Valveless/ Lucas Valveless

GB, 1901 – 1914

(1) Ralph Lucas, Blackheath, London S.E., 1901 – 1908

(2) Valveless Cars Ltd, Huddersfield, Yorks., 1908 – 1914

Ralph Lucas’s first Valveless car appeared in 1901, and various experimental models Valveless cars were made during the next six years without any production being undertaken. The design of the Valveless car was a vertical 2-cylinder 2-stroke with common combustion chamber, the crankshaft being placed transversely in the frame. 2 forward speeds were provided on the Valveless car, reverse originally being obtained by reversing the engine, although an epicyclic reverse gear was later fitted. Final drive of the Valveless car was by chain. Early Valveless cars had the engine centrally-mounted, and no bonnet, but when the Valveless car first appeared at Olympia in 1907 it had a conventional bonnet, although the engine was still under the seats. At this Show the Valveless car was exhibited by Crawshay-Williams Ltd of Ashtead, who had made cars under their own name a few years earlier, but in 1908 the Valveless car was put into production by David Brown Ltd, the Valveless car being the first road vehicle venture of this famous firm. Called a 20hp Valveless car, the production Valveless car had the same design of engine, but it was now mounted under the bonnet with the crankshaft placed longitudinally, and this Valveless car had a 3-speed gearbox and shaft drive. In 1910 it was known as the 25hp Valveless car, and was joined by a smaller 15hp model Valveless car. At the 1911 Olympia Show they shared a stand with the David Brown-sponsored Dodson car, and in one list they were called the Dodson Valveless cars. The Valveless cars were made until 1914, the only alteration in the range being that the 25hp had its bore reduced and became a 20 (19.9hp RAC racing), but as well as Dodsons, David Brown were selling the Belgian S.A.V.A., and the Valveless car became of only subsidiary importance. An excellent example of a 1910 Valveless car survives in the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; GNG 

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