1939 BSA Scout

The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA) manufactured a vast array of items from buses to bicycles, from machine tools to firearms, and from motorcycles to motorcars. In 1921, BSA resumed post-hostilities car production with a small car powered by a 1,075cc Hotchkiss v-twin engine offering 10 horsepower. It sold well for several years, only to disappear in 1925 when rivals Morris purchased Hotchkiss. BSA later acquired rights to the engine for use in future vehicles.

The early BSA vehicles used the traditional rear-wheel drive layout, but from 1929 the company (which had merged with Daimler) produced front-wheel drive three-wheelers. These small and lightweight cars were popular, especially due to the financial difficulties many faced during the Great Depression. The four-wheeled FW32 was later added to the lineup, followed by the Scout which was introduced in 1935. The Scout was a two-seater sports car that essentially used the same running gear and engine from its siblings. The Scout was built through four series but did not re-emerge after World War II, as BSA made the decision to concentrate on motorcycle production only.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2019