Lea-Francis Ulster
Car : Lea-Francis Ulster
Year : 1928
Bore and stroke : 69×100 mm
Cylinder capacity : 1496 cc
Gears : 4 forward
Brake horse power : 61
Maximum speed : 90 mph
Wheelbase : 9 ft 3 ins (2.82 m)
Suspension : front and back: semi-elliptic leaf- springs
This was one of the first English road-going cars to have a supercharger. The engine was a Meadows. The Ulster derived from the Hyper, which had been longer and less easy to handle. The crankshaft came from Germany. The name of this model came form the famous Irish circuit, on which Kaye Don had that year won the Tourist Trophy, just beating a front-wheel-drive Alvis, at an average of over 70 mph.
Lea-Francis Ulster Like so many English car companies of the period, Lea-Francis saw many hard times. Initially founded as a bicycle factory in 1897 by R. H. Lea and G. J. Francis, it went over to cars in 1904–though without much conviction. A 3-cylinder design was adopted, and a few cars built; the design was then sold to Singer, for whom Lea had once worked as an engineer. The firm returned to cars in 1920 (having started to produce motorbikes in 1911). Another break in 1935, and another new start in 1938–this time under two different associates, G. H. Leek and R. H. Rose. In 1953 the firm was again foundering, and it suspended car production, to start up again, though unsuccessfully, in 1960, with a 2500 cc model with a Ford engine. It then sank for ever. Lea-Francis cars are still held in high esteem by collectors of vintage vehicles.

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