VINTAGE POSTBAG, November 1967

VINTAGE POSTBAG

“The American Invasion”

Sir;

The ” Cat-cycle ” (i.e., The Cyclecar) surely dates it somewhere between November 19 t 2 and October 1913, at which date The Crciecar became The Light Car & C.Irdecar.

Kent Karslake seems to be in doubt as to the origin of the Mass. It was French—quite definitely. It was made in Paris (5, Blvd. Bineau) and the British agents were The Lancaster Motor Co. of Lancaster Gate at the time that my parents had two of them, when I was a child. An 8-h.p. in 1906, with a single-cylinder de Dion engine, and a 15-h.p. ‘l’-head .4-cylinder in 1908, which had a Ballot or Chapuis Donner engine, I would not swear which. I remember this last car well and enclose a ” snap ” of it. The proprietor of The Lancaster Motor Co. was named Masser Horniman and I have often wondered whether the name Mass had any connection.

This rules out the Mass as the answer to the Volume, which was of American origin, and now that I have seen a reproduction of the Jarrott & Letts ” advertisement,” I feel pretty sure that Mr. Gilling’s suggestion is the right one, as the hint about Russia tics in. Maxwells were exported to the Russian Government in 1912. Surely the reference to the Otto Principle means just that, and does not suggest that the Crossley was really of German origin, any more than any other car with a 4-cycle engine ?

With the exception of the B. & S., which mystifies me comPletely, the other problems seem to have been solved. Certainly Mors (Death) had left the Jarrott & Letts fold by 1912 and had their own agency in Long Acre.

Crowborough. R. BAIL1.111. cviainued On page 1 062 VINTAGE POSTBAG—continued from page [032