The Vauxhall A-type, was a four-cylinder medium-sized car manufactured by Vauxhall from 1908 to 1914. It was the first production Vauxhall designed by Laurence Pomeroy. Production was mostly the 3-litre version, producing either 38 bhp in the earlier models, or 60 bhp later, but both identified as "20hp" for the tax horsepower rating. There were also a small number with 3.5 litre engines (22 tax horsepower). It became a highly acclaimed 3 litre of its day and at Brooklands on 26 October 1910 it became the first 20 hp car to exceed . Genesis Laurence Pomeroy had joined Vauxhall in 1907 as an assistant draughtsman at the age of twenty-two. He first made his mark at the 1908 RAC and Scottish Reliability Trial, held in June of that year. His first prototype, a development of Vauxhall's 12-16 and named Y1, had outstanding success showing excellent hill climbing ability with an aggregate of 37 seconds less time in the hill climbs than any other car in its class and unparalleled speeds around the Brooklands circuit. His Vauxhall was so far ahead of all cars whatever class that the driver could relax, accomplishing the at an average speed of , when the car was capable of . It went on to win class E of the Trial. That design was put into production in 1908 as Vauxhall's 20 hp offering. Four distinct variations were produced between 27 October 1908 and the end of production in 1914. One last car was put together in 1920.

The four distinct versions - A09, A11, A12 and 16-20 Engine The 3-litre side-valve monobloc engine was provided with forced lubrication . The camshaft and magneto were gear-driven until the 16-20 when it was changed to chain drive.

Reviewing the exhibits at the North of England Motor Show at the beginning of 1912 the Manchester Guardian reported that the 20 h.p. engine had been given for 1912 new light connecting rods of very high grade steel and pistons reduced in weight to give smooth running.Some Exhibits: Vauxhall. pg 5. The Manchester Guardian; 20 February 1912; Gearbox The A09 and A11 were supplied with a four-speed gearbox though some of the earliest cars retained the three-speed gearboxes of the 12-16 and at least 70 of the first cars also retained the sheet copper sump of their predecessor. There was a major revision of the chassis for the A12 and for the 16-20 both engine and chassis underwent major redesign.

Range for 1913 In November 1912 immediately before the opening of the Olympia Show Vauxhall announced their range for 1913 would include: 16-20 hp 4-cylinder 90 x 120 mm, chassis £395The Automotor Journal, 2 November 1912, page 1283

Comparison table All data from Alisdaire Lockhart, The A-type Vauxhall Register 20 hpA09 20 hpA11 20 hpA12 22 hpA1216-20 hpA12Production run:Period:Work Orders: Engine: Carburettor:

- Cam drive: Magneto: Clutch: Brake drums:Rear axle ratio:King pins:Std Wheel size:Sub frameChassis length:Chassis width:

The A-Type Vauxhall reaches speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h). Within the 21 hp limit, the vehicle established speed and endurance records. The model preceded the development of the Prince Henry and the 30-98 Vauxhalls.

Fewer than two dozen survive today out of the 950 produced.

Basic chassis changes during production Model Date range Chassis Change Work Order Car number / Range of Car Numbers Change 16-20 21 Nov 1912 to2 Oct 19201813–1818 For the 16-20 A-Type Laurence Pomeroy introduced a completely new chassis design. With the first work order for 16-20 cars 1813 the chassis had changed quite considerably. The 16-20 A-Type Work Order 1813 Chassis was drawn up in May 1912 Drawing Number: No663-664 Drawing Date: 19-05-1912. The chassis narrowed at the front and rear to Front: 28 inches Rear: 34 inches. 1813–1818 Sometime in 1913 the clutch, transmission brake and accelerator pedal design changed somewhat. 16-20 16 Aug1913 1814 For the 1814 work order the chassis was redesigned again to 20 Sep 1913 - onwards 1814 A58-A104 Sometime between A58 and A104 the support brackets for the running boards changed from a bracket secured by 2 large dome headed bolts to a bracket fixed with 4 smaller bolts. The newly designed brackets slowly were fitted as stocks diminished of the 2 bolt type.

Engine changes during production Model Date range Engine Change Work Order Engine Number / Range of Engine Numbers Change A09 xx xxx 1908 1770–1778 The A09... 24 Nov 1908 to 25 Jun 1909 1770–1771 A09.01-A09.73 Sometime between A09.1 and A09.73 the engine sump was changed from a sheet copper sump carried over from the X Type Engine to a Cast Alloy sump. A11 xx xxx 1908 1803–1811 The A11... A12 xx xxx 1908 1811–1812 The A12... 16-20 21 Nov 1912 1813–1818 The 16-20... For the 16-20 A-Type Laurence Pomeroy introduced a completely new engine design with a silent chain drive for the cam-shaft and magneto. The inlet manifold is now cast en bloc with the radiator cooling outlet pipe located at the front where the fan bolts on this was to allow a waterpump to be fitted if required. 6 Mar 1913 to 26 Jun 1913 1813-1813 A8-A31 Sometime between Engine Numbers A8 and A31 the exhaust manifold gained cooling fins located along the top of the manifold. 26 Jun 1913 to 12 Mar 1914 1813–1814 A31-A41 Sometime between Engine Numbers A41 and A100 the external oil level pot located on the side of the engine sump carried over from A09-A12 Production was deleted in favour of a redesigned sump integrating this feature. 26 Jun 1913 to 12 Mar 1914 1813–1816 A31-A100 Sometime between Engine Numbers A31 and A100 the radiator outlet located around the fan on the engine block was relocated to the side of the block near the front under the inlet manifold. 29 Sep 1913 to 12 Mar 1914 1813–1816 A41-A100 Sometime between Engine Numbers A41 and A100 the external oil feed line going to each main bearing in the crank case was deleted in favor of an oil gallery integral to the crank case. 12 Mar 1914 to 5 May 1914 1816–1817 A100-A151 Sometime between Engine Numbers A100 and A151 the number of securing bolts holding the radiator inlet on top of the engine block increased from 4 bolts to 6 bolts. 12 Mar 1914 to 5 May 1914 1816–1817 A100-A151 Sometime between Engine Numbers A100-A151 the steel baffles located under the cylinders in the engine block were deleted from production.

Surviving cars

Model Year Chassis Number Work Order Engine Number Gearbox Number Steering Box Number Radiator Number Cooling Petrol Supply G.Gravity F.Force Magneto Carburettor Hand Brake Dia Size of Tyre Rear Axle Ratio Date of Manufacture Location Status Body Type A09 1908 A09.1 1770 A09.1 Thermo Syphon G Bosch D W+P 30mm 12" 875x105 15-62 24-11-1908 Australia Restored A09 1909 A09.73 1771 A09.73 Thermo Syphon G Bosch D W+P 30mm 12" 875x105 17-56 25-06-1909 England Restored A11 1911 A11.455 1808 A11.455 Thermo Syphon F Bosch D W+P 30mm 12" 875x105 16-62 29-09-1911 Spain Restored A11 1911 A11.487 1808 A11.471 Thermo Syphon G Bosch D W+P 30mm (Current Engine from A11.471 had Zenith 36mm) 12" 880x120 16-62 7-11-1911 Australia Restored A11 1911 A11.596 1811 A11.440 Thermo Syphon F Bosch D W+P 30mm 12" 875x105 16-62 5-02-1912 Australia Restored A12 1912 A12.670 1812 A12.670 Thermo Syphon G Bosch D Zenith 36mm 12" 875x105 16-62 23-08-1912 Australia Restored A12 1912 England N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 16-20 1913 A13 1813 A8 N/A N/A N/A Thermo Syphon F Eiseman EK4 Zenith 36mm 9" 815x105 16-62 6-03-1913 New Zealand Unrestored 16-20 1913 A35 1813 A31 121 1517 31 Pump F Eiseman EK4 Zenith 36mm 9" 880x120 16-62 26-06-1913 Australia Under Restoration 16-20 1913 A58 1814 A151 N/A N/A N/A Thermo Syphon F Eiseman EK4 Zenith 36mm 9" 880x120 16-62 20-09-1913 Australia RestoredAscot 2 seat (original) 16-20 1914 A104 1816 A100 380 N/A N/A Thermo Syphon F Bosch ZR4 Zenith 36mm 9" 815x105 16-62 12-3-1914 New Zealand Unrestored 16-20 1914 A170 1818 A186 704 N/A 1601 N/A N/A N/A Claudel Hobson 26mm 9" 880x120 15-62 01-12-1914 Australia Restored 16-20 1914 A198 1817 A192 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Bosch ZR4 Claudel Hobson 26mm 9" 815x105 16-62 24-11-1914 England Restored 16-20 1914 A207 1817 A197 N/A N/A N/A Thermo Syphon F Eiseman EK4 Claudel Hobson 26mm 9" 880x120 16-62 8-12-1914 Australia Unrestored 16-20 1914 A210 1817 A207 N/A N/A N/A Thermo Syphon F Bosch ZU4 Claudel Hobson 26mm 9" 875x105 16-62 23-10-1914 Australia Restored 16-20 1914 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

References