BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BEAN MOTOR CAR

It all began in 1826 well before motor cars were thought of, when Absolom Harper started making fenders and fire irons in Waddams Pool, Dudley.  He was assisted by his sons John and Edward, the firm becoming A. Harper & Sons, but by the 1890s the Black Country iron industry was in decline.  

However in 1879 John Harper's only daughter, Mary, had married one George Bean, aged 24 and an ambitious bank clerk, from Stamford, Lincolnshire.  In 1901 he was listed as its principal shareholder.  Some six years later the firm's name was changed to A. Harper, Sons & Bean, with George Bean, aged 52, its chairman. 

After the war, the Bean family decided to diversify.  The wartime factories would be used to make cars.  In March 1919 Beans announced that they would update the Perry car (The Perry was a British car made by the Perry Motor Company based in Tyseley, Birmingham who made cars between 1913 and 1916), and rename it the Bean with the intention of manufacturing it at the rate of ten thousand a year using the methods of Henry Ford, though not in the volumes he made.  

In May 1919 John (Jack) Harper Bean now aged 34, went to the United States to purchase the latest machine tools and in November the 11.9 Bean was unveiled at the London Motor Show, the first post-war one. Bean's chief designer, Harold (Harry) Radford had made some detail design changes to the Perry.  The Bean retained the chassis, running gear and rear-wheel-only brakes of the Perry, but was enhanced by a Smiths electric lighting and starting set.

The Tipton factory's electrically-powered two assembly lines pre-dated those of Morris by some 14 years but the post-war boom collapsed at the end of 1920 affecting Morris, Bean's principal rival, whose factory was full of unsold cars.  

The Bullnose Morris Cowley was a more modern car than the Bean and Morris slashed its price on the Cowley. With its factory closed, Bean could not respond giving Morris the chance to start moving ahead so that by 1925 he was Britain's leading car maker.

In a mere six weeks in 1937 the Beans Industries constructed George Eyston's Thunderbolt Land Speed Record car, driven by twin R-type Rolls Royce engines it ultimately set the record at 357.5 mph in 1938.

Beans Industries was sold to Standard Triumph in 1956 from where they became part of British Leyland.  By 1975 they were known as Beans Engineering and a management buyout followed in 1988.  In 1991 they purchased Reliant which went into receivership in 1994 and took Beans with it.

ABOUT THIS CAR

• In October 1923 the Bean 14 was announced; the engine having a capacity of 2380cc and producing 32bhp.  It had a detachable cylinder head and all the ancillaries were driven by the timing chain, causing the engine to whirr distinctively.   While most British cars were designed purely for the home market, the 14 was designed with overseas markets in mind.  The 14 did well in the Empire, especially Australia.  Unfortunately the 14 was undercut by the Austin 12 and as Beans had £1.8million of debt, Hadfields took the firm over although they had been associated with it since the Harper Bean debacle of 1919.
• This car is a very well restored vintage, that runs and drives extremely well.
• VCC Registered
• Done about 1000miles since restoration.
• Car has one owner on record but it has been re registered so it obviously had more before that time.
• Car is missing a hood cover. Price here includes a new hood or price can be negotiated with buyer at time of sale.
• Various information available - please ask as you need.

Car will be sold WOF’d and Registered.

TRANSPORT / WORLDWIDE SHIPPING CAN BE ORGANISED ON THIS VEHICLE ON BUYER'S BEHALF AT BUYERS COST.

Viewing is STRICTLY BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT only.