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F.E. Baker Ltd
F. E. Baker Ltd was a British motorcycle engine and cyclecar engine manufacturer based in the Precision Works, Moorsom Street, Birmingham, England. Founded in 1906 by Frank Edward Baker, the company produced motorcycle engines under the Precision trademark until 1919. Precision engines were used by a wide range of motorcycle manufacturers in the United Kingdom and in other parts of the Commonwealth and were also used in cyclecars. Many manufacturers used the 'Precision' trademark as part of their model names, and in 1912 there was a 'Precision' motorcycle sold in Australia, but it is unclear if this was manufactured by F.E. Baker or just permitted use of the trademark by a motorcycle manufacturer. History Frank Baker's engine production business grew at a fast rate, and in 1911 they added an 'excellently equipped fitting shop at the works of Messrs Webley and Scott' and by the 1911 Olympia Motorcycle Show in London there were 96 motorcycles with Baker's Precision engines. To ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beardmore Precision Motorcycles
Beardmore Precision Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer formed in 1919 when the engine manufacturer F.E. Baker Ltd, who produced motorcycle and cyclecar engines under the 'Precision' trademark before World War I, entered into an arrangement with the large shipbuilding and engineering company William Beardmore and Company. History F.E. Baker Ltd had developed a substantial business making motorcycle and cyclecar engines supplied solely to manufacturers of completed vehicles. The engines were predominantly single and V-twin 4-strokes, with air or water cooling, though just before the war they had added a 2-stroke to their engine line-up. They also had a thriving export business, especially to Australia. During World War I production halted, and many of the small producers of motorcycles and cyclecars had ceased to exist, and after the war the company was faced with financing a restart. In 1919 F.E. Baker Ltd entered into an arrangement with William Beardmore and Co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archibald Low
Archibald Montgomery Low (17 October 1888 – 13 September 1956) developed the first powered drone aircraft. He was an English consulting engineer, research physicist and inventor, and author of more than 40 books. Low has been called the "father of radio guidance systems" due to his pioneering work on planes, torpedoes boats and guided rockets. He was a pioneer in many fields though, often leading the way for others, but his lack of discipline meant he hardly ever saw a project through, being easily distracted by new ideas. If it wasn't for this inability to see things to a conclusion, Low could well have been remembered as one of the great men of science. Many of his scientific contemporaries disliked him, due in part to his using the title "professor", which he wasn't entitled to do as he didn't occupy an academic chair. His love of the limelight and publicity probably also added to the dislike. Low was working on the invention of television before World War I Bloom, Ur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dewcar
The Dewcar was a British four-wheeled cyclecar made from 1913 to 1914 by D.E.W. Engineering Co Ltd of Eynsford, Kent. The car was designed by Harold E. Dew and was developed through a series of one-offs starting in 1910. The first production models were made in 1913 with single-seat bodies and used a single-cylinder Precision engine with a tax horsepower of 4.5. A two-seater was added shortly afterwards with a larger twin-cylinder engine with either air- or water-cooling. The single seater cost £75 and the two-seater £95 or £115 with the water-cooled option. D'Ultra cycle car (also D-Ultra and D.Ultra) Harold Dew left the company in February 1914 and set up a new concern at Charlotte Place, Clapham, London registered as D.U. Manufacturing Co making a car called the D'Ultra. This was available as either a two-seat car or delivery van and used a water-cooled Chater-Lea 8 hp 50-degree V-twin engine with 4-speed friction transmission. This transmission involved a prop-sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bradwell (car)
The Bradwell was a British 4 wheeled cyclecar made in 1914 by Bradwell & Company based in Folkestone, Kent. The car had a lightweight single seat body and was powered by a Precision, single cylinder, 3½ hp engine driving the rear wheels by belts. It cost GBP Sterling (abbreviation: stg; Other spelling styles, such as STG and Stg, are also seen. ISO code: GBP) is the currency of the United Kingdom and nine of its associated territories. The pound ( sign: £) is the main unit of sterling, and t ...65. See also * List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom References Cyclecars Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of England Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1914 Defunct companies based in Kent {{Brass-auto-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coventry Premier
Coventry Premier Limited owned a British car and cyclecar manufacturing business based in Coventry from 1912 to 1923. It changed its name from Premier Cycles to Coventry Premier Ltd in November 1914. Early Company History The business can trace its origins back to 1875 when William Hillman and William Herbert formed Hillman & Herbert Cycle Co Ltd, as bicycle makers. They were joined in 1876 by George B Cooper and the company renamed Hillman, Herbert & Cooper Ltd, operating out of the Premier Works in Coventry, their Premier brand of cycles being very successful, with the factory covering 3 acres. In 1891 The Premier Cycle Co Ltd was formed to take over Hillman, Herbert & Cooper as a going concern, however the Premier Cycle Co was wound up later that year. Some time later The New Premier Cycle Co was formed to acquire the business of The Premier Cycle Co. In 1902 this company renamed itself as The Premier Cycle Co Ltd. In 1914 The Premier Cycle Co Ltd changed its name to Cove ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyclecar
A cyclecar was a type of small, lightweight and inexpensive car manufactured in Europe and 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. A key characteristic was that it could only accommodate two passengers sitting tandem style or passenger behind the driver. 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. Characteristics Cyclecars were propelled by engines with a single cylinder or V-twin configuration (or occasionally a 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 devi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chater-Lea
Chater-Lea was a British bicycle, car and motorcycle maker with a purpose-built five-storey factory in Banner Street, EC1, in the City of London (now converted into flats) and, from 1928, premises at Letchworth, Hertfordshire. It was founded by William Chater-Lea in 1890 to make bicycle frames and components. It made cars between 1907 and 1922 and motorcycles from 1903 to 1935. William died in 1927 and the business was taken over by his sons John and Bernard. After vehicle production finished, the company remained trading as a bicycle component maker and contract manufacturer until 1987. The company relaunched in 2017 as a maker of high-end British manufactured bicycle components and launched its first new products in the summer of 2019. History Bicycle and component production Founded by William Chater Lea in 1890 (the hyphenated name was adopted by the company in the 1920s for aesthetic reasons) the company produced Bicycles and components from their establishment in 1890 u ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coventry-Eagle
Coventry-Eagle was a British bicycle and motorcycle manufacturer. Established as a Victorian bicycle maker, the company began under the name of Hotchkiss, Mayo & Meek. The company name was changed to Coventry Eagle in 1897 when John Meek left the company . , Classic Motor History. By 1898 they had begun to experiment with motorised vehicles and by 1899, had produced their first motorcycle. The motorcycles were hand built from components and finished carefully, Coventry-Eagle motorcycles proved reliable and by the First World War the range included Villiers Engineering and |
New Imperial Motors
New Imperial was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded by Norman Downes in Birmingham, between 1887 and 1901, and became New Imperial Motors Ltd in 1912, when serious production commenced. New Imperial made innovative motorcycles that employed unit construction and sprung heel frames long before they became commonplace, and were moderately successful in competition. The 1920s were a financially successful decade, enabling the innovations of the 1930s that fought decline. New Imperial suffered financially from the sales-destroying Great Depression of the 1930s, and then the founder died in 1938. New Imperial was sold, and sold again, and then ended production in late 1939, its former facilities subsequently serving the needs of a nation at war. Before First World War The history of New Imperial, founded by Norman Downes, goes back to the early days of the bicycle industry in Birmingham. From 1887 New Imperial made bicycle fittings and, later, complete bicycles, possibly aft ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zenith Motorcycles
Zenith Motorcycles was a British motorcycle and automobile manufacturer established in Finsbury Park, London in 1903, by W.G. Bowers. Automobile manufacture only lasted from 1905–1906. The first Zenith motorcycle was the 'BiCar' of 1903, based on Tooley's Bi-Car design, which was purchased by Zenith for its own production. The BiCar was a unique design with hub-center steering and a low-slung chassis with the engine (from Fafnir in Germany) centrally fixed. Fred ('Freddie') W. Barnes was hired as chief engineer in 1905, and patented the "Gradua" variable-ratio belt drive transmission that year. The Gradua system simultaneously changed the diameter of the crankshaft belt-drive pulley to alter the drive ratio, while moving the rear wheel forward or back to maintain belt tension. The Gradua's action was controlled by a rotating lever atop the fuel tank, and was among the first attempts to provide multiple drive ratios for a motorcycle, at a time when very simple, direct belt-d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sun (motorcycle)
The Sun Cycle & Fittings Co. Ltd. was an English manufacturer of motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles. The company was based in Aston, Birmingham. The company was founded as James Parkes & Son, a brass foundry producing lamp fittings and various other products. In 1885 the company started to manufacture frames and fittings for the bicycle trade. In 1897, the company became The Sun Cycle & Fittings Company Limited, and around the same time began making its own bicycles. The first Sun motorcycle was produced in 1911. In the period before WW1 they used F.E. Baker Ltd 'Precision' engines. The company was taken over by Tube Investments in 1958, and in 1961 the factory was closed and production moved to the Raleigh factory at Nottingham Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robin .... T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ivy (motorcycles)
Ivy was a motorcycle manufacturer between 1907 and 1934 in Birmingham, England. It was run by various brothers from the Newman family. Ivy built about 6,000 motorcycles of various models. Most used two-stroke engines made by either J.A.P. or Precision, but there were also 225cc and 296cc engines designed and manufactured by Ivy. The company also made its own suspension forks, carburettors and sidecars. The company was heavily involved in motorcycle racing, with several of the Newman brothers entering races themselves. The race bikes were kept as standard wherever possible to demonstrate the build quality and specification of the production machines. The Newman brothers believed that this was the best way to prove their designs and advertise their products. H. C. Newman was especially successful, winning many local events and finishing well in the Isle of Man TT The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/Ju ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
