1926 Bayliss Thomas Boat Tail Speedster

Description

When Messrs Bayliss and Thomas, well established motorcycle manufacturers in Birmingham under the name Excelsior, entered the car industry in the early post-World War One period, they were obliged to come up with a new brand, as there was already Belgian company selling cars in Britain under the Excelsior name. The prototype Bayliss-Thomas was trialled in 1919, these early cars being three-wheelers but more conventional four-wheel light cars followed, ranging from 9hp to 13hp models and around 1,000 were made in total, of which comparatively few survive today. The Bayliss-Thomas was sold either with an OHV Meadows 1100cc engine or 1500cc side-valve Coventry-Simplex unit (mated to a Wrigley gearbox, with no differential). By 1924, the range had expanded to four models, with a choice of tourer or pointed-tail sports bodies with lowered steering column and seats, but very few Bayliss-Thomas were being made by the late 1920s. Although production of Bayliss-Thomas automobiles ceased in 1929, Excelsior continued making motorcycles until the early 1960s.