Commer
From Graces Guide
Commercial Cars Ltd were a producer of commercial vehicles from 1907 to 1976.
- 1905 Company founded as Commerical Cars Ltd.
- Factory opened in Luton, producing trucks.
- 1907 Founded and the name abbreviated to Commer. Built with the Lindley epicyclic pre-selector gearbox.
- 1911 Became a private company called Centaur Co Ltd.
- 1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of Petrol Motors see the 1917 Red Book
- WW1 Produced some 3,000 model RC 4-ton models.
- 1926 Taken over by Humber cars and they renamed their Centaur Co as Commer.
- 1928 Group taken over by Rootes Group.
- WW2 Produced some 20,000 vehicles. A move from Luton to nearby Dunstable was made.
- 1948 New range launched with 5ton and 7ton payloads.
- 1953 A two stroke diesel marketed with two horizontally opposed piston in each of the three cylinders.
- 1961 Introduced successful 1.5 / 5ton delivery van.
- 1966 Entered heavier market with a 16ton gvw chassis and cab.
- 1964 Chrysler bought in to Rootes Group.
- 1973 Chrysler gain full control of the company.
- 1976 The name was discontinued.
- 1979 The company was sold to the Peugeot-Citreon group.
Cars
- The first chassis was developed around a gearbox called the Lindley.
- In 1907 the company offered passenger carrying chassis.
Buses
- Commer were based in Luton and were part of the Rootes Group.
- The first double-decker arrived in 1909.
- New models were introduced in the 1920s so there wasn't demand for the Lindley gearbox.
- After 1926 the Lindley was no longer fitted.
- From 1922 the company hit a postwar slump and was run by a receiver and manager.
- In 1926 the company was sold to Humber and later the name was changed to Commer Cars.
- In 1930 Commer only offered 20 or 26-seat models with normal control.
- In 1939 the new Superpoise series was designed. It had a semi-forward control layout. Diesel and petrol engines were offered, and a choice of wheelbases from 20 to 32 seats.
- From 1946 to 1949 Commer's first postwar chassis was built called the Commando over 1,300 of these were made.
- They were popular with the Royal Air Force.
- 1954 Commer were offering a new diesel engine, the TS3 in the Avenger III.
- The TS3 was a small 3.26 litre with three-cylinder two stroke with supercharging horizontal cylinders.
- 1960s The 1500-series van used as a minibus was launched.
- 1961 Manufacturers of commercial vehicles and motor coaches. [2]
- 1964 Crossville purchased two vans.
- 1976 The vans were re-badged as Dodge (qv) when Rootes Group were taken over by Chrysler.
Sources of Information
- British Lorries 1900-1992 by S. W. Stevens-Stratten. Pub. Ian Allen Publishing
- Ian Allan - British Buses Since 1900 - Aldridge and Morris
- Trademarked. A History of Well-Known Brands - from Aertex to Wright's Coal Tar by David Newton. Pub: Sutton Publishing 2008 ISBN 978-0-7509-4590-5