Argyll - Revision history

Red marquis at 05:29, 19 February 2007

2007-02-19T05:29:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:29, 19 February 2007
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	'''Argyll''' was a Scottish [[motor car]] marque manufactured from 1899 to 1932, and again from 1976 to around 1990.		{{List of {{PAGENAME}} Models}}'''Argyll''' was a Scottish [[motor car]] marque manufactured from 1899 to 1932, and again from 1976 to around 1990.

	==The original Argyll marque==		==The original Argyll marque==

Red marquis at 22:51, 18 February 2007

2007-02-18T22:51:21Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:51, 18 February 2007
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	'''Argyll''' was a ~~[[Scotland\|~~Scottish]] [[motor car]] [[marque]] manufactured from 1899 to 1932, and again from 1976 to around 1990.		'''Argyll''' was a Scottish [[motor car]] marque manufactured from 1899 to 1932, and again from 1976 to around 1990.

	==The original Argyll marque==		==The original Argyll marque==
	[[Alex Govan]] founded the '''The Hozier Engineering Company''' in 1899, and it was at this factory that the first ''Argyll [[Voiturette]]'' was produced; copied from the contemporary [[Renault]]. This car featured a 2¾ [[hp]] [[De Dion]] engine and ~~[[Propeller shaft\|~~shaft-drive]]. 1901 models featured an upgraded engine of 5 hp; cars made in 1902 were upgraded even further, using 8 hp units. Soon there appeared a 10 hp twin with radiator tubes forming the sides of the hood; in 1904 the company introduced a range of front-radiatored [[Aster ~~(auto parts company)~~\|Aster]]-engined cars. One of these was a 10 hp of 1985 ~~[[Cubic centimetre\|~~cc]]; others were fours of 3054 cc, 3686 cc, and 4849 cc. All cars featured Govan's rather awkward [[gearbox]], which had a T-shaped gate and separate reverse and change-speed levers. Argyll had now become Scotland's biggest [[marque]] and soon moved from its premises in [[Bridgeton, Glasgow]] to a grand ~~[[Terra cotta\|~~terracotta]] factory in the suburb of ~~[[Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire\|~~Alexandria]] built for the company by now named '''Argyll Motors Ltd.''' This factory was never used to capacity, and the company began to decline after Govan's death in 1907 and, went into liquidation in 1908.		[[Alex Govan]] founded the '''The Hozier Engineering Company''' in 1899, and it was at this factory that the first ''Argyll [[Voiturette]]'' was produced; copied from the contemporary [[Renault]]. This car featured a 2¾ [[hp]] [[De Dion]] engine and shaft-drive. 1901 models featured an upgraded engine of 5 hp; cars made in 1902 were upgraded even further, using 8 hp units. Soon there appeared a 10 hp twin with radiator tubes forming the sides of the hood; in 1904 the company introduced a range of front-radiatored [[Aster\|Aster]]-engined cars. One of these was a 10 hp of 1985 cc; others were fours of 3054 cc, 3686 cc, and 4849 cc. All cars featured Govan's rather awkward [[gearbox]], which had a T-shaped gate and separate reverse and change-speed levers. Argyll had now become Scotland's biggest marque and soon moved from its premises in Bridgeton, Glasgow to a grand terracotta factory in the suburb of Alexandria built for the company by now named '''Argyll Motors Ltd.''' This factory was never used to capacity, and the company began to decline after Govan's death in 1907 and, went into liquidation in 1908.

	Production restarted in 1910, under a company now named '''Argyll Ltd.''', with a new range of cars including the famed "Flying Fifteen", and a [[Straight-6\|six-cylinder]] model. The 12/14 was widely sold as a taxi even being exported to New York. Four-wheel brakes designed by J.M. [[Rubury]] of Argyll and patented on 18th March 1910 by Henri Perrot and John Meredith [[Rubury]] (Patent number 6807) <ref>''London Gazette'' 23 Dec 1924</ref> were available from 1911 on, and in 1912 the single [[Sleeve valve]] engine designed by company director [[Baillie P. Burt]] and [[J. P. McCollum]] began production; the entire range featured [[Burt-McCollum]] engines by 1914.		Production restarted in 1910, under a company now named '''Argyll Ltd.''', with a new range of cars including the famed "Flying Fifteen", and a [[Straight-6\|six-cylinder]] model. The 12/14 was widely sold as a taxi even being exported to New York. Four-wheel brakes designed by J.M. Rubury of Argyll and patented on 18th March 1910 by Henri Perrot and John Meredith Rubury (Patent number 6807) <ref>''London Gazette'' 23 Dec 1924</ref> were available from 1911 on, and in 1912 the single [[Sleeve valve]] engine designed by company director [[Baillie P. Burt]] and [[J. P. McCollum]] began production; the entire range featured [[Burt-McCollum]] engines by 1914.

	Argyll changed hands in 1914 and the Alexandria factory was sold to the Royal Navy for torpedo production. Car production was resumed on a small scale in the original Bridgeton works under the control of John Brimlow who had previously run the repair department. The first product from the new company was a revival of the pre-~~[[World War I\|~~war]] 15·9 hp model, now with electric starter but few were sold. In 1922 it was joined by a 1½-litre sleeve valve model and in 1926 by the 12/40 sports.		Argyll changed hands in 1914 and the Alexandria factory was sold to the Royal Navy for torpedo production. Car production was resumed on a small scale in the original Bridgeton works under the control of John Brimlow who had previously run the repair department. The first product from the new company was a revival of the pre-war 15·9 hp model, now with electric starter but few were sold. In 1922 it was joined by a 1½-litre sleeve valve model and in 1926 by the 12/40 sports.

	The company made a final appearance at the [[London Motor Show]] in 1927 and the last cars were probably made in 1928 though still advertised until Argyll closed in 1932.		The company made a final appearance at the [[London Motor Show]] in 1927 and the last cars were probably made in 1928 though still advertised until Argyll closed in 1932.

	==The second Argyll era==		==The second Argyll era==
	The name was re-used in 1976 by a new company who made a mid-engined sports car, the Argyll GT in [[Lochgilphead]], Scotland.		The name was re-used in 1976 by a new company who made a mid-engined sports car, the Argyll GT in Lochgilphead, Scotland.

	The new manufacturing company was founded by ex-Mini racer and [[turbocharger]] expert [[Bob Henderson ~~(racing driver)~~\|Bob Henderson]]. The new car was named after the original Argyll of 1898, in honour of a grandfather of one of the investors who worked in the Argyll factory at Alexandria.		The new manufacturing company was founded by ex-Mini racer and [[turbocharger]] expert [[Bob Henderson\|Bob Henderson]]. The new car was named after the original Argyll of 1898, in honour of a grandfather of one of the investors who worked in the Argyll factory at Alexandria.

	The only model was the '''Argyll GT''' (or "Turbo GT"), which was based on a sturdy box section chassis with space frame clothed in a [[fibreglass]] bodyshell made next door to the old [[Arrol-Johnston]] factory in [[Dumfries]] by [[Solway Marine]]. The suspension came from the [[Triumph 2500]] and the gearbox was a [[ZF Friedrichshafen\|ZF]] 5 speed unit. The car was mid-engined and powered by a choice of engines including a normal or turbocharged [[Rover V8 engine]], a Straight-4 [[Saab]] and the ''Douvrin'' Euro V6 as used by [[Renault]], [[Peugeot]] and others. By undoing 10 bolts, the entire rear end, suspension, gearbox and engine came away. A top speed of 160 mph (200 km/h) with the turbo V8 was claimed.		The only model was the '''Argyll GT''' (or "Turbo GT"), which was based on a sturdy box section chassis with space frame clothed in a fibreglass bodyshell made next door to the old [[Arrol-Johnston]] factory in Dumfries by Solway Marine. The suspension came from the [[Triumph 2500]] and the gearbox was a [[ZF Friedrichshafen\|ZF]] 5 speed unit. The car was mid-engined and powered by a choice of engines including a normal or turbocharged [[Rover V8 engine]], a Straight-4 [[Saab]] and the ''Douvrin'' Euro V6 as used by [[Renault]], [[Peugeot]] and others. By undoing 10 bolts, the entire rear end, suspension, gearbox and engine came away. A top speed of 160 mph (200 km/h) with the turbo V8 was claimed.

	Only a handful were built each using components from other manufacturers, it had limited appeal, poor sales and the company ultimately folded around 1990.		Only a handful were built each using components from other manufacturers, it had limited appeal, poor sales and the company ultimately folded around 1990.

Red marquis at 22:49, 18 February 2007

2007-02-18T22:49:45Z

New page

'''Argyll''' was a [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[motor car]] [[marque]] manufactured from 1899 to 1932, and again from 1976 to around 1990.

==The original Argyll marque==
[[Alex Govan]] founded the '''The Hozier Engineering Company''' in 1899, and it was at this factory that the first ''Argyll [[Voiturette]]'' was produced; copied from the contemporary [[Renault]]. This car featured a 2¾ [[hp]] [[De Dion]] engine and [[Propeller shaft|shaft-drive]]. 1901 models featured an upgraded engine of 5 hp; cars made in 1902 were upgraded even further, using 8 hp units. Soon there appeared a 10 hp twin with radiator tubes forming the sides of the hood; in 1904 the company introduced a range of front-radiatored [[Aster (auto parts company)|Aster]]-engined cars. One of these was a 10 hp of 1985 [[Cubic centimetre|cc]]; others were fours of 3054 cc, 3686 cc, and 4849 cc. All cars featured Govan's rather awkward [[gearbox]], which had a T-shaped gate and separate reverse and change-speed levers. Argyll had now become Scotland's biggest [[marque]] and soon moved from its premises in [[Bridgeton, Glasgow]] to a grand [[Terra cotta|terracotta]] factory in the suburb of [[Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire|Alexandria]] built for the company by now named '''Argyll Motors Ltd.''' This factory was never used to capacity, and the company began to decline after Govan's death in 1907 and, went into liquidation in 1908.

Production restarted in 1910, under a company now named '''Argyll Ltd.''', with a new range of cars including the famed "Flying Fifteen", and a [[Straight-6|six-cylinder]] model. The 12/14 was widely sold as a taxi even being exported to New York. Four-wheel brakes designed by J.M. [[Rubury]] of Argyll and patented on 18th March 1910 by Henri Perrot and John Meredith [[Rubury]] (Patent number 6807) <ref>''London Gazette'' 23 Dec 1924</ref> were available from 1911 on, and in 1912 the single [[Sleeve valve]] engine designed by company director [[Baillie P. Burt]] and [[J. P. McCollum]] began production; the entire range featured [[Burt-McCollum]] engines by 1914.

Argyll changed hands in 1914 and the Alexandria factory was sold to the Royal Navy for torpedo production. Car production was resumed on a small scale in the original Bridgeton works under the control of John Brimlow who had previously run the repair department. The first product from the new company was a revival of the pre-[[World War I|war]] 15·9 hp model, now with electric starter but few were sold. In 1922 it was joined by a 1½-litre sleeve valve model and in 1926 by the 12/40 sports.

The company made a final appearance at the [[London Motor Show]] in 1927 and the last cars were probably made in 1928 though still advertised until Argyll closed in 1932.

==The second Argyll era==
The name was re-used in 1976 by a new company who made a mid-engined sports car, the Argyll GT in [[Lochgilphead]], Scotland.

The new manufacturing company was founded by ex-Mini racer and [[turbocharger]] expert [[Bob Henderson (racing driver)|Bob Henderson]]. The new car was named after the original Argyll of 1898, in honour of a grandfather of one of the investors who worked in the Argyll factory at Alexandria.

The only model was the '''Argyll GT''' (or "Turbo GT"), which was based on a sturdy box section chassis with space frame clothed in a [[fibreglass]] bodyshell made next door to the old [[Arrol-Johnston]] factory in [[Dumfries]] by [[Solway Marine]]. The suspension came from the [[Triumph 2500]] and the gearbox was a [[ZF Friedrichshafen|ZF]] 5 speed unit. The car was mid-engined and powered by a choice of engines including a normal or turbocharged [[Rover V8 engine]], a Straight-4 [[Saab]] and the ''Douvrin'' Euro V6 as used by [[Renault]], [[Peugeot]] and others. By undoing 10 bolts, the entire rear end, suspension, gearbox and engine came away. A top speed of 160 mph (200 km/h) with the turbo V8 was claimed.

Only a handful were built each using components from other manufacturers, it had limited appeal, poor sales and the company ultimately folded around 1990.

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.scotiaweb.co.uk/argyll/argyll2.html History of Argyll Motors]

[[Category:Veteran vehicles]]
[[Category:Vintage vehicles]]
[[Category:Makes]]
[[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]