1908 Sheffield-Simplex LA2 45 hp

1908 Sheffield-Simplex LA2 45 hp

This car was built in 1908 by the Sheffield-Simplex Motor Works Limited at Fitzwilliam Their Works, Tinsley, Sheffield to a design by Percy Richardson and first registered as W-1110. The 1909 Sales Catalog, published November 1st 1908, gives a great deal of detail and photographs of the 5000 mile test made in England and Scotland. It records that on the hills steeper than 1 in 7 (including Amulree in Perthshire at 1 in 3.75) they used the low gear and ascended easily at 20mph including stopping and restarting.

The objective was to be a car with a light-weight body. It was probable that it was the prototype gearbox-less car and that was then supplied for export to Australia and re-registered in Adelaide in September 1910 to Henry Dutton, grantee, of Medende Station North of Adelaide. Sheffield-Simplex cars were built. There were at least four owners in Australia and the car was reputed to be driven from Adelaide to Sydney, and back again.

The car was used as a taxi in Sydney, and it was a replacement for the wickerwork body. In the period 1939-1945, delivering bricks to building sites. Later, the rolling engine was used as a trailer. Nearly all minor components were dry-stored and are now refitted.

Re-imported into the U.K. from Australia in the 1970s, this example was thoroughly restored and has taken part in many rallies in the U.K. over the years. It is thought that the company only turned out about 1,500 cars in their 13 years of production (and most of those were built before WWI started). Only three are known to survive, with this being the oldest.

Descriptions and pictures by ruotevecchie