VETERAN CAR GUIDE
1904 Lanchester
motor cars appeared at shows, but it was 1901 before the first conventional vehicle arrived, powered by a 4.5hp De Dion Bouton engine, with shaft drive, and a rear entrance tonneau body. Single spoke steering wheels were a feature of Humbers until 1910, and cars with four-cylinder engines of 12hp and 20hp appeared in 1902 and 1903. The latter was pivotal for the company; it introduced a lightweight Humberette with a 6hp De Dion Bouton engine, a two-speed gearbox, a tubular frame and shaft drive. A larger engine and three-speed gearbox arrived in 1904.
James & Browne James & Browne Ltd of Hammersmith, London, England was registered in January 1902. The earliest motor car had a 9hp twin-cylinder engine with a transverse crankshaft and the flywheel was positioned between the cylinders, there was a four-speed gearbox and chain final drive. This car and an 18hp four-cylinder model had conventional bonnets, but the engine was placed under the front seat. Later the company installed four-cylinder vertical engines at the front of the chassis.
Knox The Knox Automobile Co. of Springfield, Massachusetts began production in 1900 with a three-wheel car, the Model A, which was powered by a 1562cc, 5hp, horizontal air-cooled single-cylinder engine that drove the rear axle by a single chain. The engine used cooling rods rather than fins, leading to the nickname‘ Old Porcupine’. In 1902 the fourwheel Model B was introduced, and then the Model C, all single-cylinder cars. The Type D, launched in 1904, had a two-cylinder engine of 16 / 18hp.
Lacoste et Battmann Lacoste et Battmann had their beginnings in 1897 when Jacques Lacoste founded a business at Levallois, Paris under the name of J. Lacoste & Cie. Emile Battmann joined the concern in 1900 at which point there was a change of name to Lacoste et Battmann. Mechanical components were manufactured as well as complete cars usually equipped with De Dion or Aster engines. These were re-badged by scores of‘ manufacturers’ around Europe. Standard configurations of 6hp and 8hp engines were available. Later, larger engined vehicles were available bearing the Lacoste et Battmann brand.
Lambert Lambert & Cie offered 8hp De Dion Bouton-engined cars, or alternatively with 10hp and 12hp two-cylinder engines by Abeille or Aster. All had shaft drive, artillery wheels and two- or four-seater bodies. These vehicles were all procured from Lacoste et Battmann.
Lanchester Frederick William Lanchester built cars in Birmingham and was considered one of the finest engineering minds of his time. His cars owed nothing to the prevailing influence of Benz and Panhard. His first prototype vehicle was powered by a 1306cc singlecylinder horizontal engine which had two overhanging balanced cranks, each with its own flywheel and connecting rod. The cranks revolved in opposite directions giving a smooth-running unit. One of eight children, his brothers George and Frank joined him. Six cars were completed during 1900, and production began in earnest in 1901 when the model was equipped with a mid-mounted, horizontally opposed two-cylinder engine driving through a three-speed epicyclic gearbox and worm final drive. Investment funds were short, and the company liquidated in 1904, but was revived later the same year by the receiver who facilitated the development of the first fourcylinder model powered by a 2470cc 20hp engine.
Léon Bollée The Bollée family of Le Mans were bell founders, but members of the family produced steam carriages and motor vehicles from the early days. Amédée Bollée Senior was the major French pioneer steam vehicle maker from the 1870s. His sons, Léon and Amédée Junior, accompanied their father in the 1895 Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race in their 15-year-old steam carriage. The three-wheeled voiturette, which had a horizontal air-cooled single-cylinder engine, frame mounted and with hot tube ignition, was designed by the sons. Various engine sizes, from 640cc- 822cc were used, they were very noisy, the belt
56 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run