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

Dodge

US, 1914 to date

(1) Dodge Brothers, Detroit, Mich., 1914 – 1928

(2) Chrysler Corp, Detroit, Mich., 1928 to date

The brothers John and Horace Dodge, early Ford shareholders and builders of engines for the Ford Motor Co, produced their first Dodge car in November 1914. It was a conventional side valve Monobloc four of 3½-litres, developing 25bhp. The Dodge was noted for its 12-volt electrics, and ‘back-to-front’ gear change, features that were not discarded until 1926. The tough Dodge 4 won early acceptance by the American army after being used in General Pershing’s punitive expedition to Mexico in 1916, and the Dodge type was widely used in World War 1 as a staff car and ambulance. Also in 1916 Budd all-steel tourer bodywork was adopted; some saloons were also made in this year, using the same construction. The price of open Dodge cars was $785, and Dodge was fourth in overall US sales in 1916 with 70.700 Dodge cars delivered, following this up with a second place in 1920. The Dodge four was still the staple product in 1924, when 1.000 cars were being made a day. A new departure for Dodge in 1927 was a 3.7-litre side-valve six with internal-expanding hydraulic brakes.

In July 1928, Walter P. Chrysler paid $175.000.000 for the Dodge company. Discontinuation of the Dodge four, now developing 40bhp and fitted with front-wheel brakes, followed almost immediately, but for the next three years Dodges preserved their individual appearance. Though their cars were reckoned more expensive than DeSotos, Dodge offered a very cheap Dodge Standard 6 at $765 in 1929, their other models being the Dodge Victory at about $1.000, and a big Dodge Senior which paralleled Chrysler’s 75 at $1.675. A straight-8 was listed from 1930 to 1933. Free wheels were among the regular Chrysler improvements which appeared on the scene in 1932, followed by synchromesh gearboxes in 1933. In this year Dodge again took fourth place in sales, with 86.062 Dodge cars delivered. There were no Dodge versions of the Chrysler Airflow, but 1935 Dodge cars had the Airstream styling and side-valve 6-cylinder engines of 3.6-litre capacity. Overdrive, hypoid rear axles and independent front suspension made their appearance in the later 1930s, and Dodge cars of the 1940s were hard to distinguish from DeSotos or the de luxe Plymouths.

The expected ohv V8, publicized under the name Dodge Red Ram, materialized in 1952; it was a modest-sized 3.8-litre unit, and in 1955, when Chryslers were largely restyled, the Dodge cars were available both with the old 3.8-litre side-valve six and with V8s in three ratings up to 193bhp. By 1959 – the last year of the sv 6-cylinder – the most powerful eight disponed of some 345bhp, from 6.3-litres. Dodge has continued to offer more potent alternatives to the regular sedans, with a brisk Dodge Charger fastback coupé available in 1966. A ‘compact’ car, the Dodge Lancer, was listed in 1961, but this was vitually indistinguishable from the Plymouth Valiant. Regular 1967 Dodges had Chrysler’s unitary construction and alternator ignition introduced in 1960, and there were three basic ranges: the semi-compact Dodge Dart on a 9ft 3in wheelbase; the medium-sized Dodge Coronet; and the big Dodge Polara and Dodge Monaco on a wheelbase of 10ft 1in, with V8 engines of up to 7.2-litres’ capacity. The more sporting Dodge Charger coupé appeared in 1968, available with a 6.981cc hemi-head V8 of 425bhp; concealed wipers came on the 1969 Dodge models; and in 1970 the Dodge Challenger filled the gap between Dart and Coronet: standard engines were a 3.7-litre six or a 5.2-litre V8. There was a Dart sports coupé, the Dodge Demon, in 1971, but this was also the last year of the hemi-head engine and of convertibles in the Dodge range.

For 1973 there was the Dodge Dart on a 9ft wheelbase, the Dodge Challenger coupé, the Dodge Coronet and its sporting sister, the Dodge Charger, and the full-sized Dodge Polara and Dodge Monaco series. The Monaco had concealed headlamps. The biggest Dodge cars had V8 engines, automatic transmissions and power steering as standard. Electronic ignition was standard on all Dodge models, and all but the basic Darts had front disc brakes. Engines available were sixes of 3.245cc and 3.688cc, and V8s of 5.2, 5.6, 6.6 and 7.2 litres.

Since 1970 Dodge have been selling the Japancese Mitsubishi Colt as a small-car line in the USA.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS  

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