GN was a light (or cyclecar) company started by Archie Frazier-Nash and Arthur Godfrey in 1910. They threw the first very basic prototype together in a few days and were in business. Cyclecars were all the rage for a few years but the industry caught up and when cars like the Austin 7 and similar killed the market, the GNs became the basis for racers. This one named "Spider" was built by Basil Davenport, acquired a 1500 cc engine and single-seat body and soon set speed records at hillclimbs and racetracks in England. It was retired during the Depression but was brought out again after the war. The shot below shows it at a meet in 1961, a little wrinkled but looking much the same.
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| Ian Dussek, Motoring Specials, Shire Publications, 1991 |
Mr G (et al.), can your knowledgeable eyeball make out (or make a good guess about) the engine(s) in the older pic? If you hadn't of just said "a 1500cc engine" [singular] I might think the power source was two upright singles, one either side of the uh ... the uh ... :Ahem: Or a monstrously big opposed twin, or ... I will shut up now.
ReplyDeleteThing sure looks like wild fun to drive.
Apparently the car not only survived, but was still being entered in this
ReplyDeleteannual hillclimb in 2020:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/opinion/motorsport/thrill-seeing-1923-gn-spider-climb-shelsey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKb-BI51-lQ
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsH4S1LhcnM Gn Cycle car in action
ReplyDeleteThe V twin sound in those youtubes! Thanks!
ReplyDelete