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 Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Engine number: A4363

This 1939 BSA Scout Two-Seater Sports was part of the Swiss-based collection of Mr. Claude Imhoff for decades before it entered the care of its current owner in 2017. It has received some restoration work over the years. It has the late-production pressed steel wheels, front-wheel drive configuration, and four-wheel drum brakes. The engine is a 1075cc Side valve inline four-cylinder unit fitted with a single Solex carburetor and mated to a three-speed manual transmission.

by Dan Vaughan

In 1921, BSA resumed post-hostilities car production with a 10-horsepower light car powered by a Hotchkiss V-Twin engine. It sold well until it disappeared in 1925 when rivals Morris bought Hotchkiss, though BSA later acquired rights to the engine to power its front-wheel drive three-wheeler.

The BSA Scout was an open two-seater car manufactured and sold by subsidiaries of The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited. Production began in April of 1935 and would be produced until the late 1930s when the outbreak of war ended production. This was a very interesting vehicle as it had a front-wheel drive configuration, using a setup similar to the company's three-wheelers, but the engine was more conventional, featuring four cylinders and being water-cooled. Under the bonnet were the engine, gearbox, clutch, and a short stiff propeller shaft to the worm and spur-driven differential. These mechanical components were mounted as one unit positioned in reverse to the usual order. At the very front of the car was the differential.

The chassis was made of channel section side members braced by cross members. In the front were eight quarter-elliptic springs (four at each wheel) giving independent front springing. At the back were half-elliptical springs to a beam axle. The single brake for the front wheels was a part of the differential unit. In the back were brakes on each wheel. The four-cylinder, 1075cc engine offered nine horsepower and was mated to a three-speed gearbox.

The Scout progressed through four series, which included changes and modifications along the way, including an increase in its engine capacity. It did not re-emerge after World War II, BSA having decided to concentrate on producing motorcycles only.

by Dan Vaughan