Shamrock (car)
The Shamrock Motors Ltd.. was an Irish automotive manufacturer ( Monaghan ) was from mid- 1952 to 1959 in Tralee (Kerry) and Castleblayney resident.
The company was founded by the American businessman William K. Curtis in Tralee, but moved before the start of production to Castleblayney. Goal was to produce a large luxury car named Aster for export to the United States.
Shortly after the start of production in 1959, however, the weaknesses of the design turned out: Although the car was big and heavy, it was with 1489 cc and a power of 55 bhp driven (40 kW) from the relatively small four cylinder in-line engine of the Austin A55, which the performance was limited. Another problem was that the rear wheels were covered by body panels and only (for example in case of a puncture ) could be taken off if you extended the rear axle. The car had a fiberglass body with four seats and two doors and a removable hardtop. In addition, should still 2 - and 4-door sedans are built. The wheelbase was 2487 mm.
Originally to be built up to 10,000 cars per year, but in the six months came to the end of production only 8-10 copies. After closure of the factory the other parts were dumped in the nearby Lough Muckno.
Only four specimens survived until today, three in Ireland ( in Killarney (Kerry), Thurles ( Tipperary ) and Drogheda ( Louth ) ) and one in the United States in Seattle (Washington ) and Reno ( Nevada).
External links and sources
- Shamrock Car Returns Home for Festival. castleblayney.ie (English)
- Jonathan A. Stein: 1960 Shamrock: The Luck of the Irish. AutoWeek March 21, 2005
- David Culshaw & Peter Horrobin: The Complete Catalogue of British Cars 1895-1975. Veloce Publishing plc. Dorchester (1997). ISBN 1-874105-93-6
- GN Georgano (Ed.): The Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars 1885-1968: Every Car Ever Made. E. P. Dutton and Co., New York ( 1974)
Heinkel - I | Shamrock | Thomond | TMC
- Former Automobile Manufacturers Association ( Ireland)
- Former Company (Ireland )