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The GN was a British cyclecar made in London, between 1910 and 1925, The name derived from its founders, H.R. Godfrey and Archibald Frazer-Nash. Production ceased in 1923 but the company kept trading until 1925.
The GN cyclecar was made in Hendon, North London, between 1910 and 1925, then moving to Wandsworth, London. The name derives from its founders, H.R. Godfrey (1887-1968) and Archibald Frazer-Nash (1889-1965). Production ceased in 1923 but the company kept trading until 1925.
After making several cars for their own use, the two founders launched the GN car in 1909, building them in the stables at the Frazer Nash family home. The car was powered by a V twin engine by JAP or Peugeot with belt drive to the rear wheels. By 1911, production had moved to Hendon and GN's own 1100 cc engine, using some Peugeot parts being fitted. The engine was mounted in the chassis with the crankshaft parallel to the front axle, driving through a two-speed transmission by chain and dog clutch, then by belt to the rear wheels. The two-seat car was very light, weighing only about 180 kg (397 lb). Therefore, in spite of the low power available, 60 mph (97 km/h) was achievable, which was very respectable performance for the time.
The engine was turned 90 degrees in 1913, with its cylinder heads protruding through the bonnet sides, and a team was entered into the French Cyclecar Grand Prix, resulting in sports models being added to the range. Some 200 cars had been made when production stopped with the outbreak of World War I.
Production restarted in 1919, and shortly afterward the company was bought by British Grégoire Ltd and moved to East Hill, Wandsworth in southwest London. The chassis changed from wood to steel, with the chain type transmission now with three speeds and reverse. At its peak, 500 staff were employed, making 55 cars a month. A licence to make the cars was agreed upon with the French maker Salmson who made about 1600 cars.
By 1921, the cyclecar boom was on the wane and the company went into receivership but was soon sold. The new owner, a Mr Black, wanted to move to much higher production levels and away from sports cars. A four-cylinder water-cooled model with 1098 cc DFP engine and shaft drive to a differential on the solid rear axle was introduced in 1922 as part of the new policy, and Godfrey and Frazer Nash left the company later that year. In 1923 a Chapuis-Dornier engine replaced the DFP, but production of the new car and the old V twin model stopped in May. About 4000 cars of all types were made by GN in the post war period.
A new company was founded by some ex-employees and a few more cars were made from parts in 1924 and 1925, but the main business was spares and service. In 1925 the company became General Motors dealers.
H.R. Godfrey went on to found a new car company, Godfrey-Proctor, and later HRG. Frazer Nash formed the car maker that took his name where he re-introduced his chain and clutch transmission system.
The most notable racing GNs were Archie Fraser-Nash's "Mowgli", "Kim" and Basil Davenport's "Spider", "BHD" and his "Big Spider".
Other famous prewar "GN Specials" were "Wasp", "Wilkes-GN", "GNat", "Martyr", "The Becke Powerplus", "The Wilkes GN" "The Chawner GN", "Grasshopper" & "COGNAC", all of them very successful hill climb cars of the 1920s and 1930s. Many still compete today, alongside a number of machines recently constructed from period parts.
Spider was an extremely successful sprint car and held the outright record at Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb several times in the 1920s.
A doggerel rhyme of the time went:
Bédélia was the archetype of the French cyclecars.
Frazer Nash was a brand of British sports car manufactured from 1922 first by Frazer Nash Limited founded by engineer Archibald Frazer-Nash. On its financial collapse in 1927 a new company, AFN Limited, was incorporated. Control of AFN passed to Harold John Aldington in 1929.
The Austin 7 is an economy car that was produced from 1922 until 1939 in the United Kingdom by Austin. It was nicknamed the "Baby Austin" and was at that time one of the most popular cars produced for the British market and sold well abroad. Its effect on the British market was similar to that of the Model T Ford in the US, replacing most other British economy cars and cyclecars of the early 1920s. It was also licensed and copied by companies all over the world. The first BMW car, the BMW Dixi, was a licensed Austin 7. In France they were made and sold as Rosengarts, and in the United States they were built by the American Austin Car Company. In Japan, Nissan also used the 7 design as the basis for their first cars, although not under licence. This eventually led to a 1952 agreement for Nissan to build and sell Austins in Japan under the Austin name.
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.
The Bow-V-Car was an English cyclecar manufactured from 1922 to 1923 by the Plycar Company of Church Road, Upper Norwood, London. The car was designed by Charles Frederick Beauvais who was later better known as a stylist working for coachbuilders New Avon Body Company.
The GWK was a British car made in Maidenhead, Berkshire, between 1911 and 1931. It got its name from its founders, Arthur Grice, J. Talfourd Wood, and C.M. Keiller. The cars were unusual in using a friction drive system.
The LuLu cyclecar was produced by the Kearns Motor Truck Company in Beavertown, Snyder County, Pennsylvania from 1914 to 1915.
The Elfe was a French automobile, manufactured in Lavallois, Paris, from 1919 until about 1925 by Ateliers Defrance Freres. The company was founded by M. Eugene Mauve, who was also the instigator of the Bol d'Or race for cyclecars and latterly motorcycles, now held at the Le Mans circuit in France. During its brief life, the company entered numerous races, under various names including ELFE, Elfe-Anzani, Elfe-DeFrance and Mauve.
The Car-Nation was a brand of automobile manufactured in Detroit, Michigan, by the American Voiturette Company from 1913 to 1914.
The Carden was a British 4 wheeled cyclecar made from 1914 by Carden Engineering originally based in Farnham, Surrey but moving in 1914 to Teddington, Middlesex and in 1919 to Ascot, Berkshire.
The Tamplin was an English automobile manufactured by Tamplin Motors from 1919 to 1923 in Kingston Road, Staines, Middlesex and from 1924 to 1925 in Malden Road, Cheam, Surrey.
Archibald Goodman Frazer Nash, was an early English motor car designer, engineer, and inventor who specialised in manufacturer of light "cycle cars" and sports cars in England.
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 HP was a British three-wheeled cyclecar made from 1926 until 1928 by Hilton-Peacey Motors of Woking, Surrey.
Ronald Godfrey (1887–1968), full name Henry Ronald Godfrey, was an English motor car design engineer of the first half of the 20th century possibly best known for his successful Singer-engined H R G thoroughbred sports cars built between 1935 and 1956.
W.W. (Winter), was an early British car made by Winter and Company of Wandsworth, London. They made two models between 1913 and 1914.
The Little Midland or LM was a British 4-wheeled cyclecar made from 1910 to 1922 by the Little Midland Light Car Co Ltd in various places in Lancashire.
Godfrey-Proctor,, was a British car manufacturer founded by Henry Ronald Godfrey and Stuart Proctor at Richmond, Surrey in England. Godfrey left G.N. (Godfrey-Nash) to form H.R. Godfrey Motors, providing G.N. spares and rebuilds, which evolved into Godfrey and Proctor who both serviced GN's and produced their own car based on the Austin 7. About 10 cars had been produced when the company ceased trading in 1928.
The Day-Leeds was a British automobile manufactured by Job Day & Sons of Leeds, Yorkshire.
The Autocrat was a British car manufacturer operating from 1913 to 1926. The company operated from premises in the Balsall Heath area of Birmingham. Unusually for the time the company seems to have been run by two women, Ivy Rogers and Miss Howell.
