The Critchley Light car was briefly manufactured by Daimler Company of Coventry in 1899 to find use for about 50 unwanted 4 h.p. engines shipped to Coventry by the German Daimler works at Stuttgart.[4][6] The car was well regarded and sold well but was not intended to extend Daimler's range of high-powered expensive motorcars. As such, it was named Critchley after James S. Critchley Daimler's works manager[7]
| Critchley light car | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Daimler Motor Company |
| Also called | |
| Production | 1899-c.1900 |
| Assembly | Coventry, UK |
| Designer | J. S. Critchley[4] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | light car |
| Layout | Transverse FR |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1,100 cc (67.1 cu in) straight-twin engine[5] |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Kerb weight | 6+3⁄4 long cwt (756 lb; 343 kg)[6] |
The car was equipped with advanced features, including pneumatic tyres and wheel steering. The engine was mounted transversely, with the flywheel rotating in the direction of travel.[6] The water-cooled engine drove the rear wheels through a belt transmission.[7] The belt was tensioned by moving the engine forward or backward in the frame. The steering wheel was on a vertical column on the right side of the car, such that it could only be operated by the driver's right hand.[3]
In 1900, a redesign of the Critchley Light Car was built and sold as the "Kimberley".[8]
Notes edit
- ^ Nixon 1946, p. 66.
- ^ Nixon 1946, p. 14.
- ^ a b Douglas-Scott-Montagu & Burgess-Wise 1995, p. 61.
- ^ a b Nixon 1946, p. 65.
- ^ Nixon 1946, p. 222.
- ^ a b c Smith 1972, p. 9.
- ^ a b Thoms & Donnelly 1985, p. 64.
- ^ Smith 1972, p. 12.
References edit
- Douglas-Scott-Montagu, Edward John Barrington & Burgess-Wise, David (1995). Daimler Century: The full history of Britain's oldest car maker. Sparkford, Nr Yeovil, Somerset, UK: Patrick Stephens. ISBN 1-85260-494-8.
- Nixon, St. John C. (1946), Daimler 1896 to 1946: 50 Years of the Daimler Company, G.T. Foulis & Co.
- Smith, Brian E. (1972). The Daimler Tradition. Isleworth, UK: Transport Bookman. ISBN 085184-014-0.
- Thoms, David; Donnelly, Tom (1985). The Motor Car Industry in Coventry Since the 1890s. Beckenham, Kent, UK: Croom Helm. ISBN 0-7099-2456-9.
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