The English Mechanic.

As this is the time of that most English of motoring spectacles, the London to Brighton Run. I thought I'd reflect on a car of that era celebrated every November that fascinates me and has run in the event.

The "English Mechanic" A special car with a place in Automotive history (Bonhams autioneers)

The English Mechanic and World of Science (to give the publication its full title), was a weekly magazine that ran between 1865 and 1926 for the engineering and scientifically minded people of the time. It carried many constructional and engineering articles. Articles about building and improving telescopes were popular. Pieces about lathe turning and decorative woodworking shared pages with articles about gravity, photography and the building of flying machines. 

In 1896 the magazine published a series of anonymous articles on how to build your own three wheeled motor carriage. Written by a gentleman called F E Blake it was little more than a detailed outline of a project compared to what was to come. 
Then in January 1900 they began what is probably the most important of all their constructional series. “A small car and how to build it”. Over the next 31 weeks it described the construction of the two seat small car seen above. That makes this the worlds first Kit Car, preceding the modern "kit car" era by as much as 50 years.

The GA drawing of the side of the car. (Google books)

The articles in the magazine covered everything to enable a reader to make their own version of this automobile. They included full schematic engineering drawings of the major parts of the car. Drawings that would enable a person to make the patterns to cast and make their own single cylinder three horse power engine. If that, or any other, task was beyond them, then it was possible to purchase the parts featured from an engineering company. Otherwise Benz parts were recommended, probably because Benz cars were so popular at the time. The designer was building a car himself as the articles progressed, so changes in the construction appeared as the project developed.
The two speed 3 HP engine would propel you at speeds up to 14 mph carrying two people "over any ordinary route where gradients are not abnormal" according to the then anonymous designer. The "transmission" was an interesting twin belt arrangement. It consisted of low and high speed drive belts that normally ran slack. Drive occurred when one of the belts was tightened by a pulley pressing down on it depending on the gear selected. The designer felt that a belt transmission was quieter than a friction clutch and geared transmission. There was no reverse. The relatively low powered motor was selected because it was felt that a larger more powerful unit would "give rise to unpleasant vibrations and shake the carriage to pieces very rapidly"  The designer also felt that the major key to the cost was the trim and fittings, and these were left to the constructor as was the choice of solid rubber or pneumatic tyres. 

GA and cross section of the cylinder, so simple I can understand it.  (Google books)

In later years, other constructional series followed, in 1901 a 1 1/2 HP motor bicycle. An article about building a steam car followed from June 1901 to March 1902 then almost immediately by a steam tricycle. The original “small car” was upgraded to a two cylinder 5-8 horsepower design in a series of articles that ran from February 1903 to 1904. Then after a few years hiatus, in 1907-1908 a small delivery van was the subject of the articles. Each car was known as an English Mechanic, there being no distinction between sizes and types.

The other remaining "EM designs" The Steam car and the upgraded small car.
(Internet images no copyright infringement intended)

Today, to the best of anyone’s knowledge, only a steam car of 1901, a 1903 two cylinder car and two of the first two seater small cars have survived to this day.

All of the designs were the work of an Englishman. Thomas Hyler White, a 29 year old engineer, who began his career in the automobile industry working at Daimler between 1896 and 1898. He had also taken part in the original emancipation run in 1896. This was the event that marked the end of the notorious ‘red flag’ law and was the precursor of the world famous London to Brighton classic car run. By 1899 he had designed his own petrol engine, and was working for David J Smith & Co.  This was the engineering firm that could supply the parts for these cars in the magazine if you didn’t want to make your own. To that extent you could look on these vehicle projects as marketing exercises. In addition to writing for The Mechanic magazine Hyler White also contributed articles to the American equivalent magazine "The Horseless Age".

The Hyler White Petrol engine of 1899 (Graces Guide)

Sadly, Hyler White passed away in 1920. He was only 48. He was not a well man, he suffered from consumption. He left behind a wife and two children. 
I feel he is under appreciated in the history of British automobile. Though his name isn’t attached to a million selling car like the popular car makers, and it's unknown how many people actually built an English Mechanic. He certainly left his mark, and having read letters to the editor in the Mechanic magazine his designs instilled great loyalty amongst his supporters. On reflection he could be seen as important to the English car industry as people like Rolls and Royce and even WO Bentley.

As can be expected, the technology of a car built in 1900 is extremely simple. The drawings are well within the capacity of anyone who studied geometric and mechanical drawing at school to understand. 
There has been several notable classic car reconstructions lately. Most notably Adrian Wards Jappic recreation and Duncan Pittaways phenomenal "Beast of Turin" So why hasn't anyone had a go at recreating this piece of motoring history?
The manufacture of a 3HP engine should be as difficult/impossible as back in 1900 but with no contemporary castings to fall back on, vintage engines of the period could be sourced. Perhaps modern CAD technology and milling techniques could make parts more easily than early 20th century forgings. Would 3D printing be possible for some parts? I do not know. I can understand the drawings but perhaps the actual building of a car might be beyond me. Perhaps more technically and mechanically minded than I could do it. 
Anyone?