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The Standard concern's main entry into the sports-car market seems to have been the short-chassis version of the "Nine" around 1928. This car was powered by the well-known side-valve engine of 1287-c.c. (63.5 x 102-mm.), and could be supplied also with a supercharger. For the rest, the sports Standard followed along conventional lines, having semi-elliptic springs all round, a three-speed gearbox, single-plate clutch, and worm-driven rear axle with differential. The cars were not sold extensively, however, the concern being too occupied in supplying saloon and touring vehicles. They did very well in competitions, and had an excellent name for reliability.
However, Standard engines and components became the basis of many special-bodied sports cars, particularly the original SS cars. The handsome Avons were, of course, built entirely on Standard chassis, from 9-h.p. to 20-h.p. In later years the Raymond Mays was based on the 20-h.p. Standard V8, and the popular Morgan 4/4 utilised a modified Standard o.h.v. power unit, built specially for the Morgan Motor Co., Ltd. |
