Here we have a couple of items about the very first car Dad built. I've identified the publications the two pieces were in and they both carried the same date. The text of the Model Engineer article is quite easily read but here is the text of The Motor Cycle article:-
There is an interesting similarity between the imaginary single-seater three-wheeler illustrated in "The Motor Cycle" of January 12th and an actual vehicle of my own. My idea was to build a light streamlined car for running about in. I had had no previous motoring experience when I started, and I got hold of an eight-year-old Francis-Barnett motor cycle with a147 c.c. Villiers engine. This machine was dismantled, and from the parts, and some timber and canvas, I constructed a three-wheeler.
The whole thing finished weighed only 168 pounds, and had a top speed of just over 30 m.p.h. It was a very good hill-climber. The front wheels were only lightweight bicycle wheels (26 x 1¼in.), and were not strong enough for fast cornering. I cooled the engine by means of a fan on the side and a scoop underneath.
Running costs were low, apart from the three-wheeler tax, the insurance running out at 15s. (£0.75) a year, and the consumption being 100 m.p.g. (petroil system).
The thing came to a sad end on December 24th, after having covered only 1,000 miles. I had left it by the side of the road to make a call at a house opposite; the traffic got a bit thick, and a motor coach was unable to pull up in time to prevent running over my car, completely wrecking it.
I enclose a sketch traced from the drawings I scaled to build the machine. A. H. BOYS.
Here is a copy of Howard's original photograph and if you can remember the pictures from the previous page you will note the change that was made to the front wheels. Other than that the streamlining is quite obvious. The purpose of the call referred to above was to get some cream for the following day's meal (Christmas Day). History does not record anything about the cream but we can imagine that Howard's Christmas was rather soured.
These two pictures show the damage. Visible are the number plate NV 1847, some of the framework shows clearly and gives a good idea of the design; perhaps not quite so obvious is the pneumatic upholstery referred to in the "Model Engineer" article: I can personally vouch for the fact that the bundled up car and bicycle inner tubes were quite comfortable, Howard continued to use them in later vehicles.
Finally on this page the only sketch actually done by Dad. The suspension shown is a bit crude but it obviously worked since it was used on the second NV 1847. Incidentally it was registered as the "Boys Racer".
