Hartnett's Panels

Hartnett’s Car – Passion or Folly Dr. Norman A Darwin Abstract When Laurence J Hartnett arrived at GM-H in March 1934 as Managing Director he gave little thought to making his own car. This rapidly changed as Holden’s fortunes improved to the point where GM-H, under Hartnett’s leadership, would begin planning an all-Australian car for a 1943 introduction. The war was a diversion until the end of 1944 when Hartnett directed his engineers back to designing and building a new vehicle, one that would carry the name Holden. Hartnett’s car – Passion or Folly explores Hartnett’s dream to produce an automobile he could rightly claim as his own. Sadly, for Hartnett, the Holden’s success happened after his resignation and Hartnett’s dream faltered, then turned into a passion following the formation of the Hartnett Motor Company Ltd, a firm that ended in tatters. The story of the Hartnett car has often been told with rumour, inuendo, myth, conspiracy and malpractice. Hartnett’s Car will examine these factors to determine if “The Passion” was in reality a “Folly”. Was the Hartnett car worth the effort and agony? Was the design right for Australia? No doubt Hartnett would argue, yes but there are dissenters. These questions are raised, explored and answered considering the competition and market of the era. Sir Laurence, as time has revealed, was a brilliant entrepreneur, an innovator, a motivator who has been described as a technocratic brigand, a man who did not give up his dream without a fight. His contribution to the Australian Automobile Industry is significant and the exact circumstances surrounding the Hartnett car’s failure is long overdue. Hartnett’s Car – Passion or Folly aims to address this oversight. Sir Laurence Hartnett Sir Lawrence Hartnett is Australia’s best-known automobile entrepreneur, described as the “Father of the Holden” and a “Technocratic Brigand” he held a passion for creating his own car. This paper will examine Hartnett’s dream and reality, discussing the suitability of his design for Australia, the problems encountered and consequence. Hartnett arrived in Australia as Managing Director of General Motors-Holden in March 1934 with a simple brief, “Make Holden profitable or shut it down”.1 The story of Hartnett’s career is well documented, and that by the close of 1935 he believed an Australian car was inevitable.2 A few years 1 later in 1939 plans were well under way at GM-H for a local car to be released in 1943. The move to munitions production occupied Hartnett and Holden fully until 1944 when Holden’s engineers returned to an Australian car. Hartnett’s collision course with General Motors over design and approach resulted in his resignation and the 1948 automobile he thought represented his “ideal Australian car” was Americanised.3 Undeterred Hartnett began his own car, seeking a suitable design he ventured to France in 1947 discovering Jean-Albert Grégoire’s radicle light passenger car using aluminium, front wheel drive and 2-cylinder engine. By mid-1948 a draft three-page summary of Hartnett’s intentions was developed setting out how a low-cost economical car could be produced in Australia. By adopting the Grégoire design Hartnett believed he had a proven concept that was already in production. The design was first used by Gregoire in 1934 when he built, with support from L’Aluminium Français, an aluminium chassis for a 1932 Adler Trumpf. French automaker, Hotchkiss was impressed with the design and adopted the principal for their 1939 Amilcar Compound. While war raged further developments were made and by 1942 a small 4-seater, later called the Aluminium Français-Grégoire (AFG) prototype was ready. The AFG weighed just 398 kilos and was capable of 90km/h with a fuel consumption of 4 litres /100 ks. It was this car Hartnett saw when he visited Grégoire in 1947. Citroen, Renault and Peugeot had rejected the design in 1946 but Simca, under Grégoire’s direction, adapted the design for production only to have it scrapped when Simca Director Enrico Pigozzi returned from exile in Italy.4 At the time of Hartnett’s visit two other manufactures had considered the Grégoire design, Panhard went on the produce the Dyna X and Grantham Productions, backed by British MP Denis Kendall had started production in the UK.5 As Kendall’s company had failed in November 1946 with about 12 cars produced Hartnett was able to purchase the tooling for £25,000 saving £33,000 and several months of tooling manufacture.6 This was a fire sale by the liquidator and Hartnett’s agent in the UK, E.C.H. Shillaker, the former GM UK Managing Director, established a boxing effort in the former Kendall works.7 In addition to the tooling Shillaker was able to secure the Kendall AFG prototype (one of four built by Grégoire) and some production parts from FN Aspin & Company of Bury, Lancashire, who were also contracted in May 1950 to supply production engines and axle parts to Hartnett as well as provid office services to Shillaker all at cost plus 50%.8. The arrangement with Aspin suited both parties as Aspin would have been out of pocket when the Kendal ceased production. The only significant difference between engines was the Kendall (and other Grégoire 2-cylinders) used two fans whereas Hartnett used one. The final ingredient required was finance. Hartnett first put up £50,000 to pay Kendall, purchase an initial supply of aluminium alloy castings from Rolls-Royce and Alain Ltd and obtained an option from Grégoire for the selling rights to his design, Hartnett was confident he could also secure exclusive rights for the British Empire.9 The second stage was to raise £700,000 through a share issue. In August 1949 a proposal to float the Hartnett Motor Company Limited was raised to fund £250,000, an amount that would prove to be grossly inadequate to build a motor car. 2 Reviewing the Grégoire AFG design. In the mid-1920s graduates J A Grégoire and Pierre Fenaille embarked on a project to build a light racing car, the result was the 1926 “Tracta” a revolutionary front wheel drive (FWD) vehicle that proved its competitiveness. Grégoire then set about designing the Tracta FWD using cast aluminium. The resulting cast alloy frame comprised six parts that bolted together, eliminating welding and providing both the chassis and cowl.10 The system was not without drawbacks, the moulds were destroyed with each metal pour and the surface was difficult to paint.11 Then followed the 1937 Amilcar Compound, a vehicle that manufacturer Hotchkiss wanted as a small car. Around 100 were sold pre-war, these were later described as a disaster as the Alpax castings broke down from vibration leading to cracks that were near impossible to fix.12 Fiat engineer, Dante Giacosa, rejected the design for Simca, replacing the alloy castings with steel and modifying the suspension, in the end the design was dropped.13 Kaiser-Frazer in America also considered Grégoire’s AFG car taking up an option to manufacture, it too was discarded. Only French company Panhard proceeded with the AFG design post war producing the Dyna X and derivatives to 1967. To Grégoire’s chagrin it was substantially modified including the cast alloy frame that was replaced with steel. Grégoire’s original concept was clearly diluted. The Dyna X has been described as, “the most expensive economy car of all time” and is said to have led to Panhard’s demise.14 Simca even restyled the AFG prototype in their possession, this was the prototype Hartnett brought back to Australia and is now located in the Birdwood Museum. Fig. 1 Panhard Dyna X Fig. 2 Restyled AFG prototype brought to Australia by Hartnett. In June 1951 a larger version of the AFG was produced, known as the Hotchkiss-Grégoire it featured a 4-cylinder engine and was far better styled with a low Cd of 0.26. The problem was its cost of production and within three months had been killed off. It was described as a “mechanical catastrophe” with buyers either “miserable or rabid”.15 On the positive side Mark Hughes in a 1992 drive of one of the few surviving Hotchkiss-Grégoire’s described it as “the most advanced family saloon in the world in 1951”. Hughes went on to extoll the cars passenger comfort, performance, crisp steering, strong 3 brakes and cruising ability but did criticise the “clumsy” gear change.16 Hartnett’s directors believed this model could also be made in Australia.17 It is evident that Grégoire believed his design created an ideal small car and he was able to sell it to Hartnett, others however, with more experience, were not convinced. Grégoire’s ideas were advanced, he led design in front wheel drive, weight saving, alloy structures, variable-rate suspension and electric propulsion but ran afoul of company engineers and managers who both undermined him and did not want to pay royalties.18 Hartnett’s Car Initially orders for 1,000 Hartnetts were received by the distributors, most on a £5 deposit. A volume of 9,600 per annum was included in the original proposal, assuming this was achievable then a market share of 8.2% was attainable.19 By early 1951 the volume was revised to 2,400 (2.0%) Compared with the Austin A40 at 12.5%, Ford Anglia/Prefect at 8.4%, and Hillman Minx at 3.3% it was realistic.20 By comparison the 48-215 Holden held 17.2% of the market in 1951.21 Buyers were attracted to the Hartnett for two main reasons, Hartnett’s high standing as a procurer of munitions and price.

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