1911 Vauxhall C-type Prince Henry Tourer

This is a photograph that I took in Manchester before the start of the Lancashire Automobile Club’s Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1973.

It’s a 1911 Vauxhall C-type and the programme of the event had this note about the car:

 

21.      Vauxhall Motors Ltd., Luton, Bedfordshire.

             (Driver – Mr. A.A.Garland).

             1911 Vauxhall C-type “Prince Henry” Tourer, 20 h.p.

Here is an early example of the famous “Prince Henry” models designed by Lawrence Pomeroy and regarded by some experts as the first true Vauxhall sports car. It is named after Prince Henry of Prussia who sponsored early motor reliability trials, and the original price of the chassis alone was £485. The 3-litre side-valve engine of four cylinder construction has a cone clutch, four-speed gearbox and bevel gear rear axle. Maximum speed is around 70 m.p.h. at about 25 m.p.g.