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   David Wilkins (davidwilkins@mastodon.online)'s status on Monday, 23-Dec-2024 00:12:29 JST David Wilkins

   Today, the Vauxhall story rolls on to 1937 and the launch of the 10-4 H-Type saloon under GM. Compared with previous Vauxhalls, this was a more affordable car, with a 1.2-litre engine. That said, the H-Type was an innovative design with torsion bar independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes. It was also the first British example of unibody construction. One element of continuity - the Vauxhall bonnet flutes. Snapped: National Motor Museum. 1/2

   #davidsdailycar #Vauxhall #WeirdCarMastodon

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     David Wilkins (davidwilkins@mastodon.online)'s status on Monday, 23-Dec-2024 00:12:28 JST David Wilkins

     in reply to

     • LionelB

     @lionelb Not sure. I suspect that like a lot of these things, it depends on how you define it and there are competing claims! Without reading up I think I’m right in saying Lancia is usually credited with the first use on a production car.

     mark repeated this.
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     Sir Osis of Liver (sir_osis_of_liver@beige.party)'s status on Monday, 23-Dec-2024 00:12:28 JST Sir Osis of Liver

     in reply to

     • LionelB

     @davidwilkins @lionelb

     That's what I've always heard too, Lancia Lambda in 1923.

     The 1934 Chrysler Airflow was unbody.

     Ford's first unibody was the massive 1958 Continental.

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     David Wilkins (davidwilkins@mastodon.online)'s status on Monday, 23-Dec-2024 00:12:29 JST David Wilkins

     in reply to

     The H-Type typifies the change of direction towards the mass market taken by Vauxhall under GM’s ownership after 1925.

     I had initially assumed that its innovative features were the result of leaning on GM’s expertise. In particular I thought that its pioneering unibody/monocoque design would have relied on the know-how of GM’s famous US Fisher Body division. But in fact, the H-Type predates the first US-market GM unibody (the Corvair) by about two decades. 2/2

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     LionelB (lionelb@expressional.social)'s status on Monday, 23-Dec-2024 00:12:29 JST LionelB

     in reply to

     @davidwilkins

     Fred Lanchester invented monocoque construction?