There are many names in the automotive industry that have very long histories and are respected brands - Dunlop is one of them thanks to being a major player in the tyre industry. However, Dunlop were also key inventors of other safety equipment and one such invention was Maxaret - the first Anti-lock Braking System to be commercialised. In the late 1940s, Dunlop developed … [Read more...]
Jensen Motors
This week's history article is about a coachbuilder that became a manufacturer and survived the low volume manufacturing by being a supplier to other major manufacturers. The company is Jensen Motors based in the middle of the UK and was founded in 1934 by Richard and Alan Jensen who worked for WJ Smith, a commercial truck manufacturer. Prior to being with WJ Smith, the two … [Read more...]
Torqueflite Gearbox
I first heard about the Torqueflite gearbox being used in the Jensen FF and other European cars that used large Chrysler Hemis for power. The gearbox was suitably mated to the Hemi because both came from Chrysler. The first Torqueflite was released in 1956 as a 3-speed auto replacing the Powerflite which was a 2-speed box. Variants of the torqueflite can be found on Jeep and … [Read more...]
Ferguson 4 Wheel Drive System
The Ferguson 4WD system known as the Ferguson Formula was developed by Harry Ferguson Research Ltd that was formed by Harry Ferguson, an Irish engineer. Ferguson originally developed tractors with David Brown as the Ferguson-Brown company. The uniqueness was the hitch at the back to connect multiple types of equipment. David Brown went on to be the owner of Aston Martin when … [Read more...]