Adams (1905 automobile)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1 April 1905 |
| Founder | Arthur Henry Adams, Edward Ringwood Hewitt |
| Defunct | 1912 |
| Fate | Voluntarily wound up |
| Headquarters | Bedford , England, United Kingdom |
| Products | Automobiles, commercial vehicles (taxicabs, lorries) |
Adams was a British car brand produced in Bedford, England, from 1905 until 1912, initially marketed as Adams-Hewitt before being rebranded simply as Adams.
Arthur Adams
Arthur Henry Adams was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1868. Holding a mechanical engineering degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he began his career at Western Electric Company. He later moved to Paris to contribute to the installation of the city's telephone infrastructure. In 1899, Adams settled in London and joined Sturtevant Engineering Company, where he focused on manufacturing fans and air handling systems.
Edward Hewitt
Edward Ringwood Hewitt, born in New Jersey in 1866, was the grandson of Peter Cooper, who constructed America's first steam locomotive. Hewitt pursued chemistry studies at Princeton University and the University of Berlin. In 1894, he collaborated with Sir Hiram Maxim on developing a large steam-powered aircraft and subsequently designed and patented an automobile in the United States. Hewitt partnered with Adams in 1904 to produce this vehicle.
Adams Manufacturing Company
On April 1, 1905, Adams and Hewitt established the Adams Manufacturing Company. Their inaugural automobile, released by the end of that year under the Adams-Hewitt name, featured a "gas buggy" style resembling those of Oldsmobile. It was equipped with a two-speed followed by a three-speed epicyclic transmission and powered by a horizontally mounted 1724 cc single-cylinder engine producing 10 hp, positioned amidships and driving the rear wheels via chain. The brand's motto was "Pedals to push, that's all." After Hewitt returned to America to found Hewitt Motor Company, his name was removed from the British vehicles.
In 1906, Adams launched more traditional automobiles incorporating shaft drive and vertically oriented engines, upgrading to sliding mesh gearboxes by 1907. The lineup expanded to include two- and four-cylinder variants as well as one of the earliest British V-8 engines—a 7270 cc 35/40 hp powerplant inspired by the French Antoinette aircraft engine, for which Adams served as agents. However, this V-8 engine experienced issues with crankshaft durability. Production of single-cylinder models ceased in 1909.
By 1910, Adams offered an advanced four-cylinder model rated at 16 hp featuring front brakes on the wheels, compressed-air systems for starting and tire inflation, along with built-in jacking gear. Transmission choices included the original pedal-operated epicyclic gearbox, a standard four-speed manual transmission, and a distinctive three-speed planetary gearbox controlled by a pedal moving within a gate.
Besides passenger cars, Adams manufactured commercial vehicles such as taxicabs and three-quarter ton lorries derived from Hewitt's designs.
The company voluntarily wound up operations and stopped producing vehicles in 1912.
Ingranic Electric Company
Following the halt in automobile manufacturing, Adams transitioned into producing electrical components under the name Ingranic Electric Company. This entity later evolved into Brookhirst-Igranic before becoming part of Metal Industries, Limited, continuing operations until 1990.
Lusitania
Arthur Adams lost his life during the 1915 sinking of the Lusitania.