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Leyland | Pre War British Sports Cars

The Leyland Straight Eight



Leyland at one time represented the epitome of engineering skill and unconventional design – and at the top of that peak was the Leyland Straight Eight. The terrific performance of these almost legendary cars places them in the top class amongst the finest cars ever built, and the fact that they were designed by Parry Thomas makes them absolutely historical. Although the Leyland Company was noted solely for its high-grade commercial vehicles, the Straight Eight left nothing to be desired by any connoisseur of design as regards civilian or private vehicles. The engine was always considered to be a masterpiece and was built regardless of cost. It had a capacity of 7000-c.c. (89 x 146-mm.), and without any special tuning pushed out some 145 b.h.p. at maximum r.p.m. As over 65 b.h.p. was developed at 1,000 r.p.m., it is easily seen that an out-of-the- ordinary top-gear performance was possible.

The power unit bristled with unusual features. The eight-cylinder assembly was a monobloc casting with detachable head. The block carried inlet and exhaust manifolds and the drillings for the oilways. A single overhead camshaft was used, driven by three eccentrics and coupling shafts, and the valves were opened and closed through the medium of small cantilever springs. This last arrangement made possible by the employment of a single cam to operate both inlet and exhaust valves. Torsion-bar springing, torsion anti-roll devices, vacuum-assisted brakes, flexibly mounted gearbox and automatic chassis lubrication were advanced for their time. When you consider that the car was devised in 1920, the genius that was Parry Thomas's must be realised. Nothing on the car was left to chance; even such an apparently insignificant item as the tensioning of the fan belt was controlled by the suction side of the manifold.

Very few of the cars were built to private order, but the majority were raced with great success for many years by Thomas. One of the first production touring cars actually won a race in 1922 at over 94 m.p.h. Thomas's subsequent Leyland-Thomas deeds are matters of Brooklands history, and with his tragic end a truly great motoring figure disappeared from the British motorsports arena. Although the market for really large cars was definitely limited to those with very deep wallets, there was no denying the fact that the building of such cars as the big Leyland did invaluable work for British engineering prestige the world over. That they were not a commercial success must be admitted, but it is certain that, at the time, the Leyland people themselves never regretted for one moment the time and money spent on their production. The knowledge that they were directly concerned in the building of what must be one of the most perfect sports cars ever built should be in itself adequate compensation.
Leyland-Thomas Straight Eight
Leyland-Thomas Straight-Eight.
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