Frazer Nash

This article is about the car company founded in 1922. For the electric & hybrid vehicle company Frazer-Nash Research, see Kamkorp. For the UK engineering consultancy, see Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd. For the aircraft equipment manufacturer, see Nash & Thompson.

Frazer Nash Falcon 1931

Frazer Nash TT Replica 2-Seater Sports 1935

Frazer Nash single seater (1934)

Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica

Frazer Nash Le Mans Coupé 1958

Frazer Nash Targa Florio

Frazer Nash Continental

Frazer Nash is a British sports car manufacturer and engineering company founded by Archibald Frazer-Nash in 1922. It produced sports cars incorporating a unique multi-chain transmission before the Second World War and also imported BMW cars to the UK. After the war it continued producing sports cars with conventional transmission until 1957. It also continued selling BMW cars and motorcycles and finally in 1956 became the official importer of Porsche cars.

History

The company was founded in 1922 by Archibald Frazer-Nash who had, with Henry Ronald Godfrey founded and run the GN cyclecar company. The company was established in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, moving to Isleworth, Middlesex in 1929. The company entered receivership in 1927 and re-emerged as AFN Limited. The majority of AFN was acquired by H. J. ("Aldy") Aldington in 1929 and run by the three Aldington brothers, H.J., Donald A. and William H. Aldy's son, John Taylor ("JT") Aldington was the last of the family owners/directors until AFN Ltd was sold to Porsche GB. The company produced around 400 of the famous chain drive models between 1924 and 1939.

AFN, Ltd became importers and assemblers of BMW cars in 1934 and sold them as Frazer Nash-BMW. They were the official British BMW importer until the outbreak of war in 1939. In 1954 the company started to sell Porsche cars, becoming the official importer for Great Britain in 1956. This lasted until 1965 when Porsche Cars Great Britain was set up; Aldington family members remained on the board of this company until John Aldington sold out to Porsche in 1987, Nash & Thompson was formed in 1929 by Archibald Frazer-Nash and E. Grattan Thompson to develop the Frazer-Nash hydraulic aircraft gun turret

During the Second World War, Nash & Thompson was involved in armaments production with its turrets in use on British bombers such as the Avro Lancaster and Vickers Wellington. There are several successor companies still (as of 2011) active in engineering consultancy (Frazer-Nash Consultancy), engineering (Frazer-Nash (Midhurst) Ltd. and electric & hybrid vehicle technology (Frazer-Nash Group of Companies, owned by Kamkorp, which also owns Bristol Cars).

AFN Ltd produced about 85 more cars from 1948 to 1957. These cars were entirely unrelated to the chain-drive pre-war Frazer Nash, but were largely a direct evolution of the sporting BMW 328, mentioned above. AFN, as owners of the UK rights to the 328 engine licensed Bristol to make it against an agreement for its supply to them. Models include the Le Mans Replica, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Le Mans Coupé and the Sebring. Competition successes included a third place at Le Mans (1949) and wins in the Targa Florio (1951) and the 12 Hours of Sebring, 1952. The post-war cars are very highly prized by collectors. The company participated in the 1952 Formula One season, the cars driven by Tony Crook and Ken Wharton.

Products

Considering the small number of cars made, the model range is vast and the following is not entirely comprehensive. Cars were all built to order and virtually any combination was possible. Some were rebuilt at the factory as different versions.

Pre-war models

Type	Engine	Approx Production	Year	Notes
Frazer Nash Fast Tourer/Super Sports	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder	165 in the 1920s	1925–1930	engines were Plus Power, but mainly Anzani. Super Sports (from 1928) had no running boards. 105-inch (2,667 mm) wheelbase chassis on Fast Tourer and Super Sports with short 99-inch (2,515 mm) option on Super Sport.
Frazer Nash Interceptor/Sportop/Falcon	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder	25	1930–1932	Meadows engine. Sportop version was fabric bodied. Falcon had a better equipped body. Long and short chassis options.
Frazer Nash Boulogne I and II	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder	30	1926–1932	Anzani or Meadows engine. Supercharger optional. Long and short chassis options
Frazer Nash Ulster	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder	5	1929–1931	Competition version of the road cars. Long and short chassis options.
Frazer Nash Nūrburg	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder	3	1932–1933	Competition model. Tuned Meadows engine. No doors. Short chassis only.
Frazer Nash Exeter	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder	5	1932	Single carburettor Meadows engine. Short chassis only Corsica body.
Frazer Nash Colmore	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder or 1660 cc in line 6-cylinder	19	1932–1939	Four-seater. 105-inch (2,667 mm) or 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase chassis options. Four-cylinder cars used a Meadows engine, six-cylinder cars a twin OHC Blackburne. Three or Four speed transmission.
Frazer Nash TT Replica	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder or 1660 cc in line 6-cylinder	83	1932–1938	Gough 4-cylinder engine used as well as the Meadows and Blackburne. 105-inch (2,667 mm) or 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase chassis options
Frazer Nash Shelsley	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder or 1660 cc in line 6-cylinder	8	1934–1936	Gough (supercharger optional) or Blackburne engines. 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase.
Frazer Nash Ulster 100	1.5 L in line 4-cylinder	1	1936–1937	Originally Anzani powered, later replaced by Gough engine and then a Meadows. Long rounded tail to body.
Frazer Nash Falcon	1.9 L in line 6-cylinder	1	1937	BMW-engined. 102-inch (2,591 mm) wheelbase.

Post-war models

Type	Engine	Approx Production	Year	Notes
Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica/ Le Mans Mk II	Bristol engine (2 L in line 6-cylinder)	34	1948–1953	Originally named "High Speed" and "Competition". 96-inch (2,438 mm) wheelbase. Cycle wings. Conventional (Bristol) gearbox.
Frazer Nash Fast Tourer/Mille Miglia	Bristol engine (2 L in line 6-cylinder)	12	1948–1953	Full width body.
Frazer Nash Single-Seater	Bristol engine (2 L in line 6-cylinder)	3	1952	Narrow body on Le Mans Replica chassis built to Formula 2 regulations. Also competed in GP and Formula Libre races.
Frazer Nash Targa Florio	Bristol engine (2 L in line 6-cylinder)	15	1952–1954	Turismo (100 hp (75 kW)) or Gran Sport (125 hp (93 kW)) Bristol engine options. One car fitted with Austin Atlantic engine. Last 5 cars were open versions of Le Mans Coupé.
Frazer Nash Le Mans Coupé	Bristol engine (2 L in line 6-cylinder)	9	1953–1955	100 hp (75 kW) or 140 hp (100 kW) engine.
Frazer Nash Sebring	Bristol engine (2 L in line 6-cylinder)	3	1954	Full width body on Le Mans Replica Mk II chassis. 140 hp (100 kW) engine.
Frazer Nash Continental	BMW engine (2.6 & 3.2 L)	2	1956–1957	V8 BMW engine. Listed at £3751 at the London Motor Show.

Grand Prix

Frazer Nash cars participated in 4 World Championship Grands Prix. Drivers of Frazer Nash cars scored 3 World Championship points.

(key)

Year	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1952	Frazer Nash FN48 Frazer Nash 421	Bristol Straight-6	D		SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA
				Ken Wharton	4		Ret				Ret
				Tony Crook					21

See also

• List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom

References

Bibliography

• Jenkinson, Denis.From Chain-Drive to Turbocharger: The A.F.N. Story. London: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1984. ISBN 0-85059-631-9.
• Tarring, Trevor and Mark Joseland. Archie Frazer-Nash ... Engineer. London: The Frazer Nash Archives, 2011. ISBN 978-0-9570351-0-2.
• Thirlby, David A. The Chain-Drive Frazer Nash. London: MacDonald & Co. Ltd, 1965.
• Thirlby, David A. Frazer Nash. London: The Haynes Publishing Group, 1977. ISBN 0-85429-183-0.

External links

• Official website of the Frazer Nash Car Club
• The Postwar Frazer Nash Cars - An Overview