Further findings in Victorian automobile construction

As I researched the previous blog post reading the old issues "The English Mechanic" from the early 1900's, I could only be impressed by these Victorian and Edwardian amateur engineers or "Tyro's" as they liked to be known.

Yes, Thomas Hyler White was a professional engineer and draftsman of great skill and vision, but he and his plans helped inspire the ordinary Victorian gentleman engineer to great heights.
This person who signed his letter "FTR", for example. He describes the car he built. "I am not an engineer" he began, "nor have I an engineering workshop". His largest lathe (he must have more than one then) is only 4 1/2". He had the cylinders bored by someone else and he bought the chains, springs and the rear axle.

But it's what he did make that is amazing. The wheels are of his own manufacture. Looking at the rims in this photograph, I'm not even sure that they have tyres on them.

FTR's Home built car

Then there follows a mind boggling description of his home made ignition system using a copper wire and barometer tube! This amazing vehicle could carry the builder and his family on 20 mile rides with a top speed of 10 miles per hour.

Another remarkable contribution came from someone with the non-de-plume "Economy". He doubted that many of the magazines readers had the skills or money to construct such an elaborate vehicle as Hyler Whites first two seater. So he proposed his own design. A three wheeler inspired by the voiturettes of Léon Bollée. The Bolée brothers had finished first and second in the the very first London to Brighton car run in 1896 in vehicles of their own design. So the three wheeler concept clearly had some cachet, and would continue to do so for a few years to come. A Contal three wheeler even took part, somewhat ill-fatedly, in the 1907 Peking to Paris rally that I discussed here.

The three wheeler design of Mr. "Economy"

The design submitted by "Economy" was fairly detailed as you can see, suggesting an ash frame for the car. Wooden frames were popular because it was an easy material to work that the ordinary person would have a lot of experience with. Power came from a single cylinder air cooled engine that he thought could be manufactured from drawn steel tubing with flanges for fittings brazed on, he then goes on to describe a transmission that seems well thought out, if a little complex.

Description of the transmission 

He estimates that the car would cost about 30 Victorian English pounds which in todays money is about 750 pounds or nearly 1000 US dollars. I'm not sure you could build something for that price today.
He then goes on to to invite comment on his design. Needless to say his idea for the cylinder was quickly, but politely, pooh-poohed.
In an issue dated May 24th 1901, I found this letter from David J Smith describing a version of the EM small car.

A professionally built EM car.

Professionally built by a company in Manchester, using the components from Smith's company, this car had a 5 1/2 HP engine and really does look most impressive. The larger, pneumatic tires and big brass headlamps help give the vehicle a whole new look compared to the version that ran on solid rubber tyres.

Compare this to the EM Car above. Same plans, many of the same parts, different execution

The Victorian era was a time of great self confidence in Great Britain and across the empire. The Victorian gentleman thought he could do anything and the content of this periodical prove that. The pages are laden with all sorts of crazy and disproved ideas for all kinds of contraptions as well as more successful inventions and theories. From small scribbles to detailed engineering drawings it was all in here.
All in all, a trawl through the Google books archive of the English Mechanic would be of interest to many a vintage car enthusiast. I'm certain I shall return to the pages of this historic publication soon.