Idiosyncratic. A perfect description for this, and all the other creations that emerged from the fertile mind of one of England’s greatest engineers, Frederick William Lanchester (23 October 1868 – 8 March 1946). In fact, the design of this example, the 38HP, a model built between 1910 and 1914, was largely the work of Frederick’s youngest brother George, assisted by Frederick acting as a consultant. By the end of 1913 Frederick ceased any connection with the company. However, the 38HP was a development of the 28HP, designed by Frederick.
The most obvious feature of the car is its extremely short ‘bonnet’. This stems from the entirely logical placement of the narrow six-cylinder 4856cc engine between the driver and front passenger, freeing up the maximum possible space for occupants within a modest wheelbase.
Other entirely logical solutions, some dating from the earliest production Lanchesters of 1904, are the patented compound epicyclic gearbox instead of the fiendish crash box of the era, vertical flat leaf springs instead of coil springs to operate the valves, and a wick carburettor that gives excellent mixture control, an advantage with the uncertain quality of petrol at that time. And Lanchesters of this era always have a sight glass in the radiator header tank so that the water level can easily be checked. A final departure from convention was the decision by Lanchester to make its own bodies from 1903. Until 1914, most Lanchesters were bodied by the company, unlike its direct competitors, who largely gave the job to external coachbuilders.
These unconventional 28HP and 38HP cars were bought by wealthy individuals who appreciated their high quality, comfort and advanced technology. But by 1914 the location of the engine under a long bonnet had become the norm, and Lanchesters were looking increasingly old-fashioned in appearance. In 1913 George was instructed by the company’s directors to create the first conventional Lanchester, the ‘Sporting Forty’. It was a stylish competitor for the Rolls-Royce 40-50HP, but only a few were completed before war broke out. After the war the Sporting Forty was replaced in 1919 by a similar looking, but completely different, 40hp design.
Image displayed with the kind permission of the Haynes Motor Museum.
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