Rodley
Encyclopedia
The Rodley was a British microcar
designed by Henry Brown and built by the Rodley Automobile Company in Leeds
between 1954 and 1956.
The body was of steel construction, rather than the more usual glass fibre, and was mounted on a steel chassis. The engine was a rear-mounted air-cooled 750 cc twin-cylinder unit made by JAP
driving the rear wheels through a three-speed gearbox and chain to the axle which had a friction differential
. The suspension was by independent coil springs at the front and underslung semi elliptic at the rear. Steering was by a chain system.
Although the car was advertised as a four-seater and fitted with four seats, those in the back were very small and cramped. The roof was fabric and could be rolled forwards to give an opening roof.
Although the production target was 50 cars a week, only 65 were ever built, and only one is believed to survive. It was at the time the cheapest four-wheel car available on the British market but rapidly acquired a very poor reputation, especially for overheating to the extent of catching fire.
Microcar
A microcar is the smallest automobile classification usually applied to standard small car . Such small cars were generally referred to as cyclecars until the 1940s. More recent models are also called bubblecars due to their egg-shaped appearance.-Definition:The definition of a microcar has varied...
designed by Henry Brown and built by the Rodley Automobile Company in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
between 1954 and 1956.
The body was of steel construction, rather than the more usual glass fibre, and was mounted on a steel chassis. The engine was a rear-mounted air-cooled 750 cc twin-cylinder unit made by JAP
JA Prestwich Industries Ltd
JA Prestwich Industries, was an English engineering company named after founder John Alfred Prestwich, which produced cinematographic equipment, internal combustion engines , and other examples of precision engineering.-History:J. A...
driving the rear wheels through a three-speed gearbox and chain to the axle which had a friction differential
Differential (mechanics)
A differential is a device, usually, but not necessarily, employing gears, capable of transmitting torque and rotation through three shafts, almost always used in one of two ways: in one way, it receives one input and provides two outputs—this is found in most automobiles—and in the other way, it...
. The suspension was by independent coil springs at the front and underslung semi elliptic at the rear. Steering was by a chain system.
Although the car was advertised as a four-seater and fitted with four seats, those in the back were very small and cramped. The roof was fabric and could be rolled forwards to give an opening roof.
Although the production target was 50 cars a week, only 65 were ever built, and only one is believed to survive. It was at the time the cheapest four-wheel car available on the British market but rapidly acquired a very poor reputation, especially for overheating to the extent of catching fire.