Name that Vintage car! The final reveal....

[Onliest Smeg David]

 

As Norman highlighted, there were tons of small companies making cars during the period.

When I saw it I was completely clueless as to what it was!

 

This company was an old established engineering company based in Chiswick, London, that made cars between 1922 and 1929. It was set up by Nevile, brother of Rupert and Roland.

This company was founded in 1849, making products including pumps. During the First World War they made the French Clerget rotary aircraft engines.  This successful rotary engine design was additionally built by British companies to increase the output during World War I.

In 1920 This company received an order to make engines for the 12 hp Albert car. The Albert was a light car designed by A. O. Lord and produced in Vauxhall. In 1922 they bought the Albert company and moved production to its Chiswick works. In 1923 the name of the car was changed to the owners sirname and the engine enlarged to 14 hp.

In 1922 the company started to make a small car, the Eight, based on the design of the Spanish Victoria car. This had an 850 cc 4-cylinder overhead valve engine producing 24 bhp. Financial problems arose in 1923 and a receiver was appointed, but production continued. About 2,250 examples of the Eight were made.

The Eight range included a light fire engine equipped with there own pumps. Two examples are preserved. One was built in 1922 for the Marconi Company's factory fire brigade and is now at Coventry Museum of Transport. The other was stationed at East Raynham in Norfolk and is now at Holkham Hall.

A larger model of car, the Ten, was offered from 1927. About 600 were made before production ceased in 1929.

 

 

So here's the big reveal.....

 

The car pictured above is is the 'GWYNNE Eight Brooklands', the regular 8 model had a square back and the Brooklands derivative had the curvy pointed rear.

 

This is a Gwynne Eight -  http://gwynne.info/cars.htm

 

[pistonbroke]

I feel so inadequate not having guessed the makers name   

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I'm no wiser after the reveal         

[Onliest Smeg David]

Pretty much how I felt when talking to the owners!

[Mooch]

Fred Gwynne played Herman Munster....only Gwynne I've ever heard of....

[Norman Verona]

I have heard of the make but haven't ever seen one. So I don't know the engine, must be one very similar with a large chest.

[bioman]

Hi Dave, Hope the below is of interest? I have a book called The Complete Encyclopaedia of Motorcars 1885-1968 which I got as a Christmas present at the age of 12.

 

The name of Gwynne was known on centrifugal pumps before and after it appeared on cars and the company also made aero and car engines before turning to road vehicles. The first venture into the laterfield, in 1920, took the form of acquiring the Albert, whose engines they had made. From the 1923 model year, they were known as Gwynne-Alberts. in 1922, Gwynne offered a light car under their own name. The engine of the Gwynne Eight was of Spanish origin, based on one of Arturo Elizalde's designs used in the Victoria. It had four cylinders. Bore and stroke were fifty five by one hundred millimetres, providing a capacity of 950 cc. The push-rod overhead valves were neatly enclosed, the whole unit presenting a very clean outward appearance. High power - 24bhp - and a light weight afforded a desirable combination of good performance and fuel economy, which was allied to low price. The Gwynne was a nosey and uncomfortable in the extreme, but sold well at first on account of its other virtues. The two and two halves 'chummy' style of body popular at the time was supplemented by more practical, if ugly, full four seater and saloon bodies on longer chassis, while to pull the extra weight of these, a bigger and more flexible engine of 1247cc, the Ten, was substituted. At the other extreme, a sports model was offered, but by this time, the middle 1920's, the family motorist who was the most important customer could find greater comfort and quietness more cheaply and the Gwynne passed from the motoring scene, after involving its creators in heavy loss.

Gywnne's Engineering Company Ltd, Chiswick, London, W.4 1922 - 1925

Gywnne Cars Ltd, Chiswick, London, W.4 1925 - 1929