Lanchester Ten
The Lanchester Ten announced in September 1932 shared its basic chassis with the BSA Ten which would be announced the following month. The design of its four-cylinder engine it shared with the six-cylinder Lanchester 15/18 ( Daimler Light Twenty 16/20), which had been in production for twelve months, and its engine represented just four-sixths of the 1805 ccDesign and specifications
Additional details to those in the tablesEngine
The new engine's four-cylinder design was on the same general lines as the six-cylinder Lanchester 15/18 (not Eighteen) though with a much reduced bore and stroke taking down the swept volume from to . Its crankshaft was provided with three main bearings. A 1287 cc, 40 b.h.p. (at 4,000 r.p.m.) version was produced, with a 7.4:1 compression ratio, and 60 lbs. ft. maximum torque at 2,000 r.p.m. The Lanchester Motor Company sales brochure, printed by The Fanfare Press, London The overhead valves had single springs but there were return springs to keep the rockers to the pushrods. Engine accessories were mounted: distributor on a level with the cylinder head, the coil just in front. The petrol pump, oil filter and oil diprod were mounted aft of the distributor. Engine timing was by chain. The flywheel and gearbox formed a single unit with the engine which was slightly inclined and held to the chassis at four points on rubber.Transmission
This was the first small car to have the Daimler fluid flywheel transmission. The preselection finger and thumb lever was just under the steering wheel on the near side and so worked by the left hand. There was a stop for reverse. Power was delivered to the wheels by Daimler fluid flywheel and Wilson four-speed preselective self-changing gearbox through a propeller shaft which was open and had mechanical joints. The back axle had half-floating underslung worm drive.Chassis
The frame had the popular cruciform or X-channelled sectioned cross-membering. The unit of engine, fluid flywheel and self-changing gearbox was held at four points on rubber, the two points in front being close together and on the cross member. Half-elliptical springs wide-set to prevent roll were fitted with hydraulic shock-absorbers. In front they were shackled forwards, flat, sloped, and splayed—there were no dumb irons, while at the back the springs and frame were also under the axle. Steering was by cam and lever. The four-wheel brakes were initially Lockheed hydraulic. The handbrake lever, designed for use as a parking brake, operated on the back wheels using cables. "The lower gears can be used as an emergency brake". Tyres were 4.5 x 19 inches Revisions to the specification before the October 1934 Motor Show:Saloon six-light four-door body
"This body provides full room for four persons with a level floor. There are two cupboards, four pockets, a sliding roof, safety glass and other usual fittings but no ash trays. There are louvres over the four door glasses. The windscreen opens. The spare wheel is behind the folding luggage grid at the back. The generous wheelbase and the absence of a gearlever in the floor gives excellent entrance and exit through all four doorways." motoring correspondent ''The Times''Performance
The motoring correspondent of ''The Times'' also reported "the saloon will keep up 50 easily, even under load, and will do about 60 on the level."The Olympia Show. ''The Times'', Saturday, 15 October 1932; pg. 6; Issue 46265 The Ten h.p. Lanchester 6-light saloon is a car ''de luxe'' by its transmission which gives the greatest smoothness and simplicity, rapid acceleration, and additional safety, and also by its design, general finish, and quietness in running.Pricing
* chassis £240 * standard saloon £315 with sliding roof and green leather upholstery six-light body * sports saloon £345 four-light body—introduced September 1933 * fixed head coupé £335 * sports open car £350 by Martin WalterEngine upgrade for 1936
A twenty percent increase of engine capacity from 1203 cc to 1444 cc was announced on 14 August 1935. Although the engine's Tax rating was now 10.8 hp the new reduction in the rate of tax meant the annual tax charge was less.Cars Of 1936. ''The Times'', Wednesday, 14 August 1935; pg. 8; Issue 47142 The engine fluid flywheel and gearbox assembly has a five-point bi-axial rubber mounting. All models were now fitted with new tubular front seats giving back seat passengers extra toe-room. The popularity of the cars enabled appreciable price reductions. Steering which was by cam and lever now by worm and nut. The propellor shaft is now provided with needle-roller bearings. There is a stabilising front bumper. Four-wheel brakes are now mechanical by Girling. Maximum speed was reported as having moved up to 65 mph.Road test
''The Times'' reported the larger engine did not run as sweetly as its predecessor but that it had appreciably more liveliness and speed. There was still a slight hum with the engine running and the transmission in neutral but if anyone minded that the car can be held stationary with a gear engaged. Petrol capacity has been increased from 8 to 10 gallons and it was noted the weight of the six-light car had increased by .Lanchester Eleven facelift for 1937
New-shaped six-light saloon and four-light sports saloon bodies were quietly announced in the third week of September 1936 and the model was named Eleven instead of Ten.''The Times'' Friday, 25 September 1936; pg. 8; Issue 47489 The bodies were larger and heavier than before. The news of their availability seems to have been deliberately swamped by the prior announcement of the replacement for Lanchester's Twelve-six, the Fourteen saloon and sports saloon, both were variants of the Daimler Fifteen cars. The new Eleven grille is shown in the bottom left corner of the large display advertisement of the new Fourteens and very little of the rest of the car can be seen.''The Times'' Tuesday, 22 September 1936; pg. 8; Issue 47486 The new Lanchester Elevens were smaller but almost identical in appearance to the slightly larger Lanchester and Daimler cars. Small improvements had been made to last year's engine including the replacement of the S.U. carburettor by a Solex instrument which increased the power output to at 4000 rpm and improved the smoothness of running. The engine coolant now had a pump and thermostatically controlled bypass.The Motor Show. ''The Times'' Friday, 16 October 1936; pg. 7; Issue 47507Pricing
Motor Show October 1936: * chassis £240 * standard saloon £330 six-light body * 2/4 seater fixed head coupé £330 Motor Show October 1937: :reduced prices made possible by "the increased popularity and larger sales" of the Eleven * Saloon fabric topped £275 * Saloon panelled £285 six-light * Sports saloon four-door four-light £290The Motor Show. ''The Times'' Thursday, 19 August 1937; pg. 14; Issue 47767 :The panelled saloon and the sports saloon have new features such as wider doors and a central folding armrest and the weight of the standard saloon is now . Motor Show October 1938: :two body styles available * Standard saloon 441 with six side windows £295 * Sports saloon 442 with four side windows £298The Motor Show. ''The Times'' Thursday, 21 September 1938; pg. 16; Issue 48105LD10
The Lanchester Ten, also known as the LD10, produced after the Second World War was presented as a compact companion model to the Daimler range, being "craftsman built" and among the smallest ever volume-produced cars from the firm. It was initially produced with a steel six-light body byReferences
External links
{{commons category, Lanchester LA10