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A NEW British Two-Seater Sports

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A NEW British Two-Seater Sports The SWALLOW DORETTI tubular steel. The side members are NEW British two-seater sports California who know precisely what they two big-diameter steel tubes with addi- car designed to combine elegance, want. Both classes of owner are united tional strengthening steel plates above A comfort, good road manners and in demanding a very high standard of and below. They are joined by a maximum speed of over 100 m.p.h. finish of both chassis and body. numerous tubular cross-members, and is being shown in public today for the first time in California, U.S.A. Built by the Swallow Coachbuilding Co. SWALLOW DORETTI DATA (1935), Ltd., The Airport, Walsall, Staffordshire, it is called the Doretti Engine Dimensions Chassis Details and is the result of close collaboration Cylinders . 4 Brakes . Lockheed hydraulic Bore . 83 mm. (2LS on front) hetween Mr. Eric Sanders, managing Stroke .. 92 mm. Brake drum diameter Front, 10 in: rear, 9 in I director of the company, their agents In Cubic capacity. 1.991 C.C. Friction lining area . 148 cq, in. Piston area . 33.5 sq. in. Suspension: Front . Independent (coil and the United States and Sir John Black, Valves . .head (push rods) wishbone) Compression ratlo I chairman and managing director of the 8.5 to 1 Semi-elliptic sosorer Front, Armstrong rele- Engine Performance 1 / Standard Motor Co., Ltd. scopic; rear, Armstrong j Max. b.h.~. .. .. 90 The project originated during a visit piston-type at .. .. 4.800 Wheel type .. Steel disc by Mr. Sanders to the United States in Max. b.m.e.p. .. 140 Ib./sq. in. Tyre size . :: 5.50 x 15 at .. .. .. 3.000 Steer~nggear . 1 Bishop cam. July, 1952. when the Swallow Corn- . B.H.P. per sq. in. piston Steering wheel . 16 in.. ?-spoke iI pany's agents there suggested the pro- area . 2.69 Peak piston speed, ft. I duction of a sports car specially tailored per min. 2,903 to suit the vast potential U.S. market. Dimensions Engine Details There was much coming and going Carburetters . Two S.U. Wheelbase . 7ft. 11 in. across the Atlantic before the design Ignition .. Coil Track : Front . 4 ft. 0 in. Plugs : make and type Champ:on L1OS Rear . 3 ft. 94 in. Overall length.. was finally settled, including a seven- Fuel Pump AC Mechanical . 12 It. 8 in. Overall width 5 ft. 1 in. 12 gallons .. week visit to America by Mr. F. G. Fuel capacity . Overall height . 4 ft. 04 in. Rainbow, chief designer of the car. Mr. Oil filter . , Purolator by-pass Ground clearance 6 in. Oil capacity . 13 pints Turning circle . 36 fr. 6 In. Rainbow found that the car would Cooling system . Pump, fan and thermosta~' Dry weight . 16; cwt. have to meet the requirements of two Water capacity . 14 pints distinct classes of American customer. Electrical system . 12-volt Battery capacfty . .I 51 amp./hr. First, it would have to appeal to those 11 Performance Data I I who require a fast and distinctive car Transmission Piston area, sq, in. per Clutch . 9 in. Borg & Beck s.d.p ton . 40.4 for prestige reasons only and who there- Gear ratios : Top (s/rn) 3.7 (Oldrive 3.03) Brake lining area, sq. fore want a car with the ease of 3rd (s/m) 4.9 in. per ton .. 178 2nd (rim) 7.4 Top gelr m.p.h. per handling of their normal saloon, rather 1st . 12.5 1,000 r.p.m. 20.1 (Oldrive 24.51 than a road-racing car. Secondly, it Rev 15.8 Topgearm.p.h. at2.500 Prop. shaft . Hardy Spicer, open ft./min. piston speed 83.5 (Oldrive 102) would have to sell to the numerous Final drive . Hypoid bevel Litres per ton-mile, dry 3,600 (Oldrive 2,940) very knowledgeable enthusiasts in The Swallow Doretti - - - Contd. dra~vingsof 111: Strallo\r Dorctti until January I. 1953. by Scptcmher I:I>I 1112 THEelegantllnes tirct c:\r h:~d not onl!. been completed Of thecararealso hut had .;h.ipcd co \+ell in cxtcnsivc tcit, very ev~dent at . the rear; the 'n th~'countr). that ~t \v:ts dispatchc~lto large boor lid and ~hcCnitcd St:itcs herc it ha.; sincc prominent fuel covered Inan! tliousan~liof milcc ;!nJ. filler cap may be incidentall\., linb hccn matched privat:l\ ncted. .--but succc~sfully-;cg:tinjt its ~.iv:tl>it1 th~sp:~rticular ticl~l. So good \r:tc it\ reception that a further batch of cars special attention has been paid to a Laycock-dc Norman\-ille or erdrli c was at once put into production. and securing great rigidity at the front of the unit as an optional extra. it was in one of the first of these to be chassis, for the front suspension mount- Past experienee gained by the com- conlpleted that Sir John Black was ings are braced by tubular supports pany in the production of aircraft involved in a high-speed crash when running back from the tops of the components has been put to good use being shown how well the car per- mountings at an angle to join the main in the design of the body, for a double- formed. The accident could certainly side-members, and by pierced channel skin technique is employed. The inner not be attributed to any failing on the section members running diagonally skin is of 22-gauge steel and is pierced part of the car: in fact, the sturdiness of from the front cross member to the side- in numerous places for lightness and it3 construetion was amply proved by members. also ribbed for strength where required. the survival of its occupants. Running parallel to the main side The outer skin is of 16-gauge aluminium members between the wheels are and the complete body shell is bolted secondary side-members of channel to the chassis to form a single very Production Prospects section which provide additional sup- rigid structure. Provision has also been At present. the cars are being pro- port for the body. These outriggers are made for the easy removal and replace- duced in small numbers and are supported at the rear by a tubular cross- ment of main body panels and wings practically hand-built. but a great dcal member which also carries the front should they be damaged. of new plant is being installed spcci;~lly shackles of the semi-elliptic rear The ear is no~mallyfitted with a one- for their production for the Swallow springs. Additional stiffness for the piece curved windscreen but this call Company is taking its entry into the scuttle is provided by a tubular steel be easily removed and replaced by aero motor industry very seriously indeed arch, also supported by the outriggers. screens should the owner wish to enter and has no intention of merely playing with its ends welded to the main side- competition work. Other speed equip- at car manufacture. In charge of thi.; members. ment u-ill include an undershield, a side is Mr. J. P. Johnston and he is cockpit cover, semi-spats for the rear confident that by the middle of 1954 the Front Suspension Mounting wheels and wire wheels in place of the Although the coil spring and wishbone piereed-disc type fitted as standard. Swallow will be leaving his new pro- front suspension follows the same lay- Driver and passenger sit in adjustablz duction lines in very substantial out as that employed for the Triumph bucket seats and the instruments fitted numbers. Although designed primarily TR?, the suspension units are mounted as standard include a speedometer. rev. for the American market, once produc- on a tubular cross-member instead of counter. fuel gaugz. water-temperature tion has expanded sufficiently to take a pressed-jteel member and have gauge, and oil-pressure gauge. A rear care of the demand from that countr!. strengthened lower links. The patented boot with opening lid houses luggage. thz Swallow Doretti will no doubt bt bottom hush and top ball-jointed wheel the spare \\-lieel and the tool kit. madz available to British motorisis a. swivels are. however, retained. SLeering Althougll work did not b-gin on thc \\.el! gear is of the B~shopcam type and is operated by a 16-in. three-spoke steering wheel. Rear-axle torque is looked after by radius rods running forward from the axle casing parallel to and above the rear springs with their forward ends secured to the tubular cross member supporting the front rzar spring shackles. It will be recalled that the four-cylinder overhead valve engine of 1,991 C.C. is a variant of the tried and testcd Vanguard power unit which, thanks to development work, has an output of 90 b.h.p. at 4,800 r.p.m. The engine is ~nounted sufficiently far back in the chassis to give a weight distribution of 50-50 on front and rear wheels and provides the car with a maximum of over 100 m.p.h. The four- speed gearbox with its attractive remote control JMlLARlTY in certain respects to the Triumph TR2 will be seen in this picture of the Doretti's may also be obtained with "skeleton," but the chassis frame, with a basis of large steel tubes, is in fact an original design. ~30 .
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