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The late A. M. Squire was by way of being a genius, and there is no doubt that the 1.5-litre Squire was one of the most attractive sports cars ever built. The Squire, it must be admitted, was very expensive, but it was built to an ideal, and there were plenty of people prepared to pay a very high price for a Squire. The car first appeared towards the end of 1934, and its low build and general look of a thoroughbred made it one of the most-talked-about cars of the time.
It bristled with interesting features developed from racing practice. The twin-overhead- camshaft Anzani engine might have been taken straight from a Grand Prix racing car. The power unit had a capacity of 1496-c.c. (69 x 100-mm.), and was unusual in that it was provided with twin water pumps. Oil cooling was studied carefully, and a large, finned oil cooler and filter was mounted between the front dumb-irons. A medium-pressure Roots supercharger drew fuel from a single, large-bore S.U. carburetter. The blower was driven by from the nose of the crankshaft.
Although the frame comprised massive side-members and adequate cross-bracings, one or two cars suffered from frame fractures, presumably due to the extremely powerful brakes fitted. These brakes were hydraulically operated in 15-in. drums. Suspension was by means of exceptionally wide semi-elliptic springs. A curious feature was that each spring was damped by a thermostatically controlled shock absorber. The bodywork was of the highest standard, the Vanden Plas two-seater being still regarded as about the last word in sporting coach work. It was indeed a great pity that the high cost of production could not ensure a better financial return, and the concern ceased manufacture shortly afterwards. At a rough guess, only a score or so of the cars, both long and short chassis, were delivered. |
