Austin 30 hp

Last updated
Austin 30-hp
Austin 30 hp Vitesse Tourer 1914 (7428327794).jpg
Vitesse tourer 1914
Overview
Manufacturer Austin [1]
Production 1912 – 1916 [2]
Assembly Longbridge, Northfield Birmingham
Powertrain
Engine
  • 5,883 cc (359.0 cu in) I4 [2]
  • 6,077 cc (370.8 cu in) I4 [2]
Transmission clutch, 4-speed gearbox, propeller shaft within a torque tube, brake drum behind first universal joint [3]
Dimensions
Wheelbase
  • 129 in (3,276.6 mm) or
  • 138 in (3,505.2 mm)
  • track 55 in (1,397.0 mm) [2]
Length
  • 171 in (4,343.4 mm) or
  • 180 in (4,572.0 mm) [2]
Chronology
Predecessor Austin 18-24
Successor Austin 20
Austin 30 hp
Overview
Manufacturer Austin
Layout
Displacement
  • 5,883 cc (359 cu in) [2]
  • 6,077 cc (371 cu in) [2]
Cylinder bore
  • 4⅜" 111 mm [2]
Piston stroke
  • 6" 152 mm [2]
  • 6¼" 157 mm
Valvetrain sidevalves [2]
Combustion
Fuel system Claudel carburettor [2]
Fuel type petrol
Oil system pressure
Cooling system water
Output
Power output not reported
Tax horsepower 30.56
Chronology
Predecessor Austin 18-24 5883 cc
Successor Austin 20 hp 3610 cc

The Austin 30-hp is a large luxury car that was announced by British car manufacturer Austin at the Paris Salon de l'Automobile in December 1912 where its chassis only was displayed. Austin's other exhibits were two other bare chassis, 10-hp and 20-hp respectively and a 40-hp Defiance tourer.

Austin Motor Company defunct English manufacturer of motor vehicles

The Austin Motor Company Limited was a British manufacturer of motor vehicles, founded in 1905 by Herbert Austin. In 1952 it was merged with Morris Motors Limited in the new holding company British Motor Corporation (BMC) Limited, keeping its separate identity. The marque Austin was used until 1987. The trademark is currently owned by SAIC after being transferred from bankrupt subsidiary Nanjing Automotive which had acquired it with MG Rover Group in July 2005.

Paris Motor Show one of the worlds largest motor shows

The Paris Motor Show is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently takes place in Paris expo Porte de Versailles. The Mondial is scheduled by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles, which considers it a major international auto show.

Contents

The new Austin 30 would go on to replace Austin's successful but aging 18-24 for 1914. It provided the basis for Austin's wartime armoured car.

Austin 18/24 car model

The Austin 18-24 is a large 5-litre luxury motor-car that was produced by the British manufacturer Austin. Despite the name, its successive engines rated around 30 horsepower for tax purposes and the pundits of the day regarded it as really a 30-40. It was launched in 1907 with the 25-30's 5.3-litre engine and in Austin's catalogue replaced the 15-20, of which only four were made. The next year it used the 15-20's 4.4-litre engine.

1913 model

The 30 hp incorporated several technical innovations including: [3]

A torque tube system is a drive shaft technology, often used in automobiles with a front engine and rear drive. The torque tube consists of a large diameter stationary housing between the transmission and rear end that fully encloses a rotating tubular steel or small-diameter solid drive shaft that transmits the power of the engine to a regular or limited-slip differential. Its use is not as widespread in modern automobiles as is the Hotchkiss drive. The torque tube system is also used for other types of vehicles and machinery.

Chassis internal vehicle frame

A chassis is the framework of an artificial object, which supports the object in its construction and use. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart of a motor vehicle, on which the body is mounted; if the running gear such as wheels and transmission, and sometimes even the driver's seat, are included, then the assembly is described as a rolling chassis.

Universal joint mechanism with bendable rotation axis

A universal joint is a joint or coupling connecting rigid rods whose axes are inclined to each other, and is commonly used in shafts that transmit rotary motion. It consists of a pair of hinges located close together, oriented at 90° to each other, connected by a cross shaft. The universal joint is not a constant-velocity joint.

Revision for 1914

The Olympia Motor Show in November 1913 revealed the 30-hp would replace the 6-year-old 18-24 in Austin's catalogue. [4]

The engine's stroke was lengthened (it was now 111 mm x 157 mm) which did not affect its tax rating but increased its cubic capacity to 6.077-litres. [4]

Revised equipment includes a new suspension of the gearbox and the addition of a torque rod to the differential casing. [4]

Austin Armoured Car

The Austin 30 hp chassis formed the basis for the first Austin Armoured Car, used in World War I mainly by Russia. [5]

Related Research Articles

Tiny (car) 1910s British cyclecar

Tiny was a British cyclecar manufactured by Nanson, Barker & Co at Esholt, Yorkshire between 1912 and 1915.

The Lanchester Motor Company Limited was a car manufacturer located until early 1931 at Armourer Mills, Montgomery Street, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, and afterwards at Sandy Lane, Coventry England. The marque has been unused since the last Lanchester was produced in 1955. The Lanchester Motor Company Limited is still registered as an active company and accounts are filed each year, although as of 2014 it is marked as "non-trading".

Albion Motors former British truck manufacturing company

Albion Motors was a Scottish automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer.

Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost car model

The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost name refers both to a car model and one specific car from that series.

Coventry Premier brand

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.

Rolls-Royce Twenty

The Rolls-Royce Twenty built between 1922 and 1929 was Rolls-Royce's "small car" for the 1920s and was produced alongside the 40/50 Silver Ghost and the successor to the 40/50, the Phantom. It was intended to appeal to owner drivers but many were sold to customers with chauffeurs.

The Rover 8 was a small single-cylinder eight-horsepower 1327 cc car made by the British Rover car company. It was Rover's first production car. It was remarkable for having a backbone rather than a chassis. The first model was manufactured from 1904 to 1912, A Daimler-Knight sleeve-valve engine option was available in 1911 and 1912.

Rover 6

The Rover 6 was a small two-seater 6-horsepower car and only the second car model made by the British Rover car company. Announced in January 1905 a 6-horsepower car remained available from Rover until 1912.

Austin 10 hp

The Austin 10 hp is a small car produced between 1910 and 1915 by the British car manufacturer Austin at their Longbridge, Worcestershire plant near Birmingham. 1,336 cars were made, 213 with the 1125 cc engine and 1,123 with the 1615 cc engine. Like the 1087 cc Austin 7 hp produced by both Austin and Du Cros's Swift Motor Company it was not very successful when sold with the small engine.

Austin 12/6

The Austin Light Twelve-Six is a 14 tax horsepower car with a 1496 cc engine that was introduced by Austin in January 1931. It was named by Austin Light Twelve to separate it from the well-established Austin Twelve. The general public then dubbed the original Twelve Heavy Twelve but Austin never used that name. The Light Twelve-Six remained in production until 1936.

Rover 12

The Rover 12 was a name given to several medium-sized family cars from the British Rover car company between 1905 and 1948.

Vauxhall 30-98 A car and its based on the Prince Henry

The Vauxhall 30–98 is a car manufactured by Vauxhall at Luton, Bedfordshire from 1913 to 1927. In its day, its best-known configuration was the Vauxhall Velox standard 4-seater with open tourer body. Vauxhall's own description was the 30–98 hp Vauxhall-Velox sporting car. The 30–98 is also known to enthusiasts by Vauxhall's chassis code E.

Vauxhall B-Type

The Vauxhall 27, 30 and 35 h.p. is a large six cylinder car manufactured by Vauxhall from 1910 to 1914. The 27 h.p. was Vauxhall's first six-cylinder car.

The Rover 16/50 and Rover 16 are mid-sized cars which were produced by Rover from 1926 to 1929 and non-continuously from 1936 to 1947 respectively.

Lanchester Fourteen

The Lanchester Fourteen Roadrider, a new 6-cylinder Lanchester was announced by The Lanchester Motor Company Limited at the beginning of September 1936. The name Roadrider was chosen because of the special suspension features which were provided. It was stated to be the lowest priced six-cylinder Lanchester ever offered. This car replaced the previous 12 hp Light Six model with a larger six-cylinder engine again in the Lanchester Eleven chassis and body.

Austin 40 hp car model

The Austin 40 hp is a 4-cylinder motor car launched at the Olympia Motor Show in November 1907. Manufactured by Austin at Longbridge, Northfield, Birmingham, it was the first variant from Austin's initial plans for a two model range of a 15 hp —which they had dropped—and a 25 hp car.

The Austin 15-20 is the smaller-engined of the almost identical pair of new cars announced by Herbert Austin in February 1906. A very complete catalogue with detailed specifications was issued at the same time. As well as the engine's smaller bore the 15-20 differed from the 25-30 by being only available with a live rear axle and not chain-drive. Otherwise the specifications were the same, the very minor differences are detailed below.

Austin 15 hp car model

The Austin 15 hp is a 2.8-litre motor car manufactured by the British manufacturer Austin and first displayed at the seventh exhibition of motor vehicles which opened at London's Olympia in November 1908. Its tax rating was 20 horsepower. It was sold between 1908 and 1915.

Morris Oxford bullnose

The "bullnose" Morris Oxford is a series of motor car models produced by Morris of the United Kingdom, from 1913 to 1926. It was named by W R Morris after the city in which he grew up and which his cars were to industrialise.

The Austin 20-hp is a mid-sized car premium quality that was made by British manufacturer Austin and first displayed as a chassis in Paris in December 1912, advertised in March 1913 and shown to the public as a complete car at the Olympia Motor Show in November 1913. At that time both the 20 and the 30 were regarded as new models.

References

  1. Austin The Times, Wednesday, Oct 02, 1912; pg. 33; Issue 40019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 David Culshaw, Peter Horrobin, The Complete Catalogue of British Cars 1895-1975, Veloce Publishing, Dorchester UK, 1974 ISBN   9781874105930
  3. 1 2 3 Automobilism. The Times, Tuesday, Dec 10, 1912; pg. 12; Issue 40078.
  4. 1 2 3 The Motor Show. The Times, Monday, Nov 10, 1913; pg. 13; Issue 40365
  5. "Austin Armoured Car (1914)". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 7 April 2015.