Lloyd Cars

Lloyd cars was a British motor manufacturer, founded by Roland Lloyd (1904-65), son of a garage owner, and based in Patrick Street, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England between 1936 and 1951.

Two models were made, separated by World War II, and the company was unusual for a small manufacturer in making nearly all components in-house. After car production ceased the company continued in general engineering until 1983. About 15 Lloyd cars are thought to survive.

The make had no connection with the German Lloyd company who made cars between 1906 and 1914 and between 1950 and 1963.

Lloyd 350
The pre-war car was really a cyclecar and was powered by a single cylinder, water cooled Villiers two-stroke engine of 347 cc producing 11.5 bhp, located at the back of the car and transmitting power via a three speed gearbox to the nearside rear-wheel only with a chain. The four-wheel chassis featured all round independent suspension using transverse leaf springs. The car was deliberately simple, there was no electric starter, the fuel tank was mounted above the engine with gravity feed and the windscreen wipers were hand operated.

It was available as an open two-seater and unusually for a light car as a closed 3-seater. Production stopped on the outbreak of the Second World War with a claimed 250 made with cars exported to the Netherlands, New Zealand and South Africa. It was said to be capable of reaching 45 mph (70 km/h). The car was listed at £80 for the basic version but there was also a de-luxe with electric starting and lighting at £85.

Just before the outbreak of war a van version was introduced with the engine at the front and front wheel drive but only a few were made.

Lloyd 650
In 1946, the production restarted with a larger two cylinder 654 cc Lloyd-made engine with a bore of 70 mm and stroke of 85 mm producing 25 bhp at 2450 rpm. It was still a two-stroke but the bearings were pressure lubricated. The twin cylinder alloy unit was mounted transversely at the front and drove the front wheels through a four speed gearbox with synchromesh on all speeds. The chassis again had all independent suspension but now by coil springs fitted in oil tight cyliders with the oil acting as damper. The springs were horizontal at the front. Steering was by rack and pinion.

The car was much more streamlined than the pre war body but with an overall length of 12 feet 3 inches and two or four-seater open bodywork the car was really too big for its engine and performance was poor with a top speed of only 55 mph (85 km/h). The car was also very expensive at £480 in 1948 when family sized cars could be bought for £300. Roughly 400 cars were produced and some were exported to Australia, Belgium, Denmark, India and the United States.