Rootes Story

Rootes Story
Author: Geoff Carverhill
Publisher: The Crowood Press
Total Pages: 580
Release: 2018-11-23
Genre: Transportation
ISBN: 1785004808

The Rootes Story - The Making of a Global Automotive Empire traces the meteoric rise of the two Rootes brothers, William and Reginald, development of one of Britain's most important motor vehicle manufacturers. The Rootes Group acquired some of the most famous names in the British motor industry: Hillman, Humber, Sunbeam and Singer cars, as well as Commer and Karrier commercial vehicles. Over the years, some of the models built by Rootes would become household names: the Hillman Minx, Humber Super Snipe, Sunbeam Alpine, Singer Gazelle, Commer Superpoise and Karrier Bantam. In its heyday in the late 1950s, Rootes was the fourth largest manufacturer of cars and trucks in Britain, exporting to over 180 countries worldwide, becoming a global automotive empire. In this book, the people and various companies involved with Rootes are profiled, as are the cars and commercial vehicles built by them, with specifications of principal models. Personal insight from employees is given along with valuable contributions from the Rootes family themselves. This book celebrates the heyday of a truly global automotive empire and one of the most important British vehicle manufacturers of the twentieth century. This is the first book written about Rootes to be sanctioned by the Rootes family. Will be of great interest to owners and enthusiasts of Rootes cars, and those with an interest in British automotive and industrial history. Superbly illustrated with 52 colour and 361 black & white photographs.

The Rootes Group

The Rootes Group
Author: Richard Loveys
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 65
Release: 2019-07-16
Genre: Transportation
ISBN: 1784423394

The history of the Rootes Group (1913-1978) and its subsidiaries - Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam, Karrier, and Commer. This is the story of the Rootes Group which was both an important British car manufacturer, and a significant contributor to the war effort in 1939–45, as it made large numbers of military aircraft and vehicles. The company was started by William and Reginald Rootes in Maidstone from a background of building and selling bicycles and was originally concerned with new car sales, but the brothers soon realized that there were additional benefits in making cars rather than from just selling them. The Rootes Group grew largely by taking over existing companies and rationalizing and developing their ranges of cars and commercial vehicles. Many famous names became part of the Group: among the best known were Humber, Hillman, Sunbeam, Singer, Commer, and Karrier. Fully illustrated throughout, this is a fascinating introduction to one of Britain's oldest car makers.

Rootes Cars of the 1950s, 1960s & 1970s – Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam & Talbot

Rootes Cars of the 1950s, 1960s & 1970s – Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam & Talbot
Author: David Rowe
Publisher: David and Charles
Total Pages: 168
Release: 2021-10-01
Genre:
ISBN: 1787117979

The only full-colour comprehensive guide to all Hillman, Humber, Sunbeam, Singer & Talbot cars and vans, from 1950 until the end of production in the 1970s. With model-by-model descriptions and detailed technical information, this is an invaluable Rootes resource.

The Singer Story

The Singer Story
Author: Kevin Atkinson
Publisher: David and Charles
Total Pages: 884
Release: 2016-03-23
Genre:
ISBN: 1845849663

Here is the definitive history of one of Britain's oldest and most important and influential car manufacturers. Thoroughly researched and with over 300 photos this is an important piece of automotive history.

Commer Commercial Vehicles

Commer Commercial Vehicles
Author: Peter Daniels
Publisher: Amberley Pub Plc
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2018-03-19
Genre: Transportation
ISBN: 9781445604398

Originally formed in Lavender Hill, South London, the Commercial Car Company soon opened a brand new factory in Luton, Bedfordshire, where it produced its first truck in 1907, with the first Commer bus appearing in 1909. Producing over 3,000 vehicles for the military during the First World War, Commer went bust in the 1920s and was bought by Humber, becoming part of the Rootes Group in 1931. Again producing many thousands of truck during World War Two, Commer entered the post-war era with a modern series of trucks and light commercials. Unusually, the company made its own diesel engine, the TS3, a two-stroke design with a distinctive noise that earned it the nickname Commer Knocker . In the 1960s, production moved to Dunstable and by the late 1970s Rootes had been sold to Chrysler, which rebranded the truck division as Dodge. After the Peugeot takeover, the vans and commercials were developed in partnership with the Renault truck division. Perhaps the most famous of the Commer vehicles was the PA/PB van, which was used by the post office in its thousands, as well as being converted into camper vans. Many still survive to this day, despite production of Dodges ceasing in the 1990s. Peter Daniels tells the story of Commer commercial vehicles in this new book."

Motor Transport

Motor Transport
Author: Margaret Walsh
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2018-08-13
Genre: History
ISBN: 0429837674

Published in 1997, each volume in this new series is a collection of seminal articles on a theme of central importance in the study of transport history, selected from the leading journal in the field. Each contains between ten and a dozen articles selected by a distinguished scholar, as well as an authoritative new introduction by the volume editor. Individually they will form an essential foundation to the study of the history of a mode of transport; together they will make an incomparable librarty of the best modern research in the field.

Commer Vehicles

Commer Vehicles
Author: Bill Reid
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
Total Pages: 182
Release: 2017-07-15
Genre: Transportation
ISBN: 1445667495

A look at Commer vehicles.

Opposed Piston Engines

Opposed Piston Engines
Author: Jean-Pierre Pirault
Publisher: SAE International
Total Pages: 578
Release: 2009-10-08
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0768018005

This book explores the opposed piston (OP) engine, a model of power and simplicity, and provides the first comprehensive description of most opposed piston (OP) engines from 1887 to 2006. Design and performance details of the major types of OP engines in stationary, ground, marine, and aviation applications are explored and their evolution traced. The OP engine has set enviable and leading-edge standards for power/weight refinement, fuel tolerance, fuel efficiency, package space, and manufacturing simplicity. For these reasons, the OP concept still remains of interest for outstanding power and package density, simplicity, and reliability; e.g., aviation and certain military transport requirements. Using material from historic and unpublished internal research reports, the authors present the rationale for OP engines, their diverse architecture, detailed design aspects, performance data, manufacturing details, and leading engineers and applications. Comparisons to four-stroke and competitor engines are made, supporting the case for reconsidering OP engines for certain applications. Topics include: The history of OP engines Aeronautical Automotive Military Marine Unusual OP engines Comparison between 2 and 4 stroke engines The future of OP engines and more