Armstrong Siddeley Heritage Trust
Siddeley Autocar
John Davenport Siddeley (JDS) first became interested in the fledgling British motor car industry when he entered a 6hp Daimler in the 1900 1000-mile trial to demonstrate the qualities of the Car Tyres manufactured by his Clipper Tyre Co. The car completed the trial coming second in its class, the tyres gained no award but JDS made much of the achievement through advertising. This experience gave him the motoring bug and he sold his interest in Clipper Co. to the Dunlop Tyre company.
He had developed a business relationship with the banking magnate Leopold Rothschild whose son Leonard had an interest in the motoring scene and with their help formed the Siddeley Autocar Co. in early 1902. His first step was importing a complete Peugeot car for British customers, this was quickly followed by importing just the mechanical parts from and adding locally sourced bodies. Through the Rothschild connection, the Wolseley Motor Car Company agreed to assemble a locally manufactured body incorporating Peugeot mechanical parts.
1903 Siddeley Autocar
This early car has Peugeot mechanics, including an engine, chassis, and chain drive train, furnished with an English body. The engine was a vertical twin-cylinder with a 2.3-litre displacement rated at 8hp. It is the only known Peugeot type Siddeley Autocar in road-worthy condition, and as such, it completes the VCC London to Brighton run regularly.
1904 6hp Single cylinder Siddeley Autocar
1904 6hp Siddeley Autocar
This model is based on a Wolesley 6hp with a JDS-type body. The engine is a single-cylinder with a chain drive to the rear wheels
1904 6hp Single cylinder Siddeley Autocar
1904 6hp Single cylinder Siddeley Autocar
At the 1903 Motor Show on display at their stand, they had the 18-24 hp 4cylinder and the 8-12 hp 2cylinder cars with Peugeot chassis and running gear together with 12-16 4 cylinder and a 6hp single cylinder based on Wolseley chassis and mechanics.
John Davenport Siddeley Motor Cars 1902 to 1914
Early Siddeley Cars
Based on his experience marketing tyres for the burgeoning cycle and infant motor car industry of the late 1890s, John D Siddeley decided that car manufacture on his own account was the way ahead. To this end he took the common route at that time of importing the mechanical parts from Peugeot and adding a locally sourced English built body.
