Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Jim Walker · Last edited by Jim Walker on Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:49 pm; edited 2 times in total

I am catalogueing over a hundred photos of cars (and horse drawn vehicles) operated as taxis by my family over 5 generations and more than 100 years.
The firm was established in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, u.k. around 1860 and was variously known as C. Bower (&Co.), C. Bower (Chesterfield) Ltd., and Bowers of Chesterfield or often Bowers Taxis.

I have already identified cars by Arrol Johnstone, Belsize, Alldays and Onions, Wolseley, Napier, Crossley and of course the ubiquitous Model T, all from the 1910's and 20's. This one however has me at a loss. I hope that my fight with photobucket has been successful, but I never found any mention of a 'URL LINK'. Here goes!

http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/qq163/jamesrambler/

Please help if you can. Jim Walker.

47p2 · Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 2010 Location: Glasgow

Sorry I dont know what the car is Jim but if you click the IMG Code on your photobucket account that will put the picture on the forum

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Scotty · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 883

It's got the feel of a 1920's Bean, but I'm not certain as aspects of it don't quite match.

Scotty. Confused

Jim Walker · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:35 am Post subject:

Thanks for that. Most cars were easier to identify because I remember my family mentioning the makes. Apart from my sister, I am the oldest member left. Neither my sister nor I remember a Bean being mentioned. However I have found some Bean pictures of various models in books and on the internet, but though the radiator is very similar in shape there are differences which make me unsure.

The radiator on all the others (except a competition one) are all bright , not painted.
The radiator badge on the pic's. I have found, appear to be enamelled and a different shape (it's a good photo, pity the badge is not clearer).
All except the competition version) seem to have a petrol filler for a gravity(?) tank between the bonnet and windscreen.
The bonnet line does look very similar, but most seem to have side louvres.
None of the pics. show solid wheels. All have artillery spoked wheels.
None of the photo's are of a model remotely like this one.
(Apologies to American Members for English terminology!)

This is the closest match I have seen, but until I am convinced I will keep on searching. I seem to remember a Fiat being mentioned, but I have found nothing Fiat that remotely resembles this.

Thanks, Jim.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22838 Location: UK

The badge on the rad looks to be quite well defined, any change of a higher resolution scan showing that part of the car?

Rick
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Jim Walker · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:52 pm Post subject:

Sorry Rick, That picture is the highest resolution I can scan with my kit.

Jim.

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4880 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Hi
If you have photos of the Belsizes I know someone who would be interested in copies.
He has, what he claims is the largest collection of Belsize vehicles, 4 cars, a van and a truck.
They appear in this thread
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5338

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4880 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Hi
The most striking thing about that photo, to my eyes, is the spare wheel at the side of the driver, it is hung where the drivers door is/would be if there is/was one and the running board is shaped to fit.
I don't think I have ever seen anything like that.

PAUL BEAUMONT · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 1281 Location: Barnsley S. Yorks

there is something Fiat-ish about the front end of this vehicle. Could it be a local built body on a mid 20's fiat chassis?
PAUL

Jim Walker · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 11:43 am Post subject:

[Could it be a local built body on a mid 20's fiat chassis?]

I believe many vehicles of this period had coach built bodies and it was fairly common to transfer a purpose built body onto a newer chassis. The only reliable clues would seem to be the radiator and perhaps the disc wheels. There don't seem to be any visible peculiaralities about the mechanics that can be seen except for the two levers outside the body. One is obviously a hand brake. What is the other? Is it a sequential selection gear lever? I have seen levers for exhaust cutouts and even headlamp dipping on cars of this era.

Jim.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22838 Location: UK

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22838 Location: UK

Jim, this photo dates to 1925. There are obvious differences but also quite a few similarities..

Rick
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Jim Walker · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject:

Rick I reckon you have matched it, but I still can't make out the badge. The difference in the wheels could be easily an update by the manufacturer or the owner, I wonder if any decendants of the owner of that business will spot this and tell us?

Jim.

Amendment: I just looked at the file name which says fiat taxi.jpg . Is that your file title or the original?

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22838 Location: UK

thats just what I called it when I scanned it in

rgds, R
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Jim Walker · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:14 pm Post subject:

Thanks again Rick.

You so convinced me that it is a Fiat that I have been 'Googling' Fiat Taxi.

The result is that I found reference to Fiat 1 T Taxi 1920-22. Entering that produced a picture on Ultimatecarpage.com forums which I think absolutely confirms it right down to the solid wheels. The only significant difference is that on this one the spare wheel is not indented into the running board and the battery box (?) must be elsewhere. I have not yet been able to successfully download the picture.

Jim.