The 4 seater version of the ‘New International ‘, was known as the ‘12/50’ or ‘Standard’. It was never a very attractive car. Fitted with a relatively low specification engine with the old ‘International’ cylinder head, they were ponderously slow. Only twenty seven were made, and some took nearly two years to sell. In two door form it was at best an average looking touring car and the few saloons that were made, though neat in appearance, did not fit very well with the sporting image of Aston Martin and were never very successful. It was said that the 12/50’s, still in stock at the Winter Garden Garages showrooms in 1934, were removed and re-painted to make it look as if they were in fact being sold and replaced.
1. 2 Door Tourer
The tourer had the high, dry case radiator as per ‘New International’, with four seater coachwork with enclosed fuel tank at the rear and spare wheel mounted on the rear of the body on the hinged boot. The front wings are fixed to the chassis and swept back with no running boards and the rear wings fixed to the body tub at the rear and only slightly swept back. The body tub is rather square in appearance with flat scuttle, two doors and disappearing hood. The windscreen is relatively simple, and opens out from the bottom. A special compartment behind the rear seats conceals the hood covered by a buttoned flap, beneath the tonneau cover, no hood bag therefore being necessary. Screw on type filler caps are fitted to water, oil and petrol tanks.
Specification.
Chassis. Second series chassis, 12’ 6" in length. Two aluminium sideplates as per ‘New International’ with pressed steel plate between them.
Engine.
Bore 69.3 mm, stroke 99mm, 1495 cc.
Compression ratio: 6.5:1, using the ‘International’ cylinder head.
Power: approximately 60 bhp at 4750 rpm.
Torque: approximately 55 lbft.
Twin 1⅛" SU sidedraught. E4 needle in .090" jet.
Magneto ignition.
Two ‘Autopulse’ fuel pumps mounted on the rear of the chassis.
Transmission. ‘Laycock’ silent 2nd and 3rd. speed gearbox (engaged by dogs) mounted in unit with the engine on an aluminium bell housing. Borg and Beck dry plate clutch with six spring cover plate. The final drive was by shaft to an ENV differential. Ratios: 17.88:1, 11.49:1, 7.05: 1, 5.11:1
Steering. ‘Marles’, worm and ‘floating’ peg with hemispherical bearings.
Wheels and tyres. ‘Rudge Whitworth’ 52 mm 1 well base wheels with sixty spokes and 2 ¾" rims fitted with 5.25 tyres.
Suspension. Semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear with ‘Hartford’ friction dampers.
Brakes. 14" diameter aluminium drums with shrunk in steel liners and cam operated 1 ½" aluminium shoes mounted on two pivots. Brakes actuated by fully enclosed ’Bowden’ cables via two cross shafts mounted in spherical bearings, connected by short pushrod. Handbrake operates all four brakes.
Dimensions.
Wheelbase: 10’.
Track: 4’ 4".
Length: 14’ 5".
Width: 5’ 5".
Height: 4’ 11".
Weight: 23cwt.
Fuel tank capacity: 11 gallons.
Price. Tourer £550. Saloon £595
2. 4 door Saloon
The saloon was fitted with four doors all being hinged from a central pillar, the front doors therefore being of the ‘suicide’ type. The wings are valanced but with no running boards. The windscreen opens out and is hinged from the top. A concealed type tandem wiper is fitted. A luggage locker is provided behind the rear seats with access through a large hinged boot in the tail. The spare wheel is mounted on a hub bolted to the boot cover.
Specification. As 2 door tourer.
3. Fixed Head Coupe
A one-off 12/50 fixed head coupe was built on the long chassis. With helmet wings at the front, it took styling cues directly from the equally one off ‘Headlam’ coupe. It can be regarded as the direct predecessor of the later MKII ‘Sports Saloon’ in terms of its elegant styling.
Specification. As 2 door tourer.