Historic Vehicles story By Victor Ma
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| 1924 LM14/40 (1922~~1927) |
| Model: 1924 LM14/40 Princeton Open Tourer Special (1922~~1927) |
| Body Style: Light Alloy Polished 4 Door Open Tourer |
| Construction: Ladder Chassis, front engine rear wheel drive |
| Engine: water cooled inline side valve 4 cylinder 2297c .c. |
| Transmission: 4 speed manual (3 speed at 1922/23 model) |
| Brake: air cooled drum all around ( REAR BRAKE MODEL AT 1922/23 MODEL) |
| Tire: 5.25 R21 |
| Engine No : LM2669 |
| Chassis / Vin No : LM2669 |
| History: One of a very important historic sport car manufacturer in Great Britain Automobile history. |
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In 1903 Vauxhall build a first open four seater in London , This was a first Vauxhall car, the driver sat on the rear seat, that is very common in those days. The single cylinder engine was mounted under the rear seat and power by rear wheels by chains, the gear box had two forward speeds. In 1905 the 12/14 HP launched, it had a three-cylinder engine and a round steering wheel .1906 a new side valve four cylinder engine fitted in 12/14. In 1908 Vauxhall build the 20hp and it won a reliability trial over an awesome 3200km .1910 the 20hp reached a top speed of 160 km/h . This is a very fast speed at that time. One of the most powerful model was the 30/98hp build at 1913, this high technology super fast expensive car was powered by a 4.5L side valve engine. From then on the bodywork and the engine were regularly upgraded. The competitor in the market was the Bentley 3.0L and Bugattis in the market..
1857, Alexander Wilson founded a factory for ships engines, The Name Vauxhall Iron Work,1892 he left the Co and the new owner decided that Co would also start manufacturing cars. This is why they can build very reliable engine in Great Britain.1922 they build a middle size LM 14/40 Princeton Tourer power by a 4 cylinder 2.3L side valve engine, and market is the middle size model with successful models, like the big brother 30/98 hp. Both model last car rolled off the assembly line in 1927. In 1923 The company stopped racing, From then on Vauxhall concentrated on manufacturing passenger cars.
In the same time In 1922 Vauxhall started work on its first and only motorcycle. The machine was designed by Major Frank B Halford who was a very well known aero-engineer who created the Cirrus engine for de Havilland in 1924. Halford was also responsible for the flat H liquid cooled Napier Sabre and worked on the Jet engine development with Sir Frank Whittle. The power by a air cooled inline 4 cylinder 945cc alloy made motor, with 6 V elec. system, with a 3 speed gear box and shaft drive. Top speed up to 130km/h .in the same year another 23/60 model been made for the market.
After First World War in1925, the firms poor finances led to General Motors taking control and ran the business their way. They soon switched to mass production. Successfully moving the marque down market from hand made luxury expensive sport car into solid middle class territory with successories models like the 20/60, H type 10 and J type 14, before WWII 60,000 was sold. Most are the cheaper ten with a 1.2L four cylinder engine.
The one we got is a nice original 1924 LM 14/40 Princeton five seater tourer special, this is also one of the special from a technical point of view, Very light weight, Alloy made Engine block, oil sump, rear axle housing ,gear box housing, fuel tank etc. This vehicle very attractive and driving well, with very rare original poilshed aluminum finish 4 door open body, (the aluminum at that time is very hi technology expensive metal for air carft ) ladder frame with forged front axle with leaf spring suspension, rear live axle with transverse half eliptic leaf spring suspension.4 wheel mechanical operating brake model. single side mount spare wheel at LHS. Both chassis and engine got the same matching No. LM 2669, Power by a inline 4 cylinder 2.3L side Valve water cool Engine, with a 45L Fuel tank, give a range of about 230km . Rear live axle.4 speed gear box.12V elec. system, and with elec. starter .The owner Mr Roger Macmahon keep this car in very good original condition at Leabrook south Australia. He told the current owner this car is from Britain when the car was new at 1924. As far as Roger know, this is one of a few Vauxhall 14/40's imported from England in 1924 for Australian body builders to copy - in steel, not aluminum. Subsequent 14/40's were sent to Australia as chassis with only that part of the body, dashboard to radiator.
So only few original polished aluminum open body Tourer special with all weather equipment and leather interior in their Country at that time. The 14/40 start from 1922 until 1927, 1924 front brake was fitted on this 14/40 model, This make the car easy stop at high speed, at the market, only very few high performance car with 4 wheel brake, like few expensive sport car Bugattis, Delage, Bentlys, Steyr, Alfa Romeo, Sunbeam, and some British cars. This is not common in those days. Most of car got the front brake until 1928.Rolls Royce, and some Mercedes Benz also got rear brake only, until 1926 4 wheel brake model put on the big Rolls Royce Phantom I model. Ford, Willys, Pontic, Packard, Chevrolet, Dodge, Chrysler, Citroen Renault, Fiat, Lagonda, Skoda, Volvo, got the front brake until end of 20s.
The owner would like use this car to use this car to round the main land China and join the Paris Moscow Beijing Rally, This even like Paris to Dakar Rally That Victor did Both at 2006. Both are very long distance, but use a Vintage car to round the world to copy the 20s Automobile Rally. The only big problem is no new spare parts for this type of early historic auto mobile, the owner need hand made sparts himself, if you know any where in the world got some used parts such as engine, gear box, axle, wheel etc, please kindly tell Victor by email: matailap@hotmail.com
This car join the 2009 Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macau International Auto Show at 10th-15th June and South China Rally 2009.
A final note, sadly Mr. Roger Macmahon passed away in Feb 2009 at Australia Ashford hospital. He apparently really loved the car and I will maintain it and enjoy it with him in mind. |
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| Model: 1924 LM14/40 Princeton Open Tourer Special (1922~~1927) |
| Body Style: Light Alloy Polished 4 Door Open Tourer |
| Construction: Ladder Chassis, front engine rear wheel drive |
| Engine: water cooled inline side valve 4 cylinder 2297c .c. |
| Transmission: 4 speed manual (3 speed at 1922/23 model) |
| Brake: air cooled drum all around ( REAR BRAKE MODEL AT 1922/23 MODEL) |
| Tire: 5.25 R21 |
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Vauxhall(沃克斯豪)是汽車歷史上一家非常重要的英國 第一家跑車製造商。
早在1857年Alexander Wilson開辦了一家生產船用引擎的工廠，廠名為Vauxhall鋼鐵廠。1892年新的管理階層決定同時研發當時新興的汽車製造業。由於這樣的良好基礎背景，使他能在大英帝國製造出非常可靠的引擎和汽車。
在1903年，Vauxhall在倫敦製造出自己第一輛不需要馬匹的馬車，當時英國馬路上的最高時速限制已由1896年的6km/h放寬至20km/h。這是第一輛Vauxhall汽車，司機坐在後座，這設計在當時的年代是非常普遍的。單汽缸引擎放在後座之上，由兩條鏈推動後軸。工具箱前有一個兩前速波箱，不設後波。
1905年第二輛Vauxhall汽車12/14型號出被展出，動力來自一台全新三汽缸引擎, 並裝有一個圓型的方向盤。
1906年第二代的12/14型配上了一台全新的Side Valve四汽缸引擎。1908年Vauxhall設計出一輛高性能的20型號 ，極速可達每小時160公里(這在當時是全新的車速世界紀錄)，並且於1910年贏取了3200公里不需維修的長途測試比賽，其可靠性令人欽佩不已。
1913年 ，Vauxhall生產了一台全新極快速的30/98型號的大型汽車，新款引擎室內置一台4.5公升高技術大扭力的Side Valve引擎，為了配合這台大馬力引擎 ，車身及大樑同樣被補強。在市場上可以相比的代表者只有Bentley 3.0L和Bugattis。30/98在一次測試中極速超過每小時180公里。
1922年Vauxhall開始研發尺碼適中的M型號14/40王子Tourer型號，引擎內置一台鋁合金四汽缸Side Valve 2.3公升引擎三前速波箱，並且在市場上取得與“大哥”30/98型號一樣的成功，同年廠方推出23/60型號。1927年這兩款昂貴手工製造的高價汽車同時退出了生產線1923年公司在行政壓力下被迫終止參加賽事，從此Vauxhall開始把生產全力投放於中價家庭汽車。不是太多人知道，在1922年, Vauxhall亦曾經製造過唯一一款摩托車, 採用直四風冷945c.c.鋁合金引擎配三前速波箱 ，直軸驅動尾輪，極速為每小時130公里。
由於在第一次世界大戰後，在世界經濟蕭條的情況下，Vauxhall在一九二五年被美國通用汽車接管。通用汽車將美國那套流水作業的生產模式和銷售技巧帶入Vauxhall車廠，並由製造豪華昂貴的高速跑車市場進入了中價用的家庭汽車市場-從20/60型號，H Type 10型號及J Type 14型號都可看出；至第二次世界大戰前，Vauxhall賣出的60,000輛汽車中，大部份是平價的1.2L型號，並結束了Vauxhall在世界汽車工業的領先地位，十分可惜。
今日大家在這裡見到的這輛王子五座特別版LM14/40 Toure是一輛十分原裝的汽車，車身和大樑及引擎都是原裝， 號碼同樣為LM2669。從技術角度來看，由於大量採用鋁合金製造(包括引擎，波箱，尾牙殼及油缸)，此款車身相對輕巧(鋁合金在當年是非常高科技及昂貴的金屬，主要用於製造高級飛機)；梯形大樑，前懸掛採用縱向半橢圓形葉片彈簧配前軸橫樑，後懸掛採用懸臂葉片彈簧配上活軸；前置引擎後輪推動，動力來自一台四汽缸Side Valve水冷2.3L引擎，並附有機械火位追加設計。配上45公升汽油箱，大約可行230公里的路程。四前一後速波箱，12伏特電器系統和手動起動摩打，前車主Mr. R.M. Macmahon住在澳洲南部，由於氣候良好加上車主悉心照料，此車保養得非常好。他老人家告訴現任車主馬先生說此車乃1924年由英國運抵澳洲，其配上十分罕有原廠的鋁合金反光車身(只有數台此車身被運往澳洲，主要是供當地汽車工匠用鐵皮仿製)；隨後進入澳洲的M 及 LM14/40型號只配備有一隻完整底盤連一個水箱，中央防火板，儀表板，轉向底盤及一條後備輪胎(當年高級汽車的車身俱為車主自行安裝)。這輛十分罕有的安裝有原裝鋁合金反光車身的Tourer特別版，配上全天候敞篷和真皮內籠，這車一直在他的國家，直到2007年才被運抵香港。1924年 LM14/40型號加設了四前速波箱,前剎車系統，這使汽車更容易在高速行車中急速停車 。在市場上，只有少數高性能汽車才有四輪剎車系統，就如昂貴的跑車Delage，Bugattis，Bentley，Steyr，Alfa Romeo，Sunbeam和某些英國車 。在那個年代，四輪剎車系統是十分了不起的，大多數汽車到了1928年才有四輪剎車設計，Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz亦只有後輪剎車系統 ，直到1926年，Rolls Royce的Phantom I型號才設有前 輪剎車系統。Ford，Willys，Pontic，Packard，Chevrolet， Dodge，Chrysler，Citroen Renault，Fiat，Lagonda， Skoda，Volvo則直至20年代末期才加有前置剎車系統。在上世紀20年代初，汽車其實是在馬車上加了一台引擎，地台一般設計十分高，而LM 14/40 車身基本上也是和馬車分別不大，但這車離地比其他車低了近八英吋，大大改善重心問題，所以這車的外型和當時其他汽車有很大分別，更是一輛性能超卓，操控一流的跑車。。(如果你想轉用以上資料可以和我聯絡 Email : matailap@hotmail.com) |
