The Austin Twelve-Six with chassis number C1197 (registration SV 8805) is demonstrably one of the rare pre-production chassis that were manufactured in December 1930 and then exported to Australia uncrated. This procedure was common at the time in order to avoid import taxes. The pre-production series of 14 chassis was codenamed "Clifton" within the factory. This is where the "C" that precedes the chassis number comes from.