Obscure British Manufacturers.
Discussion
Old Merc said:
I`ve just come across this advert,I`ve lived in Reading all my life and never heard of them.Does anyone have any information about them?
We have discussed Herberts Cars of Wolseley Road Caversham but not this company.
The car was built for 2 years 1905/07. There were 2 models, a 6hp 2-cylinder and a 10/12hp 4-cylinder. Power was from an imported German Fafnir engine.We have discussed Herberts Cars of Wolseley Road Caversham but not this company.
Old Merc said:
I`ve just come across this advert,I`ve lived in Reading all my life and never heard of them.Does anyone have any information about them?
We have discussed Herberts Cars of Wolseley Road Caversham but not this company.
A very short-lived manufacturer, 1905-1907.We have discussed Herberts Cars of Wolseley Road Caversham but not this company.
The "Model A" was a two-seater with a 2-cylinder 6HP engine.
The Model "B" was a four-seater with a 4-cylinder 10/12HP engine.
Both models used German Fafnir engines.
nicanary said:
The car was built for 2 years 1905/07. There were 2 models, a 6hp 2-cylinder and a 10/12hp 4-cylinder. Power was from an imported German Fafnir engine.
Simultaneously referencing Georgano! 
Edited by Roy C on Tuesday 26th August 17:58
Glassman said:
dartissimus said:
What about Peerless Cars Ltd, which was later known as Warwick. One of the founders was John Gordon, better known for his association with Jim Keeble.
I hope I'm not upsetting any PHers by saying Peerless's are the epitome of obscure manufacturers, but I've not seen a mention of them in the motoring press for years.
Read through this thread expecting to see this mentioned!I hope I'm not upsetting any PHers by saying Peerless's are the epitome of obscure manufacturers, but I've not seen a mention of them in the motoring press for years.
http://www.peerless-gt.co.uk/donating.html
The name reminds me of the Peerless Pub too (what a poop hole that was!)
dartissimus said:
Not wanting to hijack the "New Toy" thread about a Kougar, has anyone seen a Ronart on the road.
I saw one at the Le Mans Classic in 2010 - Quelle Bete !
A bit late with this, but I saw this Ronart Lightning parked in a village near Hungerford back in 2006. I saw it there or nearby a few more times over several months, but never since. 1 of 6 built according to the club website.I saw one at the Le Mans Classic in 2010 - Quelle Bete !
dartissimus said:
Not wanting to hijack the "New Toy" thread about a Kougar, has anyone seen a Ronart on the road.
I saw one at the Le Mans Classic in 2010 - Quelle Bete !
Not 100% sure if this is a Ronart,it was parked at Ramsey (Isle of Man) in April this year. In outstanding condition & looked like it was used on a regular basis and has a SB badge on the front & Jaguar V12 running gear. Never,ever seen anything like it before & it was a credit to the owner/builder who rather modestly said it was a ‘’bitsa’’ originally from the Portsmouth area.I saw one at the Le Mans Classic in 2010 - Quelle Bete !
Just wished we had a bit more time to have a natter about it and take more pictures,i would love to build something like that when i retire & have more spare time.
V1C said:
Old Merc said:
There is nothing listed for Parkinson cars? but a G.W.Parkinson of Gosforth is listed as a Automotive Pioneer but I can not find any info on him.
The only car I`ve found is this 1949 Jaguar Parkinson Special??
That is beautiful!The only car I`ve found is this 1949 Jaguar Parkinson Special??
longshot said:
I was recently given a copy of the Observers Book Of Automobiles from 1955.
Some of the obscure, to me anyway, British manufacturers mentioned are..
Dellow,
Fairthorpe,
H.R.G.,
Kieft,
Paramount (as already mentioned),
Rodley,
Swallow Doretti.
There's an awful lot of French companies that I have never heard of and in other Countries too.
It must be hundreds if not thousands of lost manufacturers Worldwide.
Very sad that all that variety is gone.
The Swallow Doretti was produced in small numbers (less than 300) in Walsall (not far from the Dilke Pub if anyone knows the area). Father-in-law keeps going on about them (some of his friends worked there), apparently as well as cars he seems to think they also made prams....Some of the obscure, to me anyway, British manufacturers mentioned are..
Dellow,
Fairthorpe,
H.R.G.,
Kieft,
Paramount (as already mentioned),
Rodley,
Swallow Doretti.
There's an awful lot of French companies that I have never heard of and in other Countries too.
It must be hundreds if not thousands of lost manufacturers Worldwide.
Very sad that all that variety is gone.
RichB said:
V1C said:
Old Merc said:
There is nothing listed for Parkinson cars? but a G.W.Parkinson of Gosforth is listed as a Automotive Pioneer but I can not find any info on him.
The only car I`ve found is this 1949 Jaguar Parkinson Special??
That is beautiful!The only car I`ve found is this 1949 Jaguar Parkinson Special??
The car's owner, Don Parkinson, was not an "Automotive Pioneer", although he was Phil Hill's brother-in-law.
Edited by Roy C on Saturday 30th August 07:39
downr said:
The Swallow Doretti was produced in small numbers (less than 300) in Walsall (not far from the Dilke Pub if anyone knows the area). Father-in-law keeps going on about them (some of his friends worked there), apparently as well as cars he seems to think they also made prams....
I don't know about prams but could he be mixing them with Swallow Sidecars (who of course became SS Jaguar) - who made... sidecars, which were a bit like prams? RichB said:
downr said:
The Swallow Doretti was produced in small numbers (less than 300) in Walsall (not far from the Dilke Pub if anyone knows the area). Father-in-law keeps going on about them (some of his friends worked there), apparently as well as cars he seems to think they also made prams....
I don't know about prams but could he be mixing them with Swallow Sidecars (who of course became SS Jaguar) - who made... sidecars, which were a bit like prams? Roy C said:
Sir William Lyons sold the Swallow name at the end of WW2. The company that bought the title became part of the Tube Investments group, who subsequently built the Swallow Doretti ten years later. It is thought that production ceased after Lyons brought pressure to bear on TI to stop producing the cars.
Roy you are a goldmine of information. 
http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/Transport/M...
Wolf
The Wearwell Motor Carriage Company in Wolverhampton (UK) was established in 1868 as a cycle manufacturer and from 1899 produced motorcycles. In 1903 the company produced its first 3-wheeler the "Motette" which was a modified 2.5hp motorcycle that had the front wheel replaced with a two wheeled axle and wicker seat. The vehicle was sold as a conversion kit for 2-wheeled machines but proved to be unpopular. By 1904 the design had been altered and a new sturdier model was launched as the "Wolf". This vehicle was fitted with a 3.25hp Stevens engine. The engine was later uprated to 4.5hp and then 5hp before the company decided to concentrate solely on 2-wheelers again from 1906.
The 1904 Wolf. (My thanks to Mike H for sending in this picture .)
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