DKW F1, F7

 

1937 F7

Far ahead of its time, the popular DKW F series of the 30s were small simple cars featuring the now standard layout of a transverse front-mounted engine with front wheel drive, that's about 30 years before the Mini. 

The 600cc two stroke twin engine was in unit with the 3 speed transmission and differential giving a top speed of about 80 kph. The plywood bodied F1 below was introduced in 1931. By 1937, the body was still wood but now covered with steel panels (above).

The F1 twin-member chassis above had been simplified to the version below by 1937 but would still support a ludicrous amount of people for a silly photo, though no one seems amused..

Essential motoring accessories... Cigarettes

 

E & B Holmes wrench

E&B Holmes was a company in Buffalo, New York that specialized in making machinery to mass produce barrels. The wrench would be part of the tool kit for making adjustments on the machinery, presumably.

 They were in business from 1840 till 2002, having just missed the craft beer and distilling resurgence. The building at 59 Chicago St. Buffalo still stands.

Streetview

1919 Mercer

Out for a drive on a chilly spring day. I bet he feels like the king of the road.

Charles Lindbergh

 Lindbergh peers over the side of the cockpit of his Lockheed Sirius.

Portrait time at the McKinnon factory

 I found this typical turn-of-the-last century factory picture while looking for info on the McKinnon wrench. I can't tell what they're actually working on. The guys take a few minutes from their busy, noisy life to pose for the photographer. 

OK, Monday morning, back to work!

Postcard from Ignace, Mar 19, 09

 

Sidecar Sunday bonus

Prompted by the front end shown on Sidecar Sunday last week, here's another rather extravagant centerlink front end...

thanks, Jon!

 

Sidecar Sunday

 1923 TT winner. Freddy Dixon's Douglas outfit with banking sidecar, the action controlled with a lever by passenger, Walter Denny. (Thanks JP)

If I didn't know better, I'd say the outfit is equipped with disc brakes. Also thanks to JP, information here on the unique brake. 

1952 Two stroke manual

This 1952 edition by Floyd Clymer (actually Motor Cycle magazine in England) is an interesting look at the two stroke world before the Japanese invasion.