News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), Thursday 15 March 1951, page 1


Hartnett car on the way The Hartnett car is making its debut to day. The first production cars are on show in Sydney and Mel bourne, priced at £549 plus tax. This means the total price to the purchaser will be less than £600. It was pointed out in Mel bourne today, however, that the actual cost would depend on costs prevailing at the time of delivery. Any increased pro duction cost before volume out put was reached would mean a higher price to buyers. The Hartnett is claimed to be the lowest-priced family car on the market and also to have the lowest operating cost, with a petrol consumption of 60 miles a gallon. It is expected the car will be displayed in Adelaide soon after Easter, and that a start will be made then on deliveries. More than 300 SA orders are waiting to be filled. The car being displayed at present is a convertible called the Pacific. It will be followed later this year by a saloon model known as the Tasman.

NEW.AUSTN CA SEATS F?U ; TFP S~PD, 70 (Continued from Page 1) In a statement today, the chairman and managing director of the Hartnett Motor Co. Ltd (Mr. L. J. Hartnett) said every effort would be made to keep down production costs "to hold the position of the lowest priced four-seater family car on the market."

"We believe this car has the lowest operating cost of any car on the market," he said. "It has proven petrol consumption of 60 miles to the gallon under average operating conditions," said Mr. Hartnett. "It is a family car for four people and, from an engineering point of view, the most impressive feature of its design is the suspension or springing, which gives comfort on really bad surfaces." "We believe the combination of relatively loy initial cost

and low running costs means motoring for many Australian families who could not otherwise afford it," he said. Mr. Hartnett said at present the flow of vehicles was small, but should increase steadily during this year. The mechanical design of the Hartnett embodied patents developed by Les Societe Brevets-J. A. Gregoire, an internationally known, automotive engineering and research company, he said. The styling and bodywork had been created and executed in Australia. Hundreds of thousands of miles of testing

had been carried out with prototype models before production began.Specifications Specifications of the Hartnett show a flat twin cylinder horizontally opposed fourstroke overhead valve engine. Pistons are of aluminium alloy, and the cylinder head is cast aluminium alloy. The engine develops 19 b.h.p. at 4,000 revolutions. There is a compression ratio of six to one. The engine, clutch, gearbox, and differential final drive sub-assembly units are bolted together to constitute a single package unit, offering easy removal for overhaul or replacement, and carried as a total unit on a three-point rubber cushion mounting. Exceptional strength It is claimed that phenomenal riding comfort has been achieved by the patented Gregoire coil tension spring attached to independent suspension arms. This rear spring automatically adjusts itself to varying loads. The front springs are laminated transverse type. The chassis frame is of aluminium alloy bolted in six sections. This provides exceptional strength, but allows lightness of weight to increase performance. The car has leatherette upholstery, featuring rear seat side arm rests. There is a folding hood with 'visionised side curtains. Maximum speed claimed is 70 m.p.h.