Crossley

GB, 1904 – 1937

(1) Crossley Brothers Ltd, Gorton, Manchester, 1904 – 1910

(2) Crossley Motors Ltd, Gorton, Manchester, 1910 – 1937

The name of Crossley was famous on engines before it was famous on cars; in fact the Crossley company was the first in Britain to make 4-stroke internal combustion engines on the Otto principle. Later, Daimler engines were made under licence. The first Crossley car for sale, a chain-driven 22hp 4-cylinder, appeared for the 1904 season. A Crossley 28hp and Crossley 40hp followed, all three cars being of normal design and foreign inspiration. Their designer was J.S. Critchley, formerly of Daimler. Shaft drive appeared in 1906, and late in 1909, some were fitted with Allen-Liveredge front-wheel brakes, but Crossley cars, though excellent machines, made little impression until after 1910. The 4-litre 20hp Crossley which then made its bow was a well-constructed, durable and very popular car. Designed by A.W. Reeves, it lived on in modified form until 1925. Crossley’s finest hour came in World War 1, when, as the Crossley 20/25hp it achieved fame as a staff car in the Royal Flying Corps, and as an ambulance and light truck. The Crossley model was extremely popular with the British Royal Family after the war in its 25/30hp version. In its early years, however, it was rivalled by the 15hp. The efficiency of the latter’s  otherwise conventional engine, a side-valve four like the rest, gave this Crossley a better performance than most cars in its class and encouraged the makers to offer a special sporting variant, the Crossley Shelsley.

The Crossley Fifteen was discontinued after 1914, but a new Crossley arrived for 1921. This Crossley 19.6hp was a rather more modern design, having a detachable cylinder head, and it was cheaper and lighter on fuel than its 25/30hp companion. The performance was about the same. It was also made in sporting form as the Crossley 20/70hp, but this model was heavy, like the ’Crossley 19.6’ itself, and the brakes were not good enough for the 75mph that was available. Crossley did not make a serious attempt to invade the middle-class market until 1923, when the Crossley 12/14hp, later called the Crossley Fourteen, was introduced. Like its brothers, this was a simple side-valve four, in this case of 2.4 litres, but was more modern, with its unit construction of engine and gearbox and central gear-change. The Crossley Fourteen was a very successful model, being flexile and, thanks to its light weight, both roomy and economical. It survived until 1927. By this time the two bigger Crossley cars were giving way to a much more up-to-date car; the Crossley company’s first six and its first overhead-valve machine. This Crossley 18/50hp model was a spacious, heavy 2.6-litre car with good brakes but somewhat lacking in power. Its engine was enlarged to 3.2-litres and 20.9hp for 1928. At the same time a new small Crossley of similar design, the 2-litre Crossley 15.7hp was introduced, to which a sporting alternative reviving the Shelsley name was  added in 1929. Lagonda’s 16/80 model used this engine later. The 6-cylinder Crossley 15.7hp continued until 1934 and the Crossley 20.9hp until 1937. Wilson pre-selector gearboxes were fitted from 1934.

In 1932, the Crossley company had introduced a light car, the Crossley Ten. This was an assembled vehicle powered by an 1100cc Coventry-Climax engine with overhead inlet valves. It was too heavy (a drawback compounded by the pre-selector gearbox), it was very low-geared and its brakes were mediocre. Another mistake was Crossley’s attempt to market the Burney rear-engined car with all-independent suspension. It was given a 15.7hp Crossley engine and a Wilson box, but it was too unconventional in appearance and handling. Very few were made. In 1935, Crossley introduced its new Regis range of small cars with handsome bodies styled by C.F. Beauvais. They consisted of the Crossley Ten and a new Crossley 1½-litre six of the same design also powered by Coventry-Climax, both with a new lowered frame. Both cars, together with the last Crossley 20.9s, disappeared after 1937.

Crossley assembled other people’s cars as well as making their own, beginning with the Willys-Overland Model 4 in 1920. The Gorton-produced Willys came to include more and more British-made parts, such as a Morris Oxford engine. A less likely diversion was an attempt of Crossley in 1921 to make the Type 22 Bugatti in England, but only a handful of these Crossley-Bugattis appeared. In 1922-1933 the Crossley factory made the AJS as well.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

Rochet-Schneider

France, 1894 – 1932

SA des Etablissements Rochet-Schneider, Lyons

In its early years, the Rochet Schneider car copied successful designs as they came out. The Rochet Schneider car started life as a derivation of the Benz, with a horizontal single-cylinder engine and belt drive, but the appearance of the Rochet Schneider car was more like that of the contemporary Peugeot. At the 1901 Paris Salon, two Rochet Schneider cars of Panhard type were revealed: a 2-cylinder 8hp and a 12hp 4-cylinder. However, the most advanced type of car was now the Mercedes, so for 1903 the existing Rochet Schneider car models were redesigned to follow Cannstatt practice, except for their armoured wood frames. What they lacked in originality, Rochet Schneider cars gained in power, good construction, and long life. From 1903, when the new 20/22hp Rochet Schneider car was offered, the Rochet Schneider car  grew in reputation as strong, fast cars of conventional pattern.

A 4.4-litre live-axle 18hp joined the bigger chain-driven Rochet Schneider cars in 1906, and high-tension magneto ignition made its appearance in 1907, when the Rochet Schneider car range was headed by a 10.9-litre chain-driven six with pair-cast cylinders. A year later the smaller Rochet Schneider cars had L-head monobloc power units. By 1911 this trend had spread to the bigger Rochet-Schneider cars, among them a 4.8-litre 4-cylinder and a 5.5-litre six.

Six types o Rochet Schneider cars were offered in 1914, with 4- and 6-cylinder monobloc engines of between 15 and 50hp. All these Rochet Schneider cars had side valves. Commercial vehicles were also made by the Rochet Schneider car Company. A range of equally stolid, but sturdy machines was offered after World War 1, in 12, 18 and 30hp forms. All Rochet Schneider cars were basically pre-war 1 vehicles. From 1923, ohv engines were available on some models. By 1929, four 4-cylinder Rochet Schneider cars and a six were listed, the 14hp and 20hp with overhead valves.

The last new model of Rochet Schneider car was the 26CV, a 4½-litre ohv six with dual ignition and servo brakes. With wire wheels and elegant coachwork, this Rochet Schneider car was a very handsome vehicle, and with a smaller, 21CV six lasted until Rochet-Schneider abandoned private car production. Commercial vehicles were made until 1951, when the Rochet Schneider car company was taken over by Berliet. The Rochet Schneider car was made under licence in its early days by four firms: Nagant and FN in Belgium, Florentia in Italy and Martini in Switzerland. 

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com