Gwynne

GB, 1922 – 1929

(1) Gwynne’s Engineering Co Ltd, Chiswick, London W.4, 1922 – 1925

(2) Gwynne Cars Ltd, Chiswick, London W.4, 1925 – 1929

The name of Gwynne wss known on centrifugal pumps before (and after) Gwynne appeared on cars, and the Gwynne company also made aero and car engines before turning to road vehicles. The first Gwynne venture into the latter field, in 1920, took the form of acquiring the Albert, whose engines they had made. From the 1923 model year, they were known as Gwynne-Alberts. In 1922, Gwynne offered a light car under their own Gwynne name. The engine of the Gwynne Eight was of Spanish origin, based on one of Arturo Elizalde’s designs used in the Victoria. The Gwynne Eight had four cylinders. Bore and stroke were 55x100mm, providing a capacity of 950cc. The push-rod overhead valves were neatly enclosed, the whole unit representing a very clean outward appearance. High power – 24bhp – and light weight afforded a desirable combination of good performance and fuel economy of the Gwynne, which was allied to low price. The Gwynne was noisy and uncomfortable in the extreme, but sold well at first on account of its other virtues. The two-and-two-halves ‘chummy’ style of body was popular on the Gwynne at the time was supplemented by more practical, if ugly, full four-seater and saloon bodies on longer chassis, while to pull the extra weight of these, a bigger and more flexible engine of 1.247cc, the Gwynne Ten, was substituted. At the other extreme, a Gwynne sports model was offered, but by this time, the middle 1920s, the family motorist who was the most important customer could find greater comfort and quietness more cheaply and the Gwynne passed from the motoring scene, after involving its creators in heavy loss.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

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