Aspects of Motoring History 15

Author: Edited by Craig Horner
Publisher: Society of Automotive Historians in Britain

The Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust has supported the fifteenth edition of 'Aspects of Motoring History' (commonly referred to as 'Aspects'), published by the Society of Automotive Historians in Britain ('SAHB'). This 'Aspects' is the ninth edition of this annual publication to be supported by the Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust. It is free to full-members of the SAHB and a limited number of copies are available directly from the SAHB at Aspects | (thesahb.com).

'Aspects', as its name suggests, comprises a selection of articles written by SAHB members (and others) on a variety of aspects of motoring history which do not in themselves merit a book but are worthy of recording and of interest to motoring historians everywhere. Issue 15, edited by Dr Craig Horner, features:

  • Philip A. Sykas: Fabric-covered cars: motor engineering and fashion
  • Paul Nieuwenhuis: Electric vehicles and the car of the future
  • Anders Ditlev Clausager: An aerodynamic centenary: the German streamlined cars from 1919 to 1939
  • James Loveridge: KRC: A ‘forgotten make’ remembered?
  • Luis Cascante: Chauffeur Buenaventura Compte and some of the cars he drove (1907-35)

The use of stretched fabrics as the "skin" of a car body was a fashion that reduced weight at the cost of an unusual appearance thanks to the necessary changes in design to ensure the fabric was taut and the surface was not smooth like sheet metal. Philip Sykas explores the origins, life and demise of this relatively short-lived fad.

Electric vehicles are, to the uninitiated, a recent emergence, but as Paul Nieuwenhuis records, they actually pre-date internal combustion and in the early years of the 20th century they were real competitors and of course at one time held the land speed record. This article covers this era and the subsequent history, including fuel cell vehicles and looks at where the industry may be headed next.

Anders Ditlev Clausager is a trustee of the MSMT and author of many books including the definitive history of Wolseley. As a German-speaker he was well-placed to research original documents for his article on the development of streamlined automobiles in Germany from the Zeppelin era to the outbreak of World War II.

The KRC is a low-production car and commercial which has remained obscure until now. James Loveridge has pieced together all the known facts on this marque which still only comprises a few pages reflecting the low numbers produced.

Luis Cascante has assembled intriguing photographs of the cars driven by a chauffeur in Spain, together with some details of the owners he worked for and a few of his exploits in their employ.

Published 2019

Price: £12.50

More Supported Books...