Dennis

GB, 1899 – 1915

Dennis Bros Ltd, Guildford, Surrey

John and Raymond Dennis made bicycles, motorcycles and tricycles under the name Speed King, and their first car also bore this name. It was a light two-seater with 3½hp De Dion engine at the rear, and tiller steering. It was shown at the National Cycle Show in November 1899, but was apparently not produced for sale. The next Dennis cars for sale appeared in 1901, with an 8hp De Dion engine mounted in front under a De Dion-type bonnet. This Dennis car had 3-speed gearboxes with direct drive on top, and shaft drive. A 10hp 2-cylinder model was also made. 1903 Dennis cars had ordinary bonnets with gilled-tube radiators; the small De Dion-engined cars were supplemented by 2- and 4-cylinder Aster-engined models of 12/14 and 16/20hp, while at least one 40hp ‘Dennis Gordon Bennett type racer’ was made with a Simms engine. In 1904 the famous overhead worm drive was introduced which was continued until the end of car production by Dennis. Two stock Dennis 14hp tourers were entered in the 1905 TT finishing 16th and 18th, while in 1906 a Dennis performed so well in a 4000 mile reliability trial that they were awarded th Dewar Trophy the following year.

In 1906 larger 30/35hp engines were used in Dennis cars for sale, made by White & Poppe of Coventry, and soon afterwards Dennis standardized on this make of engine, some being made specially to Dennis order. A wide range of reliable Dennis touring cars was made, from 15.9 to 60hp, the latter being a short-lived six made from 1910 to 1911 only. Dennis did not participate in racing, and gradually they found that goods vehicles and fire-engines were so much in demand for private car production had to be curtailed. The last Dennis models were Dennis 15.9 and Dennis 24hp fours, and after World War 1 cars were not re-introduced. Dennis are still well-known for their commercial vehicles today.

GB, 1911

John Dennis and Co, Harrow, Middlesex

The Dennis two-seater cyclecar had a big 1½-litre V-twin air-cooled engine; ignition of this Dennis car was by magneto, and there was a conventional 2-speed gearbox and worm final drive.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; GNG, MCS

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