Austin Voiturette 1909
Before the advent of the autobahn, autostrada and motorway, most
European urban based car owners and most of those living in the
country were content to drive around at a moderate speed, which
was all that road conditions would allow. Therefore small light
cars only needing engines of modest output have always been
produced. The first vehicles powered by internal combustion
engines had engines of small capacity. This was fortunate as the
chassis they were mounted in were no more than adapted carriages.
As chassis design advanced, larger and more powerful engines were
fitted in larger heavier chassis, some getting to monstrous
proportion. Fortunately some designers continued to see the need
for machines with engines of modest proportions, and so the
Voiterette was conceived, a relatively lightweight machine
reflecting the conventions of design of their time, the forerunner
of the light-car. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the
layout of most automobiles had evolved with some variations, to
almost a standard form, with the engine mounted at the front of
the chassis frame, with the drive taken to the rear wheels,
suspension being beam axles front and rear with leaf springs
of various forms. This layout was named at the time ,The System
Panhard, after the first manufacturer to use it. the front engine
layout being chosen to improve engine cooling, previously an
underfloor or rear engine layout was in common use
Jowett 1906
Between the beginning of the twentieth century and the first
World War, the first light cars were produced and a need for low
cost motor transport was recognised. An attempt to satisfy this
need was met from about 1910, by the production of numerous
cycle-cars, ultralight weight three and four wheeled vehicles of
simple construction using motorcycle type components. Although of
relatively low cost to purchase and run, cycle-cars proved not to
be durable or suitable for continuous use. A few manufacturers
followed the lead of the light cars makers in making cars that
were smaller and lighter than the conventional cars of the period,
following the principles of their chassis design, but; making
machines that were even smaller and lighter. These were the first
true economy cars, the forerunners of today's Ultralight
economy cars. At that time all cars with engines less than 1100cc,
were classed as cycle-cars for sporting purposes in Europe. The
term Cycle-car was in general usage in Britain to describe all
cars with engines with less than four cylinders. The cars
with four cylinder engines being classed as light cars. Thing were
not that clear cut, there were the true Cycle-car’s, all chains
and belts, the economy light cars with twin cylinder engines, with
four cylinder engines, and some makes of economy light car with
either twin or four cylinder engines, all under 1100 c.c. Here are
some of the earliest British cars that were the forerunners of to
days ultralight economy cars.
The Jowett Motor Manufacturing Company of Back Burlington,
Bradford, was founded in 1904 by Benjamin and William Jowett,
cycle makers. In 1906 they made their first car. It was a car in
miniature weighing only 6.5 cwt. It had a Water cooled
horizontally opposed twin cylinder side valve 816 cc engine in a
conventional chassis, with one exception in the use of tiller
steering. Limited production started in 1910, with twelve
car produced by 1913 when the 6/10 model costing £127, with
conventional wheel steering. The 1915 model the ”8’, was rated at
6.4 hp, and cost £158. All were two seat tourers. Thirty-six of
these models were produced before the war stopped production. The
Perry Motor Company Limited, of Tyseley, Birmingham, was formed in
1912 and the first model they produced was the "8". It had a 878
c.c. Water-cooled, parallel twin cylinder engine. It had three
speed gearbox and a worm drive rear axle. In 1914 it was priced at
£147, and produced until 1915. The Humber company of Coventry,
produced the Humberette model in 1913. Because it had an air
cooled Vee twin engine of 998 cc, it was categorised as a
cycle-car although the rest of the car apart from the tubular
chassis form was of conventional construction, with rack and
pinion steering, transverse spring front suspension, with quarter
elliptic springs at the rear. The three-speed and reverse gearbox,
had an old fashioned quadrant change. Only available in a two-seat
tourer form, on a wheel-base of 7 Ft. 5 in. and track of 3 Ft. 6
in. The wire wheels were non-detachable, but; it came complete
with screen, hood, horn, and three lights. In 1914 a water cooled
engine option was available at £135, £15 more than the air cooled
version. Production ceased in 1915.
Humberette 1914
In 1913 the Swift Motor Company of Coventry exhibited the first of
their economy cars at the motor cycle show at Olympia, as it had a
water cooled in-line twin cylinder engine of only 972 cc it was
classed as a cycle-car, but ;like the Humberette was a miniature
car. It was only produced until the outbreak of war in 1914 and
cost £140. The Alldays Midget 8-10 h.p. tThe Alldays Midget 8-10
h.p. two Cylinder, was built by the old established firm of
Alldays and Onions Ltd, of Birmingham. The 1056 c.c. water-cooled
vertical twin-cylinder engine drove through a 3-speed and
reverse gearbox and cone clutch to a worm type differential axle.
A Boch magneto and a Zenith carburettor were fitted. It was
classed as a cycle-car because of the two cylinder engine and cost
£130 in 1914. The 1915 version of the car was considered to be a
light car, because it had a four cylinder engine, even
though its capacity at 1092 c.c. was similar to the previous
model, as was most of the design. It weighed in at 7 cwt, with a 7
Ft. wheelbase a 4 Ft. track and cost £185 in 1915. The
Autocrat Light Car Co of Balsall Heath, Birmingham, was another
company that offered both two and four cylinder economy cars to
the market, in 1913, the 964 c.c. Eight, with a twin cylinder
engine and the 8/10 four cylinder with a 1128 c.c. engine.n 1913,
the 964 c.c. Eight, with a twin cylinder engine and the 8/10 four
cylinder with a 1128 cc engine, The twin cost £110 and the four
£157. In1914 the twin was given a 1104 c.c. longer stroke engine
making it a 9. It then cost £142. The four cylinder engine
had a different bore for 1914 with a capacity of 1093 c.c. It was
fitted with a Chapuis and Dornier engine, with a Zenith
carburettor, a Carden propeller shaft and bevel drive live rear
axle, and It weighed 8 cwt. Chater-Lea of Banner Lane, London,
started in business as cycle component makers in 1890. Then
as cycle and motor cycle makers by 1900. They produced their
first cycle-car in 1907. The 1913 model, the 8/9, had a
Chater-Lea water-cooled, Vee twin engine of 964 c.c. in a
conventional chassis with shaft drive to a bevel geared rear
axle. It weighed 7 3/4 cwt and its two versions cost £126 and
£142. For 1914 the company offered a car with a 1092
c.c.water-cooled four cylinder engine. Listed as the 10, it
weighed 8 3/4 cwt and cost £173. From 1915 and until 1922 this
model had a 1315 c.c. engine. The Enfield Autolette was produced
by the Enfield Autocar Co of Sparkbrook, Birmingham from 1913 in
two-forms, the 8, with a 1056 c.c. vertical twin cylinder engine
and the 9 in 1914, 10, in 1915, with a 1092 c.c. inline four
cylinder engine. Both models used a similar chassis, sprung by
four quarter-elliptic springs at the rear with torque rods
locating the worm driven differential axle. The three speed and
reverse gearbox was separate from the engine, most probably
mounted in the centre of the car between the drive shafts. It was
heavy for its type at 9 1/2 cwt, with a wheelbase of 7 Feet, 9
inches and a track of 4 Ft. The 8, cost £138 in 1914, and the 9,
£158, rising to £185 for the 10, in 1915.
Enfield Autolette
A more expensive 10, was listed for 1916 and 17, with a larger
capacity engine. There is so little information on the
Jennings Light Car Company, that I am unable to even find their
address. What I can find, is that they produced two versions
of an economy car between 1914 and 1915. One the 8-10 or 9, had a
1084 c.c. vertical twin cylinder water-cooled engine supplied by
Dorman. The other, the 10, available only in 1915 ,had a 1094 cc,
four cylinder engine. Final drive was by torque tube and bevel
drive, meaning that they where of a proper car layout. The 9
weighed 8 1/4 cwt, with a wheelbase of 8 Ft. The 9, was priced at
£157, and10, at £194. The first AC light car, produced in 1913 and
fitted with a 1094 c.c. Fivet four-cylinder water-cooled engine,
was designed by J. Weller to be light and fast. The car weighed 10
cwt and had a top speed of 45 m.p.h. It also had the unusual
features of a 3-speed gearbox integral with the rear axle, and a
disc brake on the propeller shaft. The AC 10 h.p. cost £175 in
1914, and was described in "The Autocar Handbook," of that date
As; In every respect a motor car in miniature, for though small it
is proportionately designed throughout on the lines of larger
vehicles. Lagonda Ltd, of Staines, Middlesex, produced the 11.1, a
light car between 1913 and 1915. It had an engine of 1099
c.c. with four cylinders, water-cooled, and overhead inlet and
side exhaust valves. It was of conventional layout with some
unusual features. The body was of riveted monocoque construction,
and the front suspension incorporated an anti-roll bar. It was
priced at £135 in 1913, rising to £150 in 1914. About 200 were
produced in 1916. In 1921 the price had risen to £495. Total
production, including the larger capacity 11.9 was about six
thousand examples in eight years.
Morris Oxford 1914
The first of a long line of Morris Oxford models was produced at
Cowley, Oxford, by William Morris in 1912. It was one of a new
form of multi cylinder engined light cars.He
created the car by bringing together components from many
manufacturers, assembling them into a complete car.This was not a
unique idea, but; William Morris succeeded where other would fail
by controlling the costs. After 1918 he bought up many of his
suppliers and became a true manufacturer. A good description of
the car is given in "The Light Car," by C.F.Caunter, first
published in1958. So progressive and typical of the best type of
small light car was the Morris-Oxford of this period, that a
somewhat detailed description of it is warranted to indicate its
importance in relation to later developments. The chassis frame
was of pressed steel girder construction, mounted on semi elliptic
springs at the front, and on three-quarter elliptic springs at the
rear. The drive to the worm-rear rear axle was by an enclosed
propeller shaft. Both hand and foot operated brakes were of the
internal expanding type on the rear axle. The engine, multi-plate
clutch and sliding pinion type of 3-speed and reverse gearbox were
of unit construction; The whole unit was supported within the
chassis upon a simple three-point suspension. A light yet well
designed and constructed two-seat body, hood and windscreen,was
blended with the bonnet and a rounded radiator. The steering was
of worm-gear type, the column being well raked to provide a
comfortable driving position. The detachable Sankey pressed steel
wheels were fitted with 700 mm by 80 mm beaded-edge tyres and a
spare wheel was included in the specification. One of the improved
1914 models included a dynamo-lighting system. The 1018 c.c.
capacity (White and Poppe four-cylinder monoblock water-cooled
engine, with inlet and exhaust valves arranged in T-head form and
a stiff crankshaft carried in three bearings, was of robust and
straightforward design. Detachable cover plates enclosed the valve
stems, springs and tappets; lubrication was effected by the
flywheel dipping into a wet sump and dispensing the oil to various
catch pits, whence in drained to moving parts. Ignition was by
means of a Bosch high-tension magneto, and mixture was supplied by
a White and Poppe carburettor.
Singer Ten Advertisement
The Horstmann Car Company, of James Street West, Bath, was in
formed 1913 by Sidney Horstmann, he was the son of a German
clockmaker. From 1915 to 1929, they manufactured around
3,000 cars. Some of the cars had aluminium bodies and were raced
with some success at Brooklands. The 8.9 of 1913 had a 992 c.c.
four cylinder, water-cooled engine produced by Horstmann . It had
a three speed and reverse gearbox, with shaft drive to a bevel
rear axle. One unusual feature on the car, was a foot operated
starter mechanism that could be used from the driving seat. It was
relatively light at 8 cwt. It cost £155 in 1915, up to £165 in
1916.
In 1912 Singer Motors of Coventry, produced a heavy but; long
lasting economy car, the Ten. Unusually I have found a detailed
description of the car,written in 1955 by Ernest F. Carter. The
pre-First World War Singer was also well in the vanguard of
light-car design, being particularly interesting
because it was the first vehicle of its kind to be put upon the
English market which showed that it was possible to build a
well-designed small car on large car lines. In this respect it is
not surprising that the Singer light car boasted but; few novel
points of design save that the gearbox was combined with the back
axle, which arrangement considerably simplified chassis design
though increasing the unsprung weight. The engine, with its four
cylinders, was perhaps, the only light-car four-cylinder engine in
which the cylinders were cast in pairs; which method, though
expensive to manufacture, had the great advantage of facilitating
service work, to which end the valves were also placed on the same
side of the engine and made interchangeable. A gear driven
camshaft operated the valves, the whole of the distribution gear
being contained outside the crank-chamber, which had
external cast aluminium webs on each side forming trays between
the engine and the chassis. The inlet and exhaust manifolds were
both external, the Claudel carburettor was mounted on the opposite
side of the engine to that upon which the valves were placed, a
very long induction pipe curving right over the cylinder castings
connecting it with the inlet manifold; the unusual length of the
pipe being said by the makers to promote better atomisation of the
fuel-shades of the 1906 Beeston-Humbers.
Singer 10
A HT magneto with fixed ignition driven from the valve camshaft
took care of the spark, and lubrication was by a
direct-acting pump from the sump to a three-bearing
crank-shaft as well as dip troughs under the big ends.
Cooling circulation was on the thermo-siphon system with a
grilled-tube radiator of pleasing design, the latter being
assisted by a high-speed four-bladed fan belt driven from an
extension of the camshaft. Drive was by way of a
leather-faced internal cone clutch of which one member was
integral with the large-diameter flywheel, and from
immediately behind the clutch a large universal joint formed the
front end of a long propeller-shaft which extended right back to
the rear axle, where the gearbox was joined with another enclosed
universal and telescopic joint, the latter allowing for the
relative motion caused by the axle pivoting on the front pin of
the half-elliptical rear springs. The back axle itself was
particularly ingenious. It was neat and small though it contained
the gearbox as well as the differential and right-angle drive. The
whole assembly was lubricated easily through an oil filler on the
back axle casing. The operation of the gears was also
rather unusual, the gear lever being in the usual place and
the selector mechanism mounted on a chassis cross-member
level with the lever from the selector mechanism ,however,
three long rods operated the gear-striking levers on the gearbox
itself. A counter-shaft brake being difficult to arrange with such
a design, both hand and foot-brakes worked on internal expanding
shoes on the back axle. The chassis was of pressed steel with a 7
foot. 6 inches wheelbase and a 3 foot. 6 in. track, the engine
being supported directly thereon without the interposition
of a sub-frame. Springing was enhanced by the fitting as
standard of shock-absorbers of the enclosed elastic type at
the rear end of the rear springs, and a standard body built
along handsome lines which were further emphasised by the
fitting of domed one-piece mudguards and valances between
running-boards and bodywork. A single folding windscreen,
hood, and large luggage boot completed the standard Singer
light car which sold at £215 in 1915; there being a "De
Luxe" model with electric light instead of acetylene and oil
lamps, together with a chain-driver dynamo, retailed at £225
or £280 in coupé version.
Stellite Advertisement
Wolseley, produced a light car called the Stellite 8/10 at the
Electric and Ordnance Accessories Company Ltd, Stellite Works,
Cheston Road, Aston, Birmingham. It had a 1075 c.c.four cylinder,
water-cooled, overhead valve engine and a SU Wolseley carburettor.
Carden shaft and worm drive transmission, with the gearbox in the
rear axle. It weighed 8.5 cwt, with a wheelbase of 8 Feet, and
track of 3 Feet, 10 in. It cost £158 in 1914 and 1915.
The Standard 9.5 h.p. was manufactured by the Standard Motor
Company of Coventry. Below is a detailed description of the car,
written in 1955 by Ernest F. Carter. Another little car
which made its appearance among the earliest of such cars put on
the market was the 9.5 h.p. featured Standard, which conformed
mote or less to large car design; its chief featured being a
four-cylinder engine, single-plate clutch, three-speed gearbox and
overhead worm-driven back axle.The engine cylinders were of just
over one litre cubic capacity, being cast mono-block with valves
all on one side operated by a silent chain driven camshaft.
Cooling was by thermo-syphon with ample cylinder jackets and
large-diameter pipes connecting to a gilled tube radiator which
was assisted in its function by a two-bladed belt-driven fan and a
vaned flywheel enclosed within an undershield, which materially
enhanced the draught through the radiator. Special attention was
also given to the water-cooling underneath the valve-pockets and
this, coupled with the extremely efficient cooling system,
enable-led the motor-car to be driven up long hills and to stand
for long periods in traffic with the engine running without the
least fear of boiling-a thing which could not be said of scores of
different makes then on the road. A "Zenith" carburettor was
fitted to an inlet manifold cast integrally with the cylinders,
and the HT exhaust manifold was bolted to the cylinder ports
and was thus easy to detach; whilst one particularly interesting
point of good design was concerned with a quickly detachable
oil-tight cover-plate over the valves and tappets, the valve chest
being in direct communication with the engine base-chamber so that
oil splashed about in the latter was also distributed on to the
valve stems and guides.
Standard 9
Ignition was by HT magneto driven from the same chain which
operated the valve camshaft from the front of end of the
crankshaft, the chain being adjustable by means of a plate on the
timing-gear case which carried the bearing of the magneto
drive shaft. Below the crank-chamber base was a sump from oil was
drawn through a large filter by a camshaft-driven vane pump and
forced direct to the main engine bearings as well as to two
troughs cast in the base-chamber underneath each pair of
cylinders; the oil being then strained back to the sump. A
small visual dash-board indicator was provided which, when it
showed danger meant that one had to heave-to, stop the engine, and
replenish the sump! From the engine the drive was via a Ferodo
faced toggle-operated single-disc clutch, of which the faced disc
was sandwiched between two steel ones by helical compression
springs which ensure that there was no end-thrust on the engine
crank-shaft when the clutch was "in". From the clutch to gearbox
the drive was by way of a short shaft with a universal joint at
each end, such a unit arrangement making for extreme ease of
servicing and adjustment. Three speeds were available, the "top"
being 4.6 to 1 and 15 to 1 "bottom", the former being direct
through a dog clutch.An open propeller-shaft with substantial
cross-pin type universals enclosed in spherical metal covers
supplied with grease, carried the drive to a sturdy rear axle by
way of an overhead worm and bevel differential; the rear wheel
bearings catering for heavy side-thrusts as well as normal journal
loads. The "Standard" was one of the few light cars of its day
possessing a counter shaft brake which worked smoothly and
rapidly, this feature being probably due to the rear of gearbox
brake-shoes being Ferodo lined; as were the hand-brake operated
internal expanding shoes in the rear wheel hub drums.The steering
was rather uncommon, being of the worm and segment type, but;
instead of the arm being placed in the vertical plane, the
gearbox was turned on its side so that the arm was in a horizontal
plane. Moreover, instead of the gear being connected with the
offside stub-axle if was brought across the chassis to the
nearside wheel, which connected with the former by the usual
tie-rod. This arrangement had the advantage of partially
eliminating steering errors due to the varying angularity of a
short steering-rod direct from the gearbox to the offside front
wheel under the action of the road spring. The very light
driving-plate of the clutch gave a sweet engagement and easy gear
changing, whilst the long and easy springing and carefully
designed standard coachwork gave both driver and passenger
plenty of leg-room. In fact,"Standards" early realised that,
however small the chassis of a motor-car, the body must of
necessity conform to the sizes of average human-beings-a
point which seemed to have been overlooked in the majority
of small cars of the period. With a wheelbase of 7 feet. 6
in., a track of 4 foot, and a tare weight of 12 cwt,
together with hood, lamps screens, a good selection of tools and
spare parts, the "Standard" 9-h.p. light car was good value at
£195 plus a 5 per cent war advance in 1915.