Vauxhall 12-4
Vauxhall 12HP Tyres
- Longstone's recommendation for the Vauxhall 12-4 is the 5.00/5.25 x 16 Avon Tourist.
- The 12-4 fitted tube-type wheels, ideal tube for these tyres is the Michelin 16E innertube.
History of the Vauxhall 12-4
The Vauxhall 12-4 is a car that was manufactured by Vauxhall in the United Kingdom from 1939 to 1940 and again in 1946. The automobile, also known as the Type I, was completely redesigned and given the new name 12-4. It had a longer six-light body than the Vauxhall 10, but it had a monocoque shell with independent torsion-bar front suspension and semi-elliptic leaf springs at the back. Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes were mounted all around and had a separate circuit to prevent total loss of braking in the case of a fluid leak.
The engine was a 4-cylinder 1.4-litre with overhead valves increased from the 10-4 by extending the bore from 63.5mm to 69.5mm while maintaining the 95mm stroke. A Zenith carburettor was installed. It was assessed at 11.98hp for UK tax reasons. At 3800 r.p.m., the actual output was 40 horsepower. The gearbox was the same three-speed unit used in the 10-4, with synchromesh on second and top gears. This engine was also utilised in Bedford HA light aircraft after WWII.
The saloon body was offered in two versions: standard and de-luxe, with the latter including a sliding sunroof. For the 1940 model year, the Standard variant was discontinued. In 1938, Autocar magazine tested a de-luxe saloon and discovered it could hit 65 mph and accelerate from 0 to 50 mph in 22 seconds. Pre-war production totalled 10,164 units, with only 6 more produced in 1946.