1875, Miller made a significant impact on American motorsport, particularly in the world of open-wheel racing. He founded the Harry A. Miller Company which produced some of the most advanced racing cars of his time. Known for his craftsmanship and engineering ingenuity, Miller introduced several key innovations, including the use of supercharging and lightweight components which helped enhance both performance and reliability. Miller's cars were a fixture at prestigious events such as the Indianapolis 500, where his designs were favoured by many top drivers. His influence extended beyond the racing circuits as he played a pivotal role in advancing automotive technology. Although his career was marked by periods of financial instability, Miller's legacy lives on through the high-performance machines that are still admired by car enthusiasts and collectors worldwide. Harry Miller's cars achieved many notable victories in various prestigious events, one of the most famous was in 1922, when the Miller-designed car, driven by Jimmy Murphy, won the Indianapolis 500. Murphy's victory was the first time a car built by Miller's company triumphed at America's great race. Throughout the 1920's and into the early 1930's, Miller's cars were dominant in American open-wheel racing. His machines helped drivers achieve podium finishes in various major races, including the National Championship series and other prominent events in the United States. These victories solidified Miller's reputation as a key figure in racing engineering, influencing the design of cars for decades to come.

The car we have here, the 'Craftsman' is a totally unique tribute to the legendary Harry Miller built Indy cars of the 1920's &1930's. The car was built by Lamb Precision Engineering of Salisbury, Wiltshire, a company best known for their astonishing motorcycles, having won numerous shows worldwide for their work. It is important to note that the car is by no means a replica of any specific Miller built car but is instead a fitting tribute to the engineering and design styles of Harry Miller, built utilising modern-day technology. The car is powered by a 4.3 litre Ford flathead V8 built around an original 24-stud block and incorporates many performance parts, such as high lift camshafts, flowed and ported heads and a stroked crankshaft. The engine was built by Royal Kustoms, one of the leading specialists in flathead V8 engines. The invoices on file for the engine alone are in the region of £25,000 and it is estimated to produce around 170bhp, more than enough for such a lightweight car! The car has been fitted with a five-speed gearbox, making it eminently useable and our vendor reports it is very perky and has no trouble in modern day traffic. The bodywork is all aluminium and is of incredible quality, absolutely no corners have been cut anywhere throughout the car. Lamb Engineering developed their own Nixie tube speedometer, and the axles, brakes and hubs are all Lamb developed and manufactured in house. Miller were well known for front wheel drive and four-wheel drive race cars, the 'Craftsman' is rear wheel driven but Lamb have designed a geared watts linkage on the front axle, as a twist to the style of Harry Miller. Understandably, the car draws a crowd everywhere it goes, and we would highly recommend viewing as the car really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated, it is a work of art. This truly was a no expense spared labour of love build, an estimated 4,000 hours have gone into the car, as a display of what Lamb Engineering were capable of. The build was completed in 2018, only a few hundred miles have been covered since, and the car looks as good today as it would have when completed in 2018. Supplied to auction with a V5 registration document and a history file containing various invoices from the build. Consigned by Fraser Smith