User:Andreyb1976/sandbox

{{Retro car |

 Car_name         = Weller Four Seat Touring |
 Image            = |
 Category         = Retro Car |
 Constructor      = John Weller |
 Designer         = John Weller |
 Predecessor      = [[]] |
 Successor        = Autocarrier |
 Chassis          = [[frame] |
 Front suspension = Spring |
 Rear suspension  = Spring |
 Engine name      = Weller |
 Capacity         = 2,998 cc (182.9 in³) |
 Configuration    = R2|
 Engine position  = |
 Gears            = 4-speed|
 Type             = mecanical | }}

Weller Four Seat Touring — this car is also known as Weller 10HP Touring Car, Weller 20HP Touring Car or simple Weller was the first car designed John Weller, the future “father” of the company AC Cars.^[1]

History

The story started in 1901 when John Portwine a wealthy tradesman backed the Weller brothers and they set up a Company named Weller Brothers Ltd. The company was located in West Norwood, now it is the southern edge of London. They built motor cycles, did their maintenance and the maintenance of vehicles De Dion-Bouton. ^[2]

Gaining experience, John Weller built his first motor car, and he ventured straight away to build the upper class vehicle. Firstborn, 4-seater passenger car was exhibited at the British Motor Show at the beginning of 1903 (Stand Nos. 189 & 190). Based on the documents, at the British Motor Show were displayed two models with two-cylinder 10hp & a four-cylinder 20hp. At least Autocar reported on January 31, 1903 the company's stands were described as follows:

Stand Nos. 189 & 190. WELLER BROS., Ltd., Norwood Road, and Thomas Place, West Norwood, S.E.

One 20 h.p. Weller Touring Car.
One 10 h.p. Weller Touring Car.
Four 1.75 h.p. Weller Motor Bicycle.
Four 2.25 h.p. ditto.
One Weller Motor Bicycle, with new saddle and foot-rest attachment, and spring handle bars.
One 5 h.p. Weller Single-Cylinder Engine, developing 8 h.p. on the brake.
Component parts of the Company's various size motors.
New Weller Flexible Universal Joints. ^[3]

Design

Body

The car had a frame construction (like a car De Dion-Bouton), with a long wheelbase, which together with other design solutions possible to obtain a low center of gravity. The engine, radiator, exhaust system and the gearbox mounted on a subframe.^[4] The body was opened, classic design for those times: wood carcass, trimmed with iron. Since that time the road was mainly ground, the car has received broad wings to protect it from dirt and dust. Access to the rear seats was not on the side how we used to have it, but from the back of the car. In the descriptions of the car, there were mentioned two carbide lamps, but in the pictures and illustrations that have survived until nowadays, there is none. An unusual solution for those years was the installation of the steering wheel. The change-gear lever was on the outside, under the driver's right hand.

Engine and transmission

The car was planned to be produced with two engines of its own design with side valves, L-Head, Flathead, SV — Side-Valve. First was 2-cylinder 10-h.p., second was a 4-cylinder 20-h.p.^[4] approximately, we can say ”approximately “ because at that time the power measuring instrument was a rarity and the power was estimated by eye, based on the number and diameter of cylinders. The obtained volume was rounded up to the nearest value in the IRC (Internal Revenue Code).^[5] It may be said that the engines were modular, they had the same piston block, but different bodies, crankcases, camshafts and crankshaft. The engines had water cooling. The gearbox was 4-speed. The vehicle had a chain drive rear axle.

In the advertisements of those years there were mentioned the engines with a power 8 hp and 15 hp, but no information was saved.

The vehicle had the wheels with wooden disks (12 spoked wheels at the front and 14 spoked wheels at the rear) and pneumatic tires.^[4] The wheels were attached to the rigid axles. Suspension was by transverse leaf springs at the front and quarter-elliptic at the rear.

Destiny

The pursuit of the technical excellence has led to a high cost of the car. Lack of the name and sporting wins didn`t allow to find customers for this car, even the participation in the motor show didn`t help. Spectacular examples remained the only constructed samples of this car.

The destiny of these cars is unknown dropped out of view. In 1952 Autocar reported that at the used-car dump in Watson it seemed that someone saw a similar vehicle, but the information was not confirmed.

References

John McLellan: Classic ACs. Sutton Publishing Ltd., Stroud, Gloucestershire 2000, ISBN 978-0-750-92042-1.
G.N. Georgano, Thorkil Ry Andersen: The new encyclopedia of motorcars, 1885 to the present. Dutton, New York 1982, ISBN 0-525-93254-2.
Nick Baldwin, G. N. Georgano, Michael Sedgwick und Brian Laban: The World Guide to Automobile Manufacturers. Facts on File, New York 1987, ISBN 0-81601-844-8.
St. John, C. Nixon: The antique automobile. Cassell & Co., London 1956.
Trevor Legate: Cobra: The First 40 Years. MBI Publishing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA 2006, ISBN 978-0-7603-2423-3.
N.N. in: „Autocar“ (Zeitschrift), The Weller Twenty Horsepower Car, Ausgabe 6. Juni 1903