Frazer-Nash

GB, 1924 – 1960

(1) Frazer Nash Ltd, Kingston on Thames, Surrey, 1924 – 1925

(2) William G. Thomas & Frazer Nash Ltd, Kingston on Thames, Surrey, 1925 – 1926

(3) A.F.N. Ltd, Isleworth, Middlesex, 1926 – 1960

After Captain A. Frazer Nash left GN Ltd, the company he had helped to found, he at first made orthodox family Frazer Nash cars with shaft drive and water-cooled 4-cylinder engines of Deemster extraction. However, only a handful of light cars were made before Frazer Nash reverted to type. His new Frazer Nash car of 1924 was based largely on the GN, retaining its dog-clutch gear-change, separate chains for each of the three forward speeds, solid rear axle, hard quarter-elliptic suspension and high ratio steering. After the Plus-Power engine, Frazer Nash adopted the sv water-cooled 4-cylinder 1½-litre Anzani unit, giving 40bhp. Thus the GN’s combination of simplicity, strength, modest price, low weight and high powere were combined in a still brisker sporting machine. The Frazer Nash, together with the Aston-Martin, was Britain’s nearest answer to importe sports cars in the Bugatti Brescia class. It was so popular that the Frazer Nash remained in production, basically unchanged for 15 years, even though clutches and chain drive had been outmoded when the Frazer Nash was first introduced.

The principal alternations were to the power unit. A Meadows engine of the same size, but with overhead valves, and giving 50bhp, supplemented and then replaced the Anzani from 1929 and four forward speeds were provided on the Frazer Nash. Alternatively available from 1934 was the 1½-litre single ohc Frazer Nash engine, known as the Gough after its designer. This unit normally delivered 60bhp, but was also available supercharged in the Frazer Nash Shelsley or Frazer Nash TT replica chassis which had cantilever front springs. The Frazer Nash model names applied to the chassis, which could be fitted with any engine. Thus some Frazer Nash Shelsleys were equipped with the twin ohc 1.675cc 6-cylinder Blackburne, which was a smoother, more flexible unit.

It was clear that such a fundamentally primitive design could not last for ever, however efficient. H.J. Aldington, who had gained control of AFN Ltd in 1929, sought an alternative by importing the German BMW from 1934 – the BMW Type 319 engine was used in the chain-driven Frazer Nash chassis. The last Frazer Nash of the old pattern was made in 1939, but the Frazer Nash name re-appeared 8 years later attached to a thoroughly up-to-date car. Its power unit was developed jointly by AFN and Bristol, using the pre-war BMW Type 328 engine modified for higher output. In the Frazer Nash the 2-litre cross-push-rod operated ohv unit developed from 75 to 135bhp, depending on the stage of tune required. It was installed in a tubular chassis with transverse leaf independent front suspension and torsion bar rear suspension. There was a normal synchromesh gearbox and live axle. The Frazer Nash car was light – the chassis weighed 1.176lb – and held the road extremely well. The Frazer Nash High Speed Model of 1948 was developed into the Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica which gained a 3rd place in that race in 1949, as well as being the only British car to win the Targa Florio, in 1951. From 1953 a De Dion-type rear axle was used in some Frazer Nash cars, including the Frazer Nash Competition Model. When BMW began making a 2.6-litre V8 engine, this was put in the Frazer Nash Competition Model and in a new two-seater coupé, the Frazer Nash Continental. This was very expensive at £3.751. Only the BMW unit was available from 1957, increased to 3.2-litres in 1959. This was the last year at which Frazer Nash cars were seen at the Earls Court Motor Show and production of Frazer Nash ceased soon after that.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

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Plymouth

US, 1928 to date

Chrysler Corporation, Detroit, Mich.

The 4-cylinder 21hp Plymouth car appeared in 1928 at a list price of $725 for a sedan. This Plymouth car replaced the earlier 4-cylinder Chryslers and represented a serious challenge for Ford and Chevrolet in their lowest price class. The Plymouth car had side valves, internal-expanding hydraulic brakes and ribbon-type radiator and gave the Plymouth car a close resemblance to the 1928 Chryslers and De Sotos, and Plymouth cars sold over 100.000 in its first year, even improving its sales position in the bleak economic climate of 1932. Plymouth cars adhered to four cylinders until 1933, when the Plymouth PD-series 6-cylinder was listed at less than $600. 1934 de luxe models of Plymouth cars had independent front suspension, but this was dropped after a year and did not reappear for some time on Plymouth cars. The standard engine in the later 1930 Plymouth cars had a capacity of 3.3-litres, rather smaller than that used in comparable Chevrolets and Fords: a small-bore 2.8-litre version Plymouth car was made for export up to 1939, but the name Plymouth was not usually found on Plymouth cars sold in England, which were nominally Chrysler Kew and Wimbledon sixes. After World War 2 evolution followed that of other Chrysler Corporation cars closely, the old-fashioned styling losing the Plymouth car division its long-held third place in American sales to Buick. Further, Plymouth cars retained the L-head six as its staple power unit right up to 1955, when Flight Sweep versions were introduced with over-square ohv V8 engines on accepted American lines in a variety of powers from 157 to 177bhp. The capacity of these Plymouth cars had 4.3-litres, while the six, now of 3.8-litres, remained available. These 1955 Plymouth cars were lower and longer than their predecessors and could be obtained with synchromesh, overdrive or automatic gearboxes.

The Plymouth Fury models of the ensuing decade represented a breakaway from the traditional Plymouth stolid family car, while the Plymouth Car Division was also responsible for Chrysler’s contribution to the compacts, the Plymouth Valiant launched for 1960. This Plymouth car had rather more European styling than its competitors, with a dummy spare-wheel moulding on the tail; interesting items of specification were the unitary construction of the Plymouth car, alternator ignition, and inclined in-line 2.8-litre ohv 6-cylinder engine. The influence of the Plymouth GT car on America resulted in the Plymouth Barracuda of 1965, a fastback coupé using the Valiant’s 8ft 10in wheelbase and a 4½-litre V8 power unit. Plymouth cars, like Ford and Chevrolet, was aiming at comprehensive coverage of the low and medium price market in 1966, with the compact Plymouth Valiant, the sports-compact Plymouth Barracuda, the medium-sized Plymouth Belvedere, the full-size Plymouth Fury, and the luxurious ‘VIP’ 4-door hardtop Plymouth car, offered only with a 5.2-litre V8 engine and selling for $2.930. An increasing emphasis on sporting Plymouth cars was detectable by 1968, when in addition to the established Barracuda there were two other sports coupés Plymouth car, the Plymouth GTX and the Plymouth Road Runner. All three Plymouth cars were available with 4-speed manual gearboxes and the 6.981cc 425bhp hemi-head V8 also used by Dodge. In 1970, when Valiant prices started at a low $2.172, there was also a Valiant sports coupé, the Plymouth Duster.

In 1971 Plymouth car company added a sub-compact to their Plymouth car range when they offered the 1½-litre Hillman Avenger as the Plymouth Cricket. The 1972 range of Plymouth cars embraced the Valiant on a 9ft wheelbase, the Barracudas and Satellites, and the full-size Furys with V8 engines and automatic transmission as standard. Engines in the Plymouth cars ranged from the Valiant’s 3.2-litre and 3.7-litre sixes up to the largest Chrysler unit, a V8 of 7.210cc. Electronic ignition was offered on the costliest Barracuda model. Casualties of new Federal regulations were the hemi-head engine and convertibles, and the same range Plymouth cars with minor improvements, among them manually-operated sun roofs, was offerd in 1973.

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