Louis Renault and two of his brothers, Marcel and Fernand, started 1898 to fabricate a car with DeDion engine and 1,75 ps. Air cold with transmission and differential, 3 step gearbox and reverse gear. A very advanced construction. He sold 179 ex.

From 1902  engine volume increased to 6,3 l. because of the demand from competition cars. From 1904 to 1928 Renault kept the main construction of L-top cylinder casting in pair, magnet ignition, thermo siphon cooling and the cooler placed behind engine.

1905 the models AX and AG came. They were the base for all Renault cars, even the famous Taxis de la Marne. The taxi cabs of Paris helped to move the French army during the battle of Marne. The Germans were stopped.

1908 a 6 cyl car was announced. 1911 removable tires and pressure lubrication. More than 10000 cars were produced.

From 1904 to 1928 Renault kept the main construction of L-top, cylinder casting in pair, magnet ignition, thermo siphon cooling and the cooler placed behind engine. 

1908 a 6 cyl car was announced. 1911 removable tires and pressure lubrication. More than 10000 cars were produced. Renault has not have any down periods of importance.

For a long time Renault did not make their own bodies, instead there were left to different body firms in France.

Renault has not have any down periods of importance. A dark chapter is that Louis Renault died in prison 1944 after been accused for collaboration with the Nazis.

After his dead the company was nationalized. During and after the war a small car was developed, CV4, with the help? of Ferd. Porsche who was in jail for war crime. Although it was announced that he could go free for 500000 franc. His son earned money for construction of the Cisitalia car and paid this sum.

About this 1909 car, there is not so much information, more than it has been owned by the Renault reseller, Erik Lundvik, in Stockholm and that the car has been on display in the Marble Halls 1925.  The car was left the last time for restoring 1990 in Stockholm.

The first coach work in Sweden was done 1910 by Adolf Freyschuss Royal Coach Work Factory in Stockholm.
 
During this renovation a red cross was coming forward on the engine hood upon white bottom. This might show that the car was used during WWI

The chassis for the shown car was imported in the beginning of 1970 to Sweden. .

One of the first owners was county governor Teodor Odelberg. The last renovation was done by Gösta Josefsson in Upsala.

The common cycle selling business Co. in Landskrona was reseller for several imported vehicles among them Orient. These cars were delivered ready mounted in several countries. Only minor mounting was left at delivery in Sweden.

One Orient was shown at Stockholm World Fair 1907 with the name All-Velo. Except the cor on photo there is another car preserved in Sweden. Also shown here.

The engine is a i cyl. air cold with 4 hp equipped with friction gear coupled to the rear axle. Weight 425 kg.
This car has during the last years been used in rallies and corteges. Melcher Ekströmer Köpingsvik has renovated the car.

You can see another car of this kind at Chaparall car museum.

In the city of Waltham production of cars grew during 1890. Charles Metz had 1891 started the Waltham Manufacturing Company. This factory shared locals with one of the clock industries in Waltham.

This early company produced mostly bicycles and used the name Orient for them. They also tried to put electrical cars together. George Tinker and James Piper constructed a steam engine with the name Waltham steel.

Waltham which is situated about 2 km from Boston is famous for it´s clock industry. Charles Metz stopped working in this company 1902. The Orient cars were very simple ones and had a prize normally under $500.

The rotating plate could be moved to get different rpm. This force was moved by a chain to the rear wheels. In the beginning the car didn't even had springs and the frame was made of wood.

The Orient Buckboard was produced up to 1907 when the company of Metz took over the control of Orient Company in order to produce much more modern cars. Although the old business idea.

1909 the firm was restarted after reconstruction. Charles Metz was in leadership again and continued production of a normal car for the time named Metz, it had the same main principle.

His idea went on quite good with the system of cars partly mounted by the buyer. He could even put money in racing. He race with 3 cars and his system with friction clutch had a good function. Metz was sure that this was the system of the day.

He continued with this although the selling dropped. The production was terminated 1918 after that America had used the Metz company for war material and not paid. Some production was don up to 1922.

The Metz company delivered also cars with normal locking and 4 cyl. engines.

1913 he started to work at Mors car company. This unit was on the spot for bankruptcy. Mors captured the first speed world record for petrol cars. This record was more than one second lower then earlier steam driven car had made. He had no difficulties to get Mors company solvency again.

1915 he got commission to produce shells for the French army. With accurate calculations of the production process he could deliver these in spite of a much lesser working people than his rivals.

This gave him of course large income and at the end of the war he could start to plan how to invest this money.

He had worked at Mors factory and here he had developed a car which was the main product to start with after WWI 1919.

André Citroên had accepted the method for production by Taylor. This was the new "Just in time system". With this he became the first producer for mass production with help of the moving band principle. Many detail was manufactured by an outside producer.

We have now reached the economical crash during the 40th. In this time Citroên was working with a new car with front wheel drive. This was so expensive that the money from the company was not enough. Citroên was so close to bankruptcy that Michelin had to put money in the project. In the same time André was ill and died in cancer 1934.

New director became Pierre-Jules Boulanger. During the German occupation he became known for the "go slow" way to minimize the production for the German army. This was for example the changing of oil dipstick showing to small amount of oil. This led to many engines breakdowns.

During end of war Citroên was preparing a new car for production after the war. This was the well known 2CV which produced upp to 1990.

Then new models came with letter combinations like  CX, DS, BX and others. All these cars with typical French appearance and construction.

Not until up to 2000 the French cars change to the normal European design.

In the beginning of 1970 th a really high prestige car was missing for Daimler-Benz which could reach the famous Type 770 "Grosser Mercedes" from the 1940 th.

1963 this emptiness was filled when model 660 was presented. This model was aimed to be used as a government car. The model was terminated 1981. At this time 2677 cars had been produced as the 6000 series. 2190 of these cars was of the shown type. The car had a V8 engine giving 260 hp and could reach a top speed of 205 km/h.

In this hall there are 2 Mercedes 600. One of these is the model with 6 doors and one with 4 doors. The 4 doors were produced in 1587 during the 16 years the car was able to order. 1975 28 cars. 590 Pullman got landaulet design. This mean that the roof of the car can be opened. All windows are regulated hydraulic.

Time to produce one car took 18 weeks of a limousine design. Those who worked with this must have 15 years working time at Mercedes in order to qualify for this.

The car on the smaller picture is the only 6 door car in Sweden. It has once been owned by the government of Sierra Leone.

Mercedes 300d 1959

300d was the last model from the 1960th 300 series. This type wa popular called Adenaur. It became the symbol of the German wonder already 1951.

The 300d model was manufactured 1957-1962 in total 3077 copies. Most of them were exported to USA. It had a motor with injection system instead of carburetors which the first cars had. The motor had 6 cyl. and gave 160 hp giving a top speed of 160 km/h.

Mercedes 200d Cab 1935

Type 200 was produced between 1933-1936. Cabriolet C was produced the whole time, but changed 1935. 777 copies of this model were produced 1935.

Just this copy was bought by a jeweler in Kalmar and the car had the same owner up to 1969 and the odometer shows only 70000 km. The engine was a 6 cyl with 40 hp. This gave only a top speed of 50 km/h.

Mercedes 170 S Cab 1950

One of the first dream cars after the war was 170 S Cab A. There were 830 copies built between 1949 and 1951. It had the same engine as the closed one. Cab A had a prize of 1/3 more than a 4 doors model and was equipped generously with hardwood and leather as standard. With this Mercedes was in contras with the tradition before the war. The engine was a 4 cyl giving 52 hp and a top speed of 120 km/h.

Mercedes-Benz Typ 600. Pope car.
See also my Mercedes site

8 cyl bore 103, slag 95, 6332 cc 250 ps
Type 600 was built between 1964-1981. It was manufactured with the latest technique and with what you say regardless of cost.

Buyer was of course large companies, government and royal families. Among all I can mention shipyard managers drove around with type 600 between ship launching of oil tankers. One reason was of course space and refrigerator. These histories (without telling any details) I was told during my time at an engine supplier.
This particular car is called landaulet. It is delivered to Pope Paul VI. The uncertain suspicions is that he got it free for advertising purposes, otherwise it hadn't come back to Mercedes museum. The special thing was that the driver was sitting isolated from the backseat.. Only the normal window between. Pope was sitting in a  armchair a little higher up, and had a roof hatch over. Just for Pope to be able to raise and bless the people. Places for 4 bishops (security guards round him in much simpler chairs. Note also the high up coupe part. MB 600 is an impressing car and was manufactured in 2677 ex.
Not yet, the second hand price on this type, has reached what to be paid for pre-war cars. This means that the real Mercedes enthusiasts can afford a used MB 600. Possibly they will never afford to support the car. But why not, a 600 in garage.

Sometimes it is enough to sit behind the steering wheel saying: "Now I have only this and that to do".

This car equipped with classic lines former owner was King Gustaf VI Adolf and Queen Louise.

The car got registration no A3 between 1961-1965, and then A7. As a nice memory from the time when the Royal Family owned the car in the glove box a handkerchief was found with the initials of the queen. The Vanden Plas cars had always a high status. This is shown by the fact that all royal families in Europe at some time have owned a Vanden Plas car during the 1800th. 

The Vanden firm terminated 1980 and at this time a 110 years of car building art disappeared. Several different engines were used and the last was a 120 hp 4 litre.

The identifications for the car varied between Austin A110/120 - 125/135. The car was ready for delivery 1947 when 12 copies with a engine of 3460 cc was used. It was quickly changed to 3993. That's why tere were only 12 in the first series. Chassis were also sold to private car builders in order to build ambulances.

Attempt to modernize the coachwork was unsuccessful and the two models which were in production ceased 1959 and 1968.

Two pictures of Sherlines. The photos taken in Karlstad, outside city hotel, when I went to high school in the beginning of 1950. These two photos taken with a simlpe box camera.

Marius Berliet started to build cars already 1894. He had a single cyl motor 1900 and a 2 cyl 1902. He worked in an old factort local which he had taken over in Lyon.

In the beginning his car had a wooden frame but it was soon change to seel one. As several other car builders he tried to copy the expensive Mercedes car Simplex from this time. 1906 he sold a production license to Locomobile in Amerika. (see picture).

Before WWI he had several different models on his production line with engines with 4 and 6 cyl and a volume of 2.4 up to 9,5 liters.

After WWII the rest of the parts were mounted. It became 2 cars.

This Bleriot as shown came to Denmark, but it happened to set on fire which destoyed the car.

Anyway the owner renovated it and  let it get a now body work. This is way it doesn't have the look of the original car.

Sir Henry Royce was besides a car builder even an inventor. One of his patents was the light bulb for cars. This was given the bottom shape with a bayonet mounting. Most car lamps are still produced in this way.

At my visit at the "Grandpa's technical museum" situated in Helsingborg, I saw a bicycle with the name Rolls.

Sir Henry Royce was besides a car builder even an inventor. One of his patents was the light bulb for cars. This was given the bottom shape with a bayonet mounting. Most car lamps are still produced in this way.

Charles Rolls was an educated mechanic at Cambridge high school. He was one of the first to get driving land pilot licenses.

During the mid war period Rolls Royce developed air plane engines and also succeeded to make the best at that time. This engine was called the R-engine and gave 810 ps. The problem was that England had no suitable air plane to use the engine. In Germany it was just the reverse. Heinkel had built a plane which was called the Heinkel Blitz. Rolls Royce wanted to buy such a plane. The meaning was to use it with the R-engine and bring the Schneider trofé back to England.

Ernst Heinkel suggested that they should do an exchange, which Rolls Royce agreed in. Sorry, but RLM (Reichluftministerium) didn't supported that but agreed to a one time license. Heinkel doesn't tell how this ended in his book Stormy Life.

This outstanding Cadillac was delivered to the head of the national board of trade Gunnar Dillner.

It was sold again 1940 and was used ase a fire car up to 1956. No rebuilding was done. Only cover and spare wheel was taken away.

One inbuilt compressor for tire filling and an automatic cooling jealousy were two of the refinements of the car. The body work is made of aluminum except fenders and hood. The odometer shows only 40000 km since 1926.
 
The engine as a V8 with 87 ps and renovated by Rune Edlund and Alf Johansson.

Trying to dig info about Cadillac there is a must to first decide what to dig about. General about history, general development or engines.

After much searching it became about engines as most websites talk about this subject and specially about the V16.
1970 Cadillac decided to bore the 472 engine to 500 cc (8.2 liter) engine just because Lincoln had announced an engine with 7.7 liter, just to get the biggest engine. In the 1930th it was due to that Marmon and Peerless was on the way to build a V16. Cadillac started to build together two straight 8 engines with a single crankshaft and one camshaft in the middle with pushrods and standing valves. One new invention were the hydraulic tappets. This was chosen to get a silent engine. Advertising said that a 16 cyl engine is very smooth running, but this is not true for 16 cyl. The reality for a good balanced engine should have 12 or 18 cylinders. The mathematical problem to count the counterweights must have been quite a challenge for the Cadillac engineers.

In the beginning it was quite easy to sell such an expensive car 1930. The first 7 month 2000 cars were sold. All these were offered with body according to catalogue and customer wish. These were built by Fisher or Fleetwood. The 2 coach work companies were earlier bought by Cadillac just to get them inside Cadillac walls. Empty chassis were offered but only small sales. Same time the same bodies were sold with V12 engines and a few with straight 8:s.

The V16 car was sold at a loss and they tried to make the engine cheaper. The engine was rebuild to a 135° V and side valves, but rated the same 185 hp. This engine became much simpler and cheaper. These heads were called L-Head. The engine was named 90 and came 1938 to 1940. The engine became much broader  but the bodies had changed design and there was no problem with space. The last V16 car was delivered 1940 to a buyer in Germany. America had not yet entered the war.
After the first 2000 cars it took 10 years to sell another 2000 units. This car, the V16, is one of the most asked for. 

The V16 car was sold at a loss so they tried to change the engine to more cheaper one doing it into a L-head side valve an a 135° instead former 45°. The engine became in this way much broader. The chariots were though change to take this so there was no problem with space. The last V16 came 1940. America had not yet entered the war. It took 10 years to sell 4000 cars.

The V16 is the most sought after veteran car on the market. In Sweden there is one V16 at the Sparreholm museum. It was ordered my Torsten Krüger but the car was not used. Note. Don't mismatch this Torsten with Ivar (matchbox king). This car was later bought by publisher Pettersson Malmö and then by Helge Karinen, also owner of Sparreholm Castle.

Se more about V16 cars at the museum of Sparreholm.

This car was found in the end of 1970th in Bjärne outside Östersund. The rear axle was mounted on a hay wagon and the gearbox was mounted for a grindstone. Engine and cooler was found in county of Hälsingland.

Aftr 4 to 5 years work the car was ready. It was a luxury car at it's time. This mark was produced between 1917 and 1922 and had a cost nwe of about double what a T-Ford was offered. The car badge got a nickname as "Come and help",

The engine was a 4 liters giving 20 ps. The car was renovated by Leif Fregelin from Östersund.

The model was put together till 1922. The firm is also famous for their taxi car Checker. It became later the famout taxi of today. The production ceased 1982.

Already when the production started 1908 the car was equipped with a 4 cyl side valve engine. The engine block was casted in the new way in one piece. This was advanced for it's time.

In order to make the production inexpensive Henry Ford engaged a clever organizer in Walter Flanders.

Every museum with status has at least one T-Ford in their collection.

When the new A-Ford replaced the old T it was a success at once.

It had good selling with its 4 cylinders engine till when Ford started with the V8 1932.  More than 5 million A-Ford were produced. The model was produced in several other countries  and became also the base car in Russia for their car production.

Already 1929 this car was the most selling car i Sweden. The engine was a 3.3 liters 4 cylinder giving 40 ps. It was possible to reach 100 km/h..

This model was produced between 1927-1931. The car became the second big success for Ford after the model T.

The first car was delivered October 1927 and replaced the old model T which had been produced during 18 years. This new model was named A. An earlier car had got the letter A already 1903-1904. This car became the car of the year 1927 and was able to order in 4 different standard colors except black.

The engine was a watercold 3.3 liter giving 40  ps. When the production terminated Mars 1932 4.8 million cars had been sold.

Read about my Ford 1932 Roadster.

The first car came 1924 and got the well known name "Komissbrot". It looked like a bread that was baked for the soldiers. It was so done that it was eatable for a long time. See more under Ziegenhagen.

Hanomag had for a long time produce diesel lorries and sold also a private car with this kind of engine. This car was popular i Germany and also sold in Sweden.

Hanomag ceased as model name ca 1974 when Daimler Benz bought the company. An unsure time now started for Hanomag-Henschel when the engine production was sold to Volvo and the production machines were sent to Sweden.

Later Hanomag Henschel was sold again to Komatsu Heavy Industries in Japan and is today working with heavy machines like dumpers and others.

This model was shown 1946. It was the first Bentley after that Rolls-Royce had bought Bentley. The car has a standard body work, but special bodies were offered. 

The production of this model ceased 1952. During the last year it was delivered with a larger engine. This car is equipped with this motor.

4000 car s of this model were produced with 4.25 liters engine and 1200 had 4.5 liters. Rolls Royce gave never publicity how many ps the engine gave, but it is estimated till 132. Itg was 6 cylinders.

According it's many LeMans victories Bentley had very high reputation. Rolls Royce bought Bentley at a price of 125575£ 1955. Next buyer was Volkswagen which bought Bentley name 1965. At  Autostadt there is a Bentley with special body work designed by Roy Fedden . He was designer at Bristol Motors.

Torsten Krüger's (not to be mixed up with Ivar Krüger) Bentley 1930. This model was the direct course of bankruptcy for Bentley. It was after Torsten Krüger's death taken care of by Technical museum Stockholm. In this museum it was just standing and collected dust as the museum board was not so interested in this large car. It had and engine with 6 cylinders and 8 liter volume. The car could go for 100 mph and this speed was not possible for Rolls Royce to reach.

As this model saw the market when depression was on it's highest level only 100 copies were sold before the company 1931 ceased production. Most delivered models had the body on the picture.

This car is now on display in Köping. It is still in a bad stand and of course the Lindblad foundation cannot put money in the car. This car was paid new with almost 2000£ and is today 2009 on auction up to $900000. Torsten Krüger also owned a Duesenberg which later was sold to a Swede Martin Strömberg. Read about this.

This car was equipped with a V12 engine and was presented at New York fair 1935.

The engine had cylinders situated in V60 just lake 6he 60ps motor. The crankshaft had only 3 main bearing crankshaft. The body work was for the time noticeable streamlined. Brakes were mechanical.

The engine had no crankcase ventilation and when driving fast oil was not getting back to oil chamber enough. This could easy give engine chrash.

H.T. Pigozzi established his company 134 by building Fiat car on license for the French market. The models before 1940 was almost identical with the Italian copies.

BFK 4 model was a 4 door version of a pre war car including luggage opening and hydraulic brakes.

Renault did produce this model as the first car after war. Noticeable numbers were imported to Sweden.

The production ceased 1948 when CV4 started to deliver on the market.
The Juva car had a 4 cyl engine with 28 ps. It had a special inlet sound. The car was much alike the Opel from that time with inbuilt head lights.

The Dixi factory produced cars between 1904 till 1928. The most well known became the last model.  A small car which became very common in Germany. It was a license built Austin Seven.