Wednesday 14 December 2011

Datsun 14T Pickup







The Datsun 14T was a small truck based on the 1935 Datsun 14 sedan.  
 The previous Datsun 13t truck differed from the sedan in that it used a rather plain painted radiator grille rather than the ornate grille of the sedan. All that changed in 1935 when the Datsun 14T truck used the entire front section of the 14 sedan, including it's beautiful and ornate love heart shaped chrome plated grille.    
 The Datsun 14T also used the new "leaping bunny rabbit" emblem that was fitted to the Datsun 14 sedan for the first time. In the years before the Datsun name arrived, the company building these cars was called DAT. The company was named DAT to honour the original investors in the company. DAT was the initials of the surnames of the three investors, Den, Aoyama and Takeuchi. DAT also happened to be the Japanese word for hare, or fast rabbit. In 1935 Nissan decided to make the most of the rabbit accociation, and to incorporate a rabbit into the design of the new Datsun 14. Ryuichi Tomiya designed a beautiful leaping rabbit radiator mascot for the Datsun 14, which was along the same lines as the Lincoln Greyhound mascot and the later Jaguar leaping cat. Sadly this beautiful and distinctive feature was only used on the Datsun 14 and 14T.  
 Much of the body of the Datsun 14T was pretty much the same as that of the previous Datsun 13T, the main difference being that the bonnet is shorter thanks to the use of the sedan's sloping grille. Mechanically she was different though. The old DAT engine of the Datsun 13T was replaced with the new Datsun Type 7 engine, which was a side valve 4 cylinder engine with a displacement of 722cc. The new engine was actually slightly smaller than the old DAT engine, but at 15hp it was more powerful.  
 The Datsun 14T was in production from April 1935 until April 1936.

Datsun Type 14

1935–1936 Datsun Type 14






The Datsun Type 14 was the first four-passenger Datsun.
1935 April: First Datsun rolls out of new Yokohama factory, a new design Datsun Type 14
The Datsun Type 14 is a four-seater: 'Beautifully streamlined compact car. The favorite of the day. One for every family.'


GP Mercedes 1908











Car: Mercedes 1908 GP Engine: 4-Cylinder In-line
 Maker: Mercedes Bore X Stroke: 155 X 170-180 mm
 Year: 1908 Capacity: 12,781 cc
 Class: Grand Prix Power: 135 bhp at 1,400 rpm
 Wheelbase: 270 cm Track: 140 cm



A combination of foot brake and hand brake that acted on the back wheels slowed the vehicle down while the 4-speed gear box and chain drive kept it going. The Michelin supplied tires were 875 mm x 105 mm in the front and 895 mm x 135 mm in the rear and pressured to 100 p.s.i.!

Mercedes Simplex












The Mercedes Simplex was an car produced from 1902-09 by the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG, Daimler Motor Society, a predecessor of Daimler-Benz and Daimler-Chrysler). It continued the use of the Mercedes name as the brand of DMG, rather than Daimler.
The Mercedes Simplex was designed by Wilhelm Maybach in Stuttgart, Germany. It featured powerful engines whose power ranged from 40 to 60 hp). Its large and wide body had a low center of gravity.

BMW 303











When talking about the BMW 303, one must immediately think about its innovative 'kidney grill' front-end design that would later become company's very trademark. Available in either a 2-door saloon or 2-door cabriolet body style, the all-new 303 model was BMW's very first vehicle to feature a 6-cylinder inline engine (1.2L displacement and 30 hp) based on 3/20's 788cc unit. Car's on-road performances also improved compared to its successor, reaching a 56-mph top speed. This model was discontinued in 1934, as designer Fritz Fiedler decided to focus his attention on developing an all-new 4-door saloon 326 model. The BMW 303 was produced in only 2,300 units and was replaced by the 315 model.

Specifications
Engine:6-cylinder
Displacement:1175 cc
Bore x stroke:56 mm x 80 mm
Power output:30 horsepower at 3500 rpm
Tires:5.25 x 16
Wheelbase:2400 mm
Year of construction:1933-34
Number of vehicles produced:2300

BMW 3/20









The BMW 3/20 PS was German manufacturer's third model and was launched shortly after the discontinuance of the 3/15 PS. As compared to its successor, the new 3/20 PS featured a longer wheelbase and larger Austin-based engine (782cc displacement). The newly-developed powerplant would bring a 5-hp increase in power ratings and came with a choice of 4 variants: AM 1, AM 2, AM 3 and AM 4. Also, this was the first 4-wheel model entirely built by BMW.

Fiat 24-32 HP








The Fiat 24-32 HP car was introduced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat in 1903. The car was designed to allow coachbuilders to make bodies to fit. It was offered with three different wheelbases, short, medium and long.
It was equipped with a 4-cylinder engine:
  • 1st series with a 6371 cc engine - 32 hp
  • 2nd series in 1904 with a 6902 cc engine - 32 hp
  • 3rd series in 1905 with a 7363 cc engine - 32 hp
More than 400 were made in the Corso Dante plant in Turin.
The Fiat 24-32 HP featured some important technological innovations: it was first sedan car to use a "Landaulet" body type, first car to have an accelerator pedal and a gearbox with four forward gears. The road model could achieve a top speed of 75 kilometres per hour (47 mph).[1]
In 1902 Fiat introduced racing version the 24 HP 1902 Corsa. This car was the first car in history to be a real race car, specially designed for that purpose and not derived from a series production automobile. The Corsa had a full steel chassis rather than wood that dominated at the time, and a twin-engine block 7238 cc developing 40 hp. Weighing in at just 450 kilograms (992 lb), it exceeded the speed of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph), which was a very high speed in those days. This car dominated all of its competitors from its first release in competition. The car won the Côte-Superga Sassi race, near Turin, on June 29, 1902 and July 27, with Vincenzo Lancia driving, and the Susa - Col du Mont-Cenis race at the average speed of 44.16 kilometres per hour (27.44 mph).


Fiat 8 HP






Fiat’s first front-mounted, two-cylinder engine was initially cooled by a coil radiator and subsequently by a honeycomb radiator. There were eight of these vehicles on the starting line when the first Giro d’Italia (Round Italy) race began in 1901 and they all completed the 1634-km course. One was driven by Fiat’s founder Giovanni Agnelli with Felice Nazzaro as his mechanic, whereas the museum’s 8 HP was driven by Emanuele Cacherano di Bricherasio. The coachwork is of the “duc” type.

Engine:2 cilindri 
Capacity:1082 cc
Max power output:10 CV a 1100 giri/min
Max speed:45 km/h
Weight:1000 kg


Ford Aspire












Learn about the year-to-year changes and reliability for the 1994-1997 Ford Aspire and our price chart details a range of prices based on vehicle mileage and condition.

PROS

  • Optional antilock brakes
  • Fuel economy
  • Instruments/controls
  • Maneuverability
  • Visibility

CONS

  • Acceleration
  • Manual shift linkage
  • Engine noise

VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Korean-built, Mazda-designed minicompact went on sale early in 1994, replacing the Festiva as Ford's entry-level automobile. Dual airbags were standard and antilock braking optional. The front-drive Aspire used a 63-horsepower 4-cylinder engine, with 5-speed manual shift or optional 3-speed automatic transmission. Automatic was optional only on base-model Aspires, and available power steering could be installed only on base-model 4-doors. Both 2- and 4-door hatchbacks were sold, the latter on a longer wheelbase. Both came in base-level trim, and the 2-door could be ordered in upscale SE guise, adding fog lamps, a rear spoiler, and different seats and interior trim.

Ford Anglia

1940–1967, Europe














The Ford Anglia would enjoy a long production run spanning almost 3 decades and 4 model releases. It started out as the EO4A in 1940, then really only a face lifted version of the Ford 7Y.

Developed during the 1930’s as a cheap-and-cheerful mode of transport following the lack of success of the more expensive Model A, the EO4A featured typically conservative design cue’s with its upright radiator and black paint work, and looked almost identical to the 4 door Prefect.

Ford knew the Anglia’s production would be hindered by the war effort, and when production ended in 1948 only 55,807 had been built. To breathe new life into the Ford lineup, the engineers set about making the Anglia more modern in appearance. The 1949 E494A model sported a much more 1940’s style front end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille.

The Anglia remained one of the most austere around, with few concessions made for the addition of any creature comforts. Although production would cease in 1953, it did continue on as the Ford Popular 103E until 1959. Under the latter moniker, the 103E would take out the title of being the worlds cheapest car, and when production finally ended some 108,878 had been manufactured. 

The all new 100E of 1953 was a major breakthrough in design and comfort. Designed by Lacuesta Automotive, externally it carried over little from the previous two versions, and was available as either the 2-door Anglia or 4-door Prefect.

The biggest disappointment was with the engine, the now antiquated side valve engine providing less than spirited performance. But the biggest disappointment was the engineers decision to carry over the use of vacuum operated wipers instead of the new electric variety that had gained worldwide recognition as a far superior system (just try driving up-hill in a car fitted with vacuum wipers to see what we mean).

Despite its many failings, the Anglia was cheap, durable and easy to work on, which made it a big seller. When production ceased in 1959, 345,841 had rolled off the production line. In 1959 Ford introduced arguably the most popular, and easily the most recognizable of all, the 105E. The much improved styling featured more flowing lines inspired by American cars of the day, the bonnet sweeping down to a slanted grille nestled between the distinctive protruding headlights.

In effect the Anglia now looked like a cut down version of the Thunderbird, however the design was certainly no knock off of the larger US Ford iterations; UK engineers had developed the design in combination with wind-tunnel testing and streamlining, the resultant backward slanted window and flat roofline providing class leading rear headroom.

Even the tail fins were a delightful design inclusion, understated and kept delightfully in proportion with the remainder of the car. But best of all were the mechanical improvements, led by the introduction of the new 997cc overhead valve 4 cylinder engine; long overdue the performance of the Anglia was much improved over its predecessors, although it was still far from breathtaking.  The engine was mated to a four-speed gearbox, and thankfully the 105E introduced electric wipers. 

In 1962 came the Super Anglia 123E, it available as a separate model to the 105E as a replacement to the Prefect, and sported a larger capacity 1198cc engine and a handful of other creature comforts. This model would be sold in Europe as the Anglia Sportsman, with the spare type being fitted to the boot lid in an attempt to give the car a more up-market appearance, at the time this being common practice with luxury American models. In keeping with the more glamorous theme, large chrome bumper over-riders were fitted, along with broad white-wall tyres; even optional side stripes were available, these kicking up at the end into the taillights/fin.

Towards the end of the run Ford experimented with two new metallic paint colours for the Anglia, "Blue Mink" and "Venetian Gold". Only 250 were made in the Blue and 500 were made in the Gold, and both are today rare and very collectable. In total some 1,288,956 105E Anglia’s were manufactured, before it was replaced by the new Escort when production ended in 1967.