Lanchester Eighteen 15/18

Lanchester 15/18 and Eighteen
15/18 six-light saloon, 1932 example
Overview
Manufacturer	The Daimler Company Limited
Model years	1932-1939
Designer	George Lanchester, Laurence Pomeroy
Body and chassis
Body style	Catalogued cars: chassis only 4-door six-light saloon 4-door four-light sports saloon cabriolet town carriage
Layout	FR layout
Related	Daimler Light Twenty 16/20
Powertrain
Engine	(15/18) 2.504 L I6[1] (Eighteen) 2.390 L[2] (Eighteen) 2.565 L[3]
Transmission	Daimler fluid flywheel and (separately mounted) Wilson four-speed preselective self-changing gearbox[2]
Dimensions
Wheelbase	(9'7") 115 in (2,921 mm) and track (4'4") 52 in (1,321 mm) from September 1934 (9'3") 111 in (2,819 mm) and track (4'8") 56 in (1,422 mm)[4]
Length	depending on coachwork
Width	depending on coachwork
Height	depending on coachwork
Kerb weight	depending on coachwork

Lanchester 15/18 2504 cc
Overview
Manufacturer	The Daimler Company Limited
Also called	Daimler Light Twenty
Production	mid-1931 to mid-1934
Combustion chamber
Configuration	6-cylinder in-line
Displacement	2,504 cubic centimetres (153 cu in)[1]
Cylinder bore	69.5 mm (2.74 in)[1]
Piston stroke	110 mm (4.3 in)[1]
Cylinder block alloy	Cast-iron Aluminium-alloy pistons[1]
Cylinder head alloy	Detachable[1]
Valvetrain	ohv operated by pushrods from a chain-driven camshaft[2]
Compression ratio	5.5:1
Combustion
Fuel system	carburettor
Fuel type	Petrol[2]
Oil system	full pressure lubrication[2]
Cooling system	water. no thermostatic control, pump and fan to radiator[2]
Output
Power output	58 bhp (43 kW; 59 PS) @3,400 rpm[5] Tax rating 17.96[1]
Chronology
Predecessor	none
Successor	Eighteen

Lanchester Eighteen 2390 cc
Overview
Manufacturer	The Daimler Limited
Also called	Daimler Light Twenty
Production	mid-1934 to mid-1935
Combustion chamber
Configuration	6-cylinder in-line
Displacement	2,390 cubic centimetres (146 cu in)[2]
Cylinder bore	69.5 mm (2.74 in)[6]
Piston stroke	105 mm (4.1 in)[6]
Cylinder block alloy	Cast-iron with integral head, mounted on a two-piece aluminium crankcase[2]
Cylinder head alloy	Integral head with block Aluminium-alloy pistons[2]
Valvetrain	ohv operated by pushrods from a chain-driven camshaft[2]
Combustion
Fuel system	carburettor
Fuel type	Petrol[2]
Oil system	full pressure lubrication[2]
Cooling system	water thermostatically controlled with pump and fan to radiator[2]
Output
Power output	0 bhp @0,000 rpm Tax rating 17.97 hp[2]
Chronology
Predecessor	15/18

Lanchester Eighteen 2565 cc
Overview
Manufacturer	The Daimler Company Limited
Also called	Daimler Light Twenty
Production	mid-1935 to 1939
Combustion chamber
Configuration	6-cylinder in-line[3]
Displacement	2,565 cubic centimetres (157 cu in)[3]
Cylinder bore	72 mm (2.8 in)[3]
Piston stroke	105 mm (4.1 in)[3]
Cylinder block alloy	Cast-iron with integral head, mounted on a two-piece aluminium crankcase[2]
Cylinder head alloy	Integral head with block Aluminium-alloy pistons[2]
Valvetrain	ohv operated by pushrods from a chain-driven camshaft[2]
Combustion
Fuel system	carburettor
Fuel type	Petrol[2]
Oil system	full pressure lubrication[2]
Cooling system	water thermostatically controlled with pump and fan to radiator[2]
Output
Power output	60 bhp (45 kW; 61 PS) @3,600 rpm, Tax rating 19.3 hp[7]
Chronology
Predecessor	Eighteen 2390 cc

The Lanchester Eighteen at first known as the 15/18 was announced at the beginning of October 1931. Quite unlike any previous Lanchester it was their first new car following BSA's takeover of The Lanchester Motor Company Limited in January 1931. A medium sized car was a new departure for Lanchester.

The intention was to extend the BSA group's range of cars into a new price level by offering a car of moderate size and price providing economies by virtue of design and workmanship. This was the first medium sized car to be offered with the Daimler fluid flywheel and Wilson half-automatically changing gearbox which was separately mounted.

Design

George Lanchester played a considerable part in development of this car in collaboration with L H Pomeroy. Their original concept had been a fairly small car but one still redolent of Lanchester luxury selling for about £850. In the end the standard saloon was priced at £565.^[6]

The clutch used to engage top gear gave considerable trouble in early production cars and twice had to be replaced with redesigned versions. The (then) advanced pushrod overhead valve gear proved a success and was used in later Daimlers beginning with the Fifteen which was given a similar engine.^[6]

15/18 4-door four-light sports saloon

first reg'd 31 January 1933

Specification

Further detail

Engine

Carburettor is mounted on the off side (right)

Inlet manifold is circular, has four branches and is held above and to the centre of the 3-branch exhaust manifold

Crankshaft and camshaft run in seven and six bearings respectively

Timing by chain at the back of the engine

Valves have single springs, pushrods are on the nearside (left), the rocker cover is easily removed by hand

Lubrication is fully forced and the gear type oil pump is driven vertically in tandem with the ignition distributor from a single skew gear on the camshaft

All the oil passes through a felt flter which can be detached externally

The film(sic) radiator has a honeycomb front and a fan and impeller are combined and driven by belt from the front end of the camshaft. The radiator is enclosed with a separate shell. There is no thermostat device (15/18)

Dynamo is mounted on the front end of the crankshaft

Mechanical fuel pump

Automatic and hand control for the coil ignition^[1]

A redesigned engine of 2390 cc was announced on 21 September 1934 for the Olympia Show^[8]

Transmission

The fluid flywheel transmits power through a short splined metal universally-jointed shaft to the separately mounted Wilson epicyclic gearbox

Four forward speeds

Propeller shaft is open, back axle has half-floating underslung worm drive

Chassis

The frame has cruciform bracing in the middle and lattice type stiffening on the inside of all channel members at vital points giving strength with weight reduction.

Steering by cam gear, the column is adjustable for rake

Lockheed hydraulic brakes and a vacuum servo are fitted to all four wheels and a handbrake is fitted on the transmission behind the gearbox

Brake drums are almost entirely carried within the plane of the wheels and the springs a set closer to the wheels

Springs are half-elliptical and have gaiters and hydraulic shock absorbers with silent-bloc bushes for the shackles

Front springs are shackled forward to harmonize the motion with the steering link, back springs are underhung

Wire wheels carry 5.25 by 18inch tyres

12-volt electrical system^[1]

Changes for the Eighteen:

Front half-elliptical springs are of low periodicity type with radius rod controlled front axle and a harmonic stabilising front bumper

The four-wheel brakes are mechanical and the pull-up hand lever works the brakes at the back^[2]

Performance

On Autocar road test published in April 1932 the testers obtained a properly timed maximum speed of 71.43 mph.^[6]

Comfortable amenities

Said The Times' motoring correspondent—The four/five seater standard saloon has three armrests in the back seat and the front adjustable bucket seats have recesses in their backs for additional toe room for rear passengers. The four doors open wide down to the running boards and the glasses in them can be wound down fully in front (the driver's has a quick-action handle) and three-quarters of the way in the rear doors. The rear-most quarter-lights are fixed. A cupboard with a door is provided either side of the grouped instruments and there is a flap pocket in each rear door. Traps are fitted in the back floorboard for access to the tools, the battery and the oil tank of the hydraulic braking system. The spare wheel and tyre are in the well on the off-side front wing. The windscreen opens fully and the wipers are electrically operated. Safety glass is provided throughout. The coachwork sits low being built outside and below the top of the frame and attached by metal holders with rubber.^[9]

Prices

chassis £435

six-light saloon £565

four-light saloon £565

sports saloon £675

town carriage £795^[1]

Bigger engine for 1936

An increase of engine size from 2390 cc to 2565 cc was announced on 14 August 1935.^[10]

Facelift for 1937

The new frontal design used on the group's other cars has been employed on the Eighteen. As an alternative to independent front suspension the front beam axle is now controlled by parallel links.

The wheelbase has been reduced 1 inch to 9'6" = 114 in (2,896 mm) and the track increased 4 inches to 4'8" = 56 in (1,422 mm).^[11]

The manufacturer now estimates the fuel consumption to be 18 mpg ^[7]

New for 1938

While the engine and chassis were only altered in detail completely new coachwork was announced in August 1937. It included a luggage boot at the back and the door or lid forms a baggage platform. The seating and upholstery were redesigned.^[12]

References

1. Cars Of 1932. The Times, Saturday, Oct 03, 1931; pg. 8; Issue 45944
2. Specifications. The Times, Tuesday, Apr 02, 1935; pg. 65; Issue 47028.
3. The Motor Show. The Times, Tuesday, Oct 22, 1935; pg. 9; Issue 47201
4. The Motor Show.The Times, Tuesday, Oct 16, 1934; pg. 7; Issue 46886
5. The Olympia Show.The Times, Tuesday, Oct 20, 1931; pg. 20; Issue 45958
6. Anthony Bird & Francis Hutton-Stott, Lanchester Motor Cars, Cassell & Co, London, 1965
7. Cars Of To-Day. The Times, Tuesday, Dec 29, 1936; pg. 6; Issue 47568
8. Cars Of 1935.The Times, Friday, Sep 21, 1934; pg. 17; Issue 46865
9. Cars Of To-Day.The Times, Tuesday, Jan 26, 1932; pg. 10; Issue 46040
10. Cars Of 1936. The Times, Wednesday, Aug 14, 1935; pg. 8; Issue 47142
11. The Motor Show. The Times, Tuesday, Oct 20, 1936; pg. 9; Issue 47510
12. Cars Of 1938. The Times, Thursday, Aug 19, 1937; pg. 14; Issue 47767

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