Austin 40 hp
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The Austin 40 hp is a 4-cylinder
motor car A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as t ...
launched at the
Olympia Motor Show The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
in November 1907. Manufactured by
Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
at Longbridge, Northfield, Birmingham, it was the first variant from Austin's initial plans for a two model range of a 15 hp (RAC 27 hp)—which they had dropped—and a 25 hp (RAC 33 hp) car. Tax rating was still new and manufacturers preferred their own output estimates.


Austin 40


Engine

The 4-cylinder engine had a slightly larger cylinder bore than the superseded 25-30, giving an RAC rating of 36.3 hp from 5842 cc (32.8 hp, 5278 cc). It took 25-30's place in the catalogue. The engine's crankshaft runs in no fewer than five bearings. Power was transmitted to the live rear axle through a multiple-disc clutch with phosphor bronze and steel friction surfaces and a gearbox with sliding spur-wheel gears, providing four forward speeds and reverse, using a shaft fitted with two universal joints. The gearbox, of unusually strong design including an extra bearing on the inner end of the engine driven shaft, is operated on the gate principle. Unusually by 1907 the engine was fitted with a governor mounted on the fan spindle operating on the car's throttle. The Krebs
carburetor A carburetor (also spelled carburettor) is a device used by an internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the venturi tube in the main meteri ...
initially fitted was replaced by an Austin design. Cooling water was circulated by a centrifugal pump, oil by a skew-gear driven vane-pump. An oil pressure gauge is fitted.The 1908 Austin Cars, ''The Automotor Journal'' 23 November 1907


Chassis

The chassis frame has an underframe designed to make a unit of the engine and gearbox both of which are supported by it along the full length of both their sides. Suspension is by semi-elliptic springs all round. At the rear universal-jointed radius rods tie the rear-axle casing to the chassis frame. A triangular torque rod held at its front end by a spring buffer resists the reaction of driving and braking. Internal expanding brakes are fitted to the rear wheels together with an external hinged shoe brake behind the gear box. "One of the special features of this car is the new type of wind screen in front of the driver, which permits it being opened, and protecting the driver in wet weather, whilst giving a clear view ahead." The engine capacity was increased for 1912 to 6236 cc (38.75 hp RAC rating).David Culshaw, Peter Horrobin, ''The Complete Catalogue of British Cars 1895-1975'', Veloce Publishing, Dorchester UK, 1974 On sale between 1907 and 1913 only 152 cars were produced.


Black Maria

At Olympia's 1909 Motor Show "the most striking object on the stand of the Austin Motor Company" was a 40-hp motor caravan inviting an immediate comparison with "the woeful vehicle vulgarly known as a
Black Maria Black Maria may refer to: Art and literature *Black Mariah (comics), a character in the Luke Cage comics series *List of One Piece characters#Animal Kingdom Pirates, Black Maria, a character in the manga series ''One Piece'' *Black Maria (nove ...
". However it was fitted up with a telephone installation, lavatory, linen lockers, etc and on show with a dinner table laid for six. A kitchen was in a separate compartment at the back. Internal sleeping accommodation was provided for two and attendants could camp out under canvas in bunks over the roof of the driver's seat. The 7-hp, 15 and 18/24 models were also displayed.


Defiance

''Defiance'', a fast touring car on the 40 hp chassis was exhibited at Olympia's 1912 Motor Show. It is delivered ready for the road with hood, screen, Austin-Sankey detachable wheels, dynamo and lamps. The CAV dynamo projects through the aluminium dashboard from its mounting on an aluminium bridge over the flywheel. It is driven by a counter shaft taking its drive from the camshaft.The Olympia Motor Show. ''The Times'', Tuesday, Nov 12, 1912; pg. 5; Issue 40054 The Automotor Journal described ''Defiance'' as having a ''Torpedo'' body.Austin Cars, Page 1377, Issue No 619, (No 46 Vol XVII) 16 November 1912. ''The Automotor Journal'', King & Co, Charing Cross, London. Austin 40 f and i 19121109.jpg Austin 40 r 19121109.jpg Austin 40 rr 19121109.jpg Austin 40hp York landaulette 1907, Gaydon (cropped).jpg, Austin-Sankey detachable wheel ''Defiance'' had been developed from the 40 hp for the 2,000 mile trial held by the Automobile Club of Russia and run from
St Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
to
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and
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. It was given a streamlined body, a tapered bonnet and a radiator with rounded edges. It performed well. At St Petersburg over the flying kilometre carrying three people, two spare wheels, spare parts and luggage it was timed at 28 seconds, more than 80 miles an hour.R J Wyatt, ''The Austin 1905-1952'', David & Charles, Newton Abbott, 1981


Austin 60

The 6-cylinder Austin 60 hp was first displayed to the public at the
Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
Motor Show in November 1907. The display chassis was fitted with a ''Longbridge'' limousine body. The 8.762-litre six-cylinder 54.5 hp (RAC rating) engine shared the design and cylinder dimensions of Austin's 4-cylinder 40 hp car it just had two more cylinders.The 1908 Austin Cars. ''The Automotor Journal'' 26 October 1907 The entire chassis was British built except for the Simms-Bosch high tension magneto which was twinned for the 60 hp car. Its second magneto, a little smaller, ran slightly ahead of the main magneto kicking in at high speed for more accurate firing. Overall the chassis design was usual Austin practice closely following the 40 hp car except that the 60 hp had direct drive on third speed, the other Austin cars having direct drive on top gear. Around 14 Austin 60 hp cars were made. ;British Gladiator This car was also rebadged and sold as the 60 hp British Gladiator along with sister product the 18-24 British Gladiator. These British Gladiator cars were fitted with chain-drive in place of Austin's shaft-drive. They supplemented the French-made 14-18, 18-28 25-35 and 35-45
Gladiators A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...
.British Built Gladiators for 1908, ''The Automotor Journal'' 26 October 1907


Austin 50

The 60 hp was replaced for 1910 by a 6.6-litre 41 hp RAC rating car named
Austin 50 hp Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city i ...
.


References


External links

{{Clear *40 hp Cars introduced in 1907 Brass Era vehicles