Nice

Some cool prototype manufacturing company photos:

Endurance

Image by . SantiMB .
This is a specimen of Montesa Impala (legendary spanish motorbike) that I have discovered in the garage exactly where I hold the automobile. It is in ideal state in spite of its antiquity, and that demonstrates that it perfectly fulfills the objective of his existence: endurance.

I dedicate this photo to a operate mate that, even though she is not registered in Flickr, she visits my photos frequently, and for days it has been releasing new moto.

I have taken many images, with diverse angles, with and without having flash, HDR, Orton… and ultimately I select this one particular without having flash, that she is the a single that better represents what is this machine. Following see it time and once again, I have decided to do a cutout with partial desaturation for eliminate the colours of the wall and the floor, and leave only the red and yellow colours of the bike.

Montesa Honda is now the Spanish subsidiary of Honda, which assembles numerous models of motorcycles, bicycles, and components at its Barcelona plant. The firm exports 75 per cent of its production to the rest of Europe.

Formed in 1944 by Pedro Permanyer and Francisco Xavier Bultó, the first Montesa prototype was constructed primarily based upon the French Motobécane models of that time. Powered by a 93cc two-stroke engine with no rear suspension 22 of these units had been sold in the very first year and so promising did the market place seem that Permanyer and Bulto formulated their partnership. As a successor to the preceding model, Senor Bulto made a new 125cc roadster, which was tested in numerous trail variety rallies and semi-enduros that were well-liked in Spain at the time.

In 1961 Leopoldo Milá was working intensively on the &quotImpala&quot project. 1 of the fundamentals of the project was to assure the top quality and reliability of the product, and that is why it was required to topic the prototypes to tough, exhaustive testing.

Along the way the thought arose to make a motorcycle crossing of Africa, from north to south, where the most attempting conditions have been insured. The strategy was risky and ambitious. Five volunteers speedily appeared to make the trip: Oriol Regás, Tey Elizalde, Enrique Vernis, Rafael Marsans and Manuel Maristany.

Crossing Africa by motorcycle, from Capetown to Cairo, beneath the circumstances of the time, was an adventure of epic proportions. The media covered the event really closely.
3 &quotImpala&quot prototypes had been painstakingly ready, and, in the firm of a back up Land-Rover, the adventure kicked off on 15 January 1962. For the duration of 1000 days, and crossing 20,000 kilometres, no higher troubles arose than a couple of minor incidents that cropped up along the way in inhospitable nations, through forests and plains, with out roads and facing a myriad of risks of all types.

The style tips of Leopoldo Milá had been confirmed and the final project was a complete good results. The new Montesa &quotImpala&quot earned from the very first moment onward main technical, industrial and sports accomplishment. An instance for design and style was also set which has not been invalidated with the passing of time.

You can nonetheless see &quotImpalas&quot being driven on the streets of Barcelona, which is some thing entirely unusual provided that they had been created in 1961. Young motorcycle drivers still nowadays compete with each other for the acquire of these models as if they were precious jewels. The Montesa &quotimpala&quot was awarded the ADI-FAD prize for the very best industrial style in 1962. At that time the business had 460 personnel on the payroll, and production of 11,000 units per year.

The reigning industrial notion of the time was that of hugely integrated manufacturing: foundry perform, presses, welding, full mechanisation of the engine, painting, and assembly …The models manufactured simultaneously in the sixties were the &quotImpala&quot, the &quotImpala Sport&quot, &quotComando&quot, and production for the initial time was begun for the assembly line production of a Moto-Cross bike (the &quotImpala Cross&quot 175 and 250-cc.), essentially for export. A new model primarily based on a very sophisticated notion for the time was also launched: the 4-speed 60-cc scooter named the Montesa &quotMicroscooter&quot.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montesa_Honda and www.montesaweb.com/ang/frame_unionhistoria.htm.

Alvis Speed 25

Image by pedrosimoes7
MotorClássicos,Lisbon, Portugal

Belem, Lisbon, Portugal

in Wikipedia

Alvis cars have been created by the manufacturer Alvis Auto and Engineering Business Ltd of Coventry, United Kingdom from 1919 to 1967. The business also made aero-engines and military autos, the latter continuing long soon after auto production ceased.

Beginnings

The original firm, TG John and Co. Ltd., was founded in 1919. Its 1st items had been stationary engines, carburettor bodies and motorscooters. The company’s founder T.G. John was approached by Geoffrey de Freville with styles for a four-cylinder engine with aluminium pistons and pressure lubrication, unusual for the period. Some have recommended that de Freville proposed the name Alvis as a compound of the words &quotaluminium&quot and &quotvis&quot (meaning &quotstrength&quot in Latin) although de Freville himself vigorously denied this theory. Probably the name was derived from the Norse mythological weaponsmith, Alvíss, but the accurate origin is unknown.

The initial automobile model, the 10/30, making use of de Freville’s style was an immediate accomplishment and set the reputation for top quality and efficiency for which the firm became famous. Following complaints from the Avro aviation company whose logo bore similarities to the original winged green triangle, the far more familiar inverted red triangle incorporating the word ‘Alvis’ evolved. In 1921, the firm changed its name and became the Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd. and moved production to Holyhead Road, Coventry where from 1922 to 1923 they also created the Buckingham vehicle.

In 1923 Captain GT Smith-Clarke joined from Daimler as Chief Engineer and Works Manager and was quickly joined by WM Dunn as Chief Draughtsman. This partnership lasted for 25 years and was accountable for generating some of the most effective merchandise in the company’s history.
The original 10/30 side-valve engine was created progressively becoming by 1923 the popular overhead-valve 12/50, produced until 1932 and one particular of the most effective vintage sports automobiles of all time. Exhilarating efficiency and rugged reliability meant that about 350 of these 12/50 hp automobiles and 60 of the later (and latterly concurrent) 12/60 hp survive today representing some 10 percent of total production.

1927 saw the introduction of the six-cylinder 14.75 h.p. and this engine became the basis for the long line of luxurious six-cylinder Alvis cars made up to the outbreak of war. Not only have been these cars really sophisticated but they were full of technical innovations. Independent front suspension and the world’s 1st all-synchromesh gearbox came in 1933 followed by servo assisted brakes. A front wheel drive model was introduced (from 1928 to 1930), a model bristling with innovation with front wheel drive, in-board brakes, overhead camshaft and, as an choice, a Roots variety supercharger.

Smith-Clarke developed remarkable models for the duration of the 1930s and 1940s — which includes the handsome, low-slung six-cylinder Speed 20, the Speed 25 (considered by many to be one of the finest vehicles produced in the 1930s) and the 4.3 Litre model. As with several upmarket engineering companies of the time Alvis did not produce their personal coachwork relying alternatively on the many obtainable Midlands coachbuilders such as Cross and Ellis, Charlesworth and Vanden Plas. Several vehicles also survive with really exotic one particular-off bodywork from other designers. In 1936, the company name was changed to Alvis Ltd and by the beginning of the war, aero-engine and armoured automobile divisions had been added to the organization.

Planet War Two

In September 1939 following the outbreak of war vehicle production was suspended, but was later allowed to resume and production of the 12/70, Silver Crest, Speed 25, and 4.three Litre continued properly into 1940. Throughout Planet War II the auto factory was severely damaged in the German Luftwaffe raid on Coventry in 1940 though strangely the armaments factory emerged fairly unscathed. Much valuable gear cutting and other equipment was lost and car production was suspended for the duration of the war only resuming for the duration of the latter part of 1946. Despite this, Alvis carried out war production on aero engines (as sub-contractor of Rolls-Royce) and other aeroplane gear.

Post war

Automobile production resumed with a 4-cylinder model, the TA14, based on the pre-war 12/70. A solid, reputable and eye-catching automobile, the TA14 fitted well the mood of sober austerity in post war Britain, but significantly of the magic attaching to the potent and sporting pre-war models had gone and life was not easy for a specialist car manufacturer. Not only had Alvis lost their car factory but several of the prewar coachbuilders had not survived either and these that had have been swiftly acquired by other producers. In reality, the post war history of Alvis is dominated by the quest for reliable and reasonably priced coachwork.

Smith-Clarke himself retired in 1950 and Dunn took more than as chief engineer. In 1950 a new chassis and six-cylinder three litre engine was announced and this highly profitable engine became the basis of all Alvis models till production ceased in 1967. Saloon bodies for the TA21, as the new model was named, again came from Mulliners of Birmingham as they had for the TA14, with Tickford creating the dropheads. But with the first of these becoming part of Normal Triumph and the second becoming acquired by Aston Martin Lagonda, it was clear by 1954 that new arrangements would have to be made. By this time some of the most original and gorgeous styles on the three litre chassis had been becoming produced by master coachbuilder Hermann Graber of Switzerland and indeed these 1-off designed cars are hugely sought soon after today. With a licence in spot, from 1955 all Alvis bodies became based on Graber styles. Early examples, the TC108/G, were built by Willowbrook of Loughborough but at such a higher price tag that very handful of had been created. Only soon after 1958 with the launch of the TD21 did one thing resembling complete scale production resume as Park Ward, coachbuilders for Rolls-Royce and Bentley, contracted to create the bodies at a much decrease value. These automobiles, the TD21 and its later variants, the TE21 and finally the TF21 are well built, attractive and quick cars. Nonetheless it was clear by the mid sixties that with a price tag of almost double that of the mass created Jaguar the end could not be far off.
There had been several ‘might-have-beens.’ From 1952 to 1955 Alec Issigonis, the creator of the later Mini worked for Alvis and created a new model with a V8 engine which proved too high-priced to produce.

Rover took a controlling interest in Alvis in 1965 and a Rover-created mid-engined V8 coupé prototype named the P6BS was rumoured to be the new Alvis model but with the takeover by British Leyland this also was shelved. By the time the TF21 was launched in 1966, (obtainable, like its predecessors in each saloon and drophead kind and with either manual or automatic gearbox), the model was beginning to show its age despite a top speed of 127 mph – the fastest Alvis ever produced. With only 109 sold and with political troubles aplenty in the UK automobile manufacturing company at that time, production lastly ceased in 1967. In 1968, a management buyout was finalised and all the Alvis design plans, buyer records, stock of components and remaining staff have been transferred to Red Triangle. The Alvis name lived on with armoured fighting automobile production.

Modern

Primary article: Alvis plc

As portion of Rover, Alvis Restricted was incorporated into British Leyland but was purchased by United Scientific Holdings plc in 1981. Subsequently the company’s name changed to Alvis plc. In 1998, the armoured automobile enterprise of GKN plc was taken on and the primary UK manufacturing operation moved from Coventry to Telford. The website of the Alvis operates in Holyhead Road is now an out-of-town buying complex, but its name, Alvis Retail Park, reflects the heritage of the web site.
In 2002 Alvis group purchased Vickers to type the subsidiary Alvis Vickers Ltd which was subsequently bought by BAE Systems in 2004. BAE Systems ended the use of the Alvis distinctive ‘red triangle’ trademark.
In 2009, Red Triangle negotiated the legal transfer of the Alvis vehicle trademarks and in 2010 announced the very desirable 4.3-Litre Short Chassis tourer would as soon as again be accessible. All Alvis’ records stay intact at the company’s Kenilworth headquarters along with a huge stock of period parts. Amazingly, one of the guys to have worked on the extremely final Alvis auto created in 1967 is still retained by the firm in a education capacity.

Constructed to the original plans, the new vehicle has been named the ‘Continuation Series’ to reflect the 73-year interruption in its production between 1937 and 2010. It differs only in detail from the pre-war examples: for emissions, the engine is governed by an Electronic Fuel Injection program with electric ignition, brakes are hydraulic rather than cable, the steering column collapsible and the rear light arrangement reconfigured to conform to modern requirements.