The Elcar

In connection with our recent reference to Dodge Bros. and a mysterious rival quoted as a Leaver, an American reader has sent details of the 1930 Elcar with Powell Lever motor. The interesting thing about these engines was the use of a lever to double the piston stroke. The normal con-rod was coupled to one end of a rocking lever pivoted at its opposite end to the crankcase and coupled at its centre to another rod operating on the crankshaft big-end. Two versions were used in the Elcari both L-head sixes, respectively of 2.5 in. x 8 in. (236 Cu. in.) and 3 in x 8 in. (340 Cu. in.). Known respectively as the model-83 and model-85, they were geared at 2.4 and 2.1 to 1. The American journal Motor remarked unkindly that while these unusually high rear-axle gears were interesting, it had been unable to discover why the Powell Lever Motor offers any notable advantages over conventional engines of the same piston displacement! Of course, the 1930 Elcar was not in competition with the Dodge we were discussing, but the inference is that perhaps the Lever car referred to was a forerunner of these Powell Lever engines.