Vauxhall Prince Henry
Encyclopedia
The Vauxhall Prince Henry was a car manufactured by Vauxhall Motors
from 1911 to 1914. It had a length of around 4.05 metres (159.4 in) and a weight of 1250 kg (2,756 lb) depending on the model and the coachwork fitted.
Trial leading to two cars being sold to Tsar Nicholas II.
The Prince Henry was based on the Vauxhall 20hp that had been designed in 1909 by then draughtsman Laurence Pomeroy
(1883-1941) when the company's chief designer F. W. Hodges was away on holiday. The engine was of 4 cylinder monobloc
design with side valves and a capacity of 3054 cc giving 40 bhp output. Three of these cars were entered in the RAC 2000 miles (3,218.7 km) trial and one won the speed trials at Brooklands
which was part of the event as well as winning the fuel economy
award for its class. This victory helped Pomeroy to be promoted to Works Manager. This model was known as the A-Type Vauxhall and was produced, with periodic improvements until 1914, with about 950 being made.
Externally the cars differed from the Prince Henry by having flat rather than V-shaped radiators.
Only 13 30/98s were made before war intervened with several of these going to Australia where one was used by the importer, Boyd Edkins to break the Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane to Sydney records.
In 1923 the engine was updated and fitted with overhead valves and detachable cylinder head and became the OE-type with a capacity of 4224 cc and power output of 115 bhp at 3300 rpm. From late 1923 front wheel brakes became available, at first cable operated but hydraulic from 1926. 313 were made.
The last cars were made in 1927 and these had a final engine improvement with balanced crankshaft allowing them to be tuned to 120 bhp and a closer ratio gearbox.
was made as a slightly less sporting car with the 3969 cc engine derated to 60 bhp. These were made until 1922 with substantial numbers being used as officers' staff car
s in World War I
. About 4500 were made in total.
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
from 1911 to 1914. It had a length of around 4.05 metres (159.4 in) and a weight of 1250 kg (2,756 lb) depending on the model and the coachwork fitted.
History
Officially classed as the C-10 type, the name "Prince Henry" was introduced to distinguish the three cars that were entered in the 1200 mile (1900KM) long 1910 Motor Trials named in honour of Prince Henry of Prussia. The Vauxhall Prince Henry also competed in other international trials including the 1911 St Petersburg to SebastopolSevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
Trial leading to two cars being sold to Tsar Nicholas II.
The Prince Henry was based on the Vauxhall 20hp that had been designed in 1909 by then draughtsman Laurence Pomeroy
Laurence Pomeroy
Laurence Henry Pomeroy was an English automotive engineer.Laurence Pomeroy was born in London and after leaving school served as an apprentice with the North London Railway Company. From there he became a draughtsman with Thornycroft in Basingstoke before moving to Vauxhall Motors in Luton in...
(1883-1941) when the company's chief designer F. W. Hodges was away on holiday. The engine was of 4 cylinder monobloc
Monobloc engine
A monobloc or en bloc engine is an internal-combustion piston engine where some of the major components: cylinder head, cylinder block, or crankcase are formed, usually by casting, as a single integral unit, rather than being assembled later...
design with side valves and a capacity of 3054 cc giving 40 bhp output. Three of these cars were entered in the RAC 2000 miles (3,218.7 km) trial and one won the speed trials at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
which was part of the event as well as winning the fuel economy
Fuel economy in automobiles
Fuel usage in automobiles refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed....
award for its class. This victory helped Pomeroy to be promoted to Works Manager. This model was known as the A-Type Vauxhall and was produced, with periodic improvements until 1914, with about 950 being made.
C10-type
With the decision to enter the Prince Henry Trial the engine power was increased to 60 bhp at 2800 rpm and as a result of the success replicas were put on the market at £580 and called the C10 type but became better known as the Prince Henry model. In 1913 the engine capacity was increased to 3969 cc and the designation changed to 'C type'. Production continued until 1915.30/98
There was a demand for more power and in 1913 the engine was enlarged again to 4525 cc. Still using the Prince Henry chassis these cars were called the 30/98 it is believed because the car had an output of 30 bhp at 1000 rpm and 98 bhp at 3000 rpm but an alternate explanation is that it had an RAC horsepower rating of 30 and a cylinder bore of 98 mm.Externally the cars differed from the Prince Henry by having flat rather than V-shaped radiators.
Only 13 30/98s were made before war intervened with several of these going to Australia where one was used by the importer, Boyd Edkins to break the Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane to Sydney records.
E-type and OE-type
Production of the 30/98 restarted in 1919 as the E-type. The engine was carried in a separate subframe on the ladder type chassis with semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear. The car could be supplied as a chassis for completion by external coachbuilders or with the factory built Velox four seat open body. 274 were made.In 1923 the engine was updated and fitted with overhead valves and detachable cylinder head and became the OE-type with a capacity of 4224 cc and power output of 115 bhp at 3300 rpm. From late 1923 front wheel brakes became available, at first cable operated but hydraulic from 1926. 313 were made.
The last cars were made in 1927 and these had a final engine improvement with balanced crankshaft allowing them to be tuned to 120 bhp and a closer ratio gearbox.
D-type
From 1912 the D-typeVauxhall D-type
The Vauxhall D-type was a car manufactured by Vauxhall Motors from 1913 to 1922. Many were supplied to the British Army in World War I for use as a staff car.-History:...
was made as a slightly less sporting car with the 3969 cc engine derated to 60 bhp. These were made until 1922 with substantial numbers being used as officers' staff car
Staff car
A staff car is a vehicle used by a senior military officer, and is part of their country's white fleet. The term is most often used in relation to the United Kingdom where they were first used in quantity during World War I, examples being the Vauxhall D-type and Crossley 20/25.Staff cars are...
s in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. About 4500 were made in total.