19-528: Grahame-White was an early British aircraft manufacturer, flying school and later manufacturer of cyclecars . The company was established as Grahame-White Aviation Company by Claude Grahame-White at Hendon in 1911. The firm built mostly aircraft of its own design, including the successful Type XV , but during World War I produced Morane-Saulnier types under licence for the British military. The company ceased aircraft manufacturing operations in 1920. In
38-400: A single cylinder or V-twin configuration (or occasionally a three or four cylinder engine), which were often air-cooled. Sometimes motorcycle engines were used, in which case the motorcycle gearbox was also used. All cyclecars were required to have clutches and variable gears. This requirement could be fulfilled by even the simplest devices such as provision for slipping the belt on
57-551: A differential on the solid rear axle was introduced in 1922 as part of the new policy, and Godfrey and Frazer Nash left the company later that year. In 1923 a Chapuis-Dornier engine replaced the DFP, but production of the new car and the old V twin model stopped in May. About 4000 cars of all types were made by GN in the post war period. A new company was founded by some ex-employees and a few more cars were made from parts in 1924 and 1925, but
76-671: A meeting of the Federation Internationale des Clubs Moto Cycliste, it was formally decided that there should be an international classification of cyclecars to be accepted by the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Austria and Germany. As a result of this meeting, the following classes of cyclecars were defined: From 1898 to 1910, automobile production quickly expanded. Light cars of that era were commonly known as voiturettes . The smaller cyclecars appeared around 1910 with
95-595: A sales boom shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, with Temple Press launching The Cyclecar magazine on 27 November 1912 (later renamed The Light Car and Cyclecar ), and the formation of the Cyclecar Club (which later evolved into British Automobile Racing Club ). From 1912, the Motor Cycle show at Olympia became the Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Show. The number of cyclecar manufacturers
114-575: The Citroën 5CV , Austin 7 or Morris Cowley . The cyclecar boom was over. The majority of cyclecar manufacturers closed down. Some companies such as Chater-Lea survived by returning to the manufacture of motorcycles. After the Second World War, small, economic cars were again in demand and a new set of manufacturers appeared. The cyclecar name did not reappear however, and the cars were called microcars by enthusiasts and bubble cars by
133-613: The United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle and the car. It could accommodate only two passengers, often sitting in tandem . The demise of cyclecars was due to larger cars – such as the Citroën Type C , Austin 7 and Morris Cowley – becoming more affordable. Small, inexpensive vehicles reappeared after World War II, and were known as microcars . Cyclecars were propelled by engines with
152-566: The chain type transmission now with three speeds and reverse. At the peak, 500 staff were employed, making 55 cars a month. A licence to make the cars was agreed with the French maker Salmson who made about 1600 cars. By 1921, the cyclecar boom was on the wane and the company went into receivership, but was soon sold. The new owner, a Mr Black, wanted to move to much higher production levels and away from sports cars. A four-cylinder water-cooled model with 1098 cc DFP engine and shaft drive to
171-520: The company kept trading until 1925. After making several cars for their own use, the two founders launched the GN car in 1909, building them in the stables at the Frazer Nash family home. The car was powered by a V twin engine by JAP or Peugeot with belt drive to the rear wheels. By 1911, production had moved to Hendon and GN's own 1100 cc engine, using some Peugeot parts being fitted. The engine
190-601: The general population. Several motor racing events for cyclecars were run between 1913 and 1920. The first race dedicated to cyclecars was organised by the Automobile Club de France in 1913, followed by a Cyclecar GP at Le Mans in 1920. The Auto Cycle Union was to have introduced cycle car racing on the Isle of Man in September 1914, but the race was abandoned due to the onset of the war. GN (car) The GN
209-646: The main business was spares and service. In 1925 the company became General Motors dealers. H.R. Godfrey went on to found a new car company, Godfrey-Proctor , and later HRG . Frazer Nash formed the car maker that took his name where he re-introduced his chain and clutch transmission system. The most notable racing GNs were Archie Fraser-Nash's "Mowgli", "Kim" and Basil Davenport's "Spider", "BHD" and his "Big Spider". Other famous prewar "GN Specials" were "Wasp", "Wilkes-GN", "GNat", "Martyr", "The Becke Powerplus", "The Wilkes GN" "The Chawner GN", "Grasshopper" & "COGNAC", all of them very successful hill climb cars of
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#1732788015599228-466: The numerous makes were relatively short-lived, but several brands achieved greater longevity, including Bédélia (1910–1925), GN (1910–1923) and Morgan (1910–present). By the early 1920s, the days of the cyclecar were numbered. Mass producers, such as Ford , were able to reduce their prices to undercut those of the usually small cyclecar makers. Similar affordable cars were offered in Europe, such as
247-520: The pulley to act as a clutch, and varying of the pulley diameter to change the gear ratio. Methods such as belt drive or chain drive were used to transmit power to the drive wheel(s), often to one wheel only, so that no differential was required. The bodies were lightweight and sometimes offered minimal weather protection or comfort features. The rise of cyclecars was a direct result of reduced taxation both for registration and annual licences of lightweight small-engined cars. On 14 December 1912, at
266-429: The same year the company was renamed Grahame-White Company Ltd. and manufactured cyclecars until 1924 when the company ceased its operations completely. From 1920 onwards a very basic two-seat 3.3 hp type with air-cooled single-cylinder engine of 348 cc capacity was offered. It had a two-speed transmission with final chain drive. The car had quarter elliptical spring suspension front and rear as well as flex in
285-474: The wood frame and seat cushions. In 1921 a 7 hp type with a Coventry Victor twin-cylinder engine (capacity: 689 cc) and friction drive was added for one year only followed in 1924 by a four-cylinder 10 hp type with a Dorman engine of 1,094 cc, but very few were made. The final Angus-Sanderson cars were also made in the factory. Cyclecar A cyclecar was a type of small, lightweight and inexpensive motorized car manufactured in Europe and
304-562: Was a British cyclecar made in London, between 1910 and 1925, The name derived from its founders, H.R. Godfrey and Archibald Frazer-Nash. Production ceased in 1923 but the company kept trading until 1925. The GN cyclecar was made in Hendon , North London, between 1910 and 1925, then moving to Wandsworth , London. The name derives from its founders, H.R. Godfrey (1887-1968) and Archibald Frazer-Nash (1889-1965). Production ceased in 1923 but
323-535: Was less than a dozen in each of the UK and France in 1911, but by 1914, there were over 100 manufacturers in each country, as well as others in Germany, Austria and other European countries. By 1912, the A.C. Sociable was described as "one of the most popular cycle cars on the road, both for pleasure and for business", though another source states that the "Humberette" was the most popular of cycle cars at that time. Many of
342-416: Was mounted in the chassis with the crankshaft parallel to the front axle, driving through a two-speed transmission by chain and dog clutch , then by belt to the rear wheels. The two-seat car was very light, weighing only about 180 kg (397 lb). Therefore, in spite of the low power available, 60 mph (97 km/h) was achievable, which was very respectable performance for the time. The engine
361-574: Was turned 90 degrees in 1913, with its cylinder heads protruding through the bonnet sides, and a team was entered into the French Cyclecar Grand Prix resulting, in sports models being added to the range. Some 200 cars had been made when production stopped with the outbreak of World War I. Production restarted in 1919, and shortly afterward the company was bought by British Grégoire Ltd and moved to East Hill, Wandsworth in south west London. The chassis changed from wood to steel, with
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