A 1912 Hotchkiss Advertisement is available at https://hprints.com/en/search?rub=316&p=1&rich=1&sortby=year_asc&syn_set_sort=1&met=syn

The advert displays what appears to be a Type AB Hotchkiss sedan with a body very similar to the coach building by James Flood in Melbourne for our Hotchkiss.

Amongst some papers relating to our Hotchkiss car and parts is a list of chassis number ranges. I have no other reference so these are anecdotal and the accuracy may be questioned.

Two models are in the list Hotchkiss Type T and Type AB.

From this list it appears that prior to 1909 Hotchkiss made 1301 vehicle chassis and the gaps in the sequences above will be due to other models carrying the intervening numbers.

Referencing Wikipedia Automobiles Hotchkiss page the other models include

• Hotchkiss Years and Models
  • 1903 – The first Hotchkiss car with a 17CV engine
  • The Type C was a 20CV engine
  • 1907 Type L and Type O 6-cylinder models
  • 1910 Type X 30CV engine
  • 1910 Type Z with a smaller 2212cc engine
  • 1911 Type AB
  • 1912 – 1916 Type AD, AD6, AF, & AG
  • 1919 Resumption after WW1 of the same models Type AD, AD6, AF, & AG
  • 1923 Type AM and prototype AK
  • Car production was from 1903 to 1955 and Trucks from 1936 to 1970.

As much for my memory, CV or HP are an approximate equivalent, but not exact. 1 HP equals 1.01368 CV (PS).

Understanding HP, BHP, PS, and CV

The historical origins of HP, BHP, and PS lead back to the industrial revolution.

• CV (chevaux-vapeur or CH) and PS (Pferde Stärke), based on DIN regulations, are equivalent units representing the power required to lift a 75 kg mass by 1 meter in 1 second (735.49875 Watts).
• HP (horsepower), slightly different, involves lifting a 76 kg weight (745.3054 Watts).
• BHP (Brake Horsepower) accounts for friction losses and represents engine output without drivetrain losses.

With thanks from https://a-e.li/reports/hp-bhp-ps-cv/#is-cv-and-hp-the-same

This is a short video of the engine with the hood off. The engine was fully rebuilt in the 1960’s and was running but has not been started for decades. Everything from the radiator back to the firewall itself was repaired, restored or replaced.

The vehicle has been in the family for 3 generations but it is time to let someone else make it into something special.

At the time of posting, June 2025, the vehicle and all parts are available for sale. Looking for offers.

Please use the contact form on this site to get in touch.

A short video in 3 sections of a walk around a 1912 Hotchkiss Sedan Project Car.

The vehicle has been in the family for 3 generations but it is time to let someone else make it into something special.

At the time of posting, February 2025, the vehicle and all parts are available for sale. Looking for offers.

Please use the contact form on this site to get in touch.

A short video in 3 sections of a walk around a 1912 Hotchkiss Sedan Project Car.

The vehicle has been in the family for 3 generations but it is time to let someone else make it into something special.

At the time of posting, February 2025, the vehicle and all parts are available for sale. Looking for offers.

Please use the contact form on this site to get in touch.

A short video in 3 sections of a walk around a 1912 Hotchkiss Sedan Project Car.

At the time of posting, February 2025, the vehicle and all parts are available for sale. Looking for offers.

Please use the contact form on this site to get in touch.

The vehicle has been in the family for 3 generations but it is time to let someone else make it into something special.

Chasing the provenance of a vehicle that has been in the family for many years, the body is by James Flood of City Road South Melbourne while the chassis is a 1912 Hotchkiss sedan.

While researching both the body work and the car I have noted many references to James Flood in the early 1900’s and have noted them here for later recall. As usual the body of work at Trove is of immense help.

This article also provided some additional information and a reminder that I should read at least the first James Flood Book of Early Motoring to help flesh out my timeline.

This is the earliest advertisement I could locate for the business in 1909. It was apparently established in 1908, given that the Early Motoring book was issued for the 60th anniversary of the company in 1968.

Later in 1909 this advertisement appears which claimed 10 years experience and that experience was in Essex England where James’ family were coachbuilders.

In 1911 they were located in City Road. There are various advertisements and articles but none provide street numbers.

Motoring incident in St.Kilda at an oyster saloon !

Apparently James Flood was a very generous man as evidenced in this article.

In this article James Flood was a witness in a court case in September 1911.

By 1915 the James Flood Motor Body Works was based in St. Kilda Road south of Coventry Street.

In January 1919 the adjacent Hoadleys Chocolate factory was burnt to the ground with damage to cars in the building or yard of Flood’s premises.

In summary, it appears the business of James Flood Motor Body Works was initially located in West Melbourne, and then moved to City Road, and then to St.Kilda Road, and later to West Footscray.

My purpose with this is not the history of the business, but just to confirm that the footplates in the body of the Hotchkiss vehicle are accurate and consistent with the time-frame of the coach building. Circa 1912 Hotchkiss chassis and circa 1912 Floods’ were in City Road South Melbourne.

I have an interest in Hotchkiss motor vehicles from the period 1900 to 1920(ish).

This is only my first post on this topic but if you are reading this and have any information on Hotchkiss motor cars imported from the UK or the USA to Australia in the early 1900’s, I would be grateful if you would contact me.

Thanks.