LEYLAND MOTORS

LEYLAND MOTORS 

The experiment of Leyland Motors, which published the best trucks in the UK, with expensive cars lasted only two years after that until the 60s. company once again manufactured the only trucks. The purpose of Leyland Motors - a model to compete with Rolls-Royce 40/50NR ("Rolls Royce"), and her car was supposed to be "the best cars in the world," regardless of cost. Asking price reflected the aspirations of the firm. Created a car chief engineer of the Leyland and rider Thomas Parry (Parry Thomas).


Jay. I. Pi. Houey behind the wheel of the first Leyland Eight s Bruklende (1923
British buyers are in no hurry to buy a new model. After making 18 copies of the project was stopped. Leyland Motors company has become increasingly known for its trucks and buses. She swallowed the commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Albion ("Albion") and AES (AIC), but until the 60s. it was adorned with the emblem only one car model. In the 60's. company returned to the production of cars, buying firm Standard-Triumph ("Standard-Triumph"), Rover ("Rover") and Alvis ("Alvis") and became the basis for concern British Leyland ("British Leyland").


Parry Thomas, designer of the famous racer, driving his creation
At a time when the future of the concern seemed to be promising, it was supposed to replace the model of Austin ("Austin"), Morris ("Morris"), Rover and other car brand new Leyland. For this purpose, design bureaus Group began to develop projects under the symbols "LC8" (Leyland Car project № 8 - "Car Leyland Project № 8") and "LM10" (Leyland Motors project № 10 - "Leyland Motors project № 10") .
As a result, management decided to Leyland in the 70s. to use its brand for passenger cars in Australia. As a worthy model chose a spacious car with a 6 - and 8-cylinder engine for long trips, which was supposed to compete with products from local Holden ("Holden"). Success it enjoyed after the nationalization in 1975 British Leyland group stopped its release. Further attempts to create cars of this brand has been undertaken.
Leyland Eight ("Leyland Eight"), 1920-22 and 1927
Setting the begin to build the best car, not caring about its value, Parry Thomas was in 1917, his assistant was a young Reylton Reid (Reid Railton), later developed a number of famous cars, including car Railton to establish speed records on land and participated in the creation of the post-war Hudson ("Hudson").
Perry, Thomas chose for his new car line 8-cylinder engine with a cylinder head with valves arranged opposite one overhead camshaft valve springs and leaf. They called the car just Eight ("Eight" - "Eight"). The prototype presented in 1920 at London's Olympia Motor Show. It was the first British car in-line "eight." The price is only one of its landing gear was 2.5 thousand GBP And the car itself, and its design was so interesting that the media, playing with the brand Leyland, called him "the Lion of Olympia."
Well-designed chassis with different brakes on the rear wheels with a vacuum booster (front brake was not) and console chetvertellipticheskimi springs, stabilizer bar connected. The rear wheels mounted with a small positive disintegration, to facilitate the movement of "convex" British roads. The first car was an open touring body angular shape with a rectangular radiator in the spirit of Leyland and the lights that have a round optical element was enclosed in a square enclosure.
By the beginning of the first deliveries to the chassis price has been reduced to 1875 GBP, 5-passenger touring car cost 2700 GBP Bought the car very reluctantly, because it was the most expensive British cars, and the post-war crisis is not over. The company offered Leyland Eight with various bodies, including the open tourist, convertible from Windover ("Uindover") and sedans from Vanden Plus ("Vanden Plas").
When it became clear that the project had failed, Perry, Thomas turned the two chassis in racing cars - one for himself and one for the captain Dzhey.I.Pi. Houeya (J.E.P. Howey). In 1922, Thomas joined the company Brooklands ("Bruklends") and created an instance of his car Leyland-Thoraas with a 200-horsepower engine, has successfully participated in competitions in the mid 20's.
At present, only kept one car Leyland - a massive two-seater sports version. His collected in 1927 from the remaining parts company Thomson & Taylor ("Taylor, and Thomson"), providing engine capacity of 7 liters and 200 hp Outwardly, he had nothing to do with the other cars Eight, which had been scrapped for 30-40s.


This is the only surviving Leyland Eight

Characteristics (1922)
Engine: P8, the upper cam
Bore and Stroke: 89x140 (146) mm
Displacement: 6967 (7266) cm3
Maximum Power: 145 hp
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Chassis: the steel frame
Suspension: dependent on the leaf springs
Brakes: drum (rear)
Body: 4 - or 5-seater
Maximum speed: 121 km / h