Aster (automobile)
Encyclopedia
The Aster was an English
automobile
manufactured from 1922 to 1930. The companies car roots can be traced to 1899 when Begbie Manufacturing of Wembley
, in north London became British licensees of the French Aster company making mainly stationary engines . In 1913 they became Aster Engineering Co (1913) Ltd and during the First World War made aircraft engines.
The first Aster cars were made in 1922 with the luxurious 18/50, which had a 2618 cc six cylinder overhead valve engine driving the rear wheels through a four speed gearbox. The 126 inch wheelbase chassis had semi elliptic springing at the front and cantilevered springs at the rear with four wheel brakes as an early option. The car was listed at £850 in 1923 and about 50 were made before in 1924 the engine was enlarged to 2890 cc by increasing its bore from 69.5 to 73 mm in the 20/55 model. One was bought by the Duke of York. About another 50 of the larger cars were made. In 1926 the engine was further bored out to 75 mm, the stroke stayed at 115 mm throughout, making the 3042 cc 21/60.
The largest car they made was the 1927 24/70 with a 147 inch wheelbase, a foot longer than the 21/60. The 3042 cc engine for this was created by boring the engine a further 5 mm to 80 mm and fitting Burt-McCollum single sleeve valve
s which were also fitted to the 21/60 engine from that year. The top of the range 39 cwt Landaulette cost £1300. Probably about 70 were made.
They merged with Arrol-Johnston
in 1927 following which production moved to Dumfries
, Scotland and the cars became known as Arrol-Aster
s. The Wembley premises were kept as a service depot eventually being sold to Singer
. The 21/60 and 24/70 were kept in production and were joined by a straight eight 2760 cc sleeve valved engine 23/70 and 17/50 six which was also available with Cozette supercharger
.
The late 1920s were not a good time for luxury car makers and the receivers arrived in 1929. Limited production continued until 1931 when the factory finally closed.
The French Aster
car company based in Saint-Denis operated between 1900 and 1910. They mainly made engines and gearboxes but could have also produced some complete cars as a 12 hp Aster was exhibited at the 1903 Crystal Palace
Motor Show. A range of Aster cars was sold in Britain between 1905 and 1907 and are most likely to have been French Ariès
cars which used Aster engines.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufactured from 1922 to 1930. The companies car roots can be traced to 1899 when Begbie Manufacturing of Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, in north London became British licensees of the French Aster company making mainly stationary engines . In 1913 they became Aster Engineering Co (1913) Ltd and during the First World War made aircraft engines.
The first Aster cars were made in 1922 with the luxurious 18/50, which had a 2618 cc six cylinder overhead valve engine driving the rear wheels through a four speed gearbox. The 126 inch wheelbase chassis had semi elliptic springing at the front and cantilevered springs at the rear with four wheel brakes as an early option. The car was listed at £850 in 1923 and about 50 were made before in 1924 the engine was enlarged to 2890 cc by increasing its bore from 69.5 to 73 mm in the 20/55 model. One was bought by the Duke of York. About another 50 of the larger cars were made. In 1926 the engine was further bored out to 75 mm, the stroke stayed at 115 mm throughout, making the 3042 cc 21/60.
The largest car they made was the 1927 24/70 with a 147 inch wheelbase, a foot longer than the 21/60. The 3042 cc engine for this was created by boring the engine a further 5 mm to 80 mm and fitting Burt-McCollum single sleeve valve
Sleeve valve
The sleeve valve is a type of valve mechanism for piston engines, distinct from the usual poppet valve. Sleeve-valve engines saw use in a number of pre-World War II luxury cars and in USA in the Willys-Knight car and light truck...
s which were also fitted to the 21/60 engine from that year. The top of the range 39 cwt Landaulette cost £1300. Probably about 70 were made.
They merged with Arrol-Johnston
Arrol-Johnston
Arrol-Johnston was an early Scottish manufacturer of automobiles, which operated from 1896 to 1931 and produced the first automobile manufactured in Britain...
in 1927 following which production moved to Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Scotland and the cars became known as Arrol-Aster
Arrol-Aster
Arrol-Aster was a British car maker founded in 1927 when Arrol-Johnston and Aster merged. The Wembley, London works of Aster was closed and production concentrated at the Heathhall, Dumfries factory of Arrol-Johnston....
s. The Wembley premises were kept as a service depot eventually being sold to Singer
Singer (car)
Singer was an automobile company founded in 1905 in Coventry, England. It was acquired by the Rootes Group of the United Kingdom in 1956, who continued the brand until 1970...
. The 21/60 and 24/70 were kept in production and were joined by a straight eight 2760 cc sleeve valved engine 23/70 and 17/50 six which was also available with Cozette supercharger
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
.
The late 1920s were not a good time for luxury car makers and the receivers arrived in 1929. Limited production continued until 1931 when the factory finally closed.
The French Aster
Aster (auto parts company)
Aster was a French manufacturer of automobile parts; from 1900 to 1910 the company produced chassis, though it is not known if they built complete cars.The firm whose full name was Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l'Aster from St...
car company based in Saint-Denis operated between 1900 and 1910. They mainly made engines and gearboxes but could have also produced some complete cars as a 12 hp Aster was exhibited at the 1903 Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
Motor Show. A range of Aster cars was sold in Britain between 1905 and 1907 and are most likely to have been French Ariès
Ariès
The Ariès was a French automobile manufactured by a company in Asnières-sur-Seine from 1903 to 1938. The first cars were two- and four-cylinder vehicles built 20 chassis at a time in a large factory. These shaft-drive cars had a rather unusual double rear axle, while the engines were built by Aster...
cars which used Aster engines.