Washing a vintage Vulcan car.
Thanks to a mention in the mystery cars section, the vintage tourer in this old photograph was identified as a Vulcan, most likely a 16hp tourer built circa 1921 or 1922.
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A note on the back of this old car photo reads as follows:
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"Tedski" at his old job. But not on a Sunday! The car looks like a charabanc."
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I wonder who "Tedski" was, and how he got that name? He's seen taking a brush the front wheel of the Vulcan (note the six stud fitting, they were taking no chances!), and his grubby clothes suggest that he was spending the day working on this vintage motor-car.
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The first Vulcan car, a single cylinder 4hp machine, was built by Vulcan Motor Manufacturing and Trading in 1902, growing to 6.5hp in 1903. Things moved quickly and year-on-year the cars produced at the Vulcan works increased in both specification, and performance. A twin-cylinder car, and then a van, was introduced, and by 1908 they were producing vehicles with engines as large as 6 litres.
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The first new Vulcan design to follow WW1 was the 16, recognisable thanks to its flatter design of radiator when compared to the earlier motors. Power was provided by a Dorman engine of 2.6 litres. In 1928, production of cars came to an end, but commercial vehicles would continue to be offered, the firm limping along until 1937 when they were taken over by Tilling Stevens.
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Just visible on the car in the photo is the distinctive Vulcan radiator mascot, modelled on Vulcan - the blacksmith God of fire and volcanoes, according to Roman mythology (although the firm's family had a background in joinery and cabinet making).
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Return to Page 11 in the vintage car motoring gallery.
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Elsewhere in the gallery there is a photo of a rare Vulcan lorry, and (on this page), a Vulcan Char-a-banc (photo no.4).
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