Help with identifying a part, REX?

[Simon Anderson]

Hello from Australia
 
G'day,
I have a front axle off some vehicle that myself and others are stumped on what its off. If you know anyone or have any ideas on what it could possibly be off it would be great to know as well as any other information.
 
It apears to have front brakes (band brake) which are 7 inch in diameter and 1 inch wide which are threaded onto a 40 spoke dual ball bearing hub.
 
That basic dimension of the assembly are 40 inches from hub center to center.
What is interesting is that the main axle has, what seams to be a tube chassis that attached directly to the axle.
Another interesting area is where the spring or frame area may have attached to the axle, the spring or frame would be now wider then 1-1/2", I am thinking more that a woooden beam/frame was mounted to this area as it has many small little grippers in this area.
 
what appears to be a chassis connection are two main tubes in 1" diameter and two smaller 1/2" tubes on a approximately 10-15 degree angle from the main 1" tube, all these have been just cut off from the cut angles. (Galvanised rod in pictures is to show where the 1/2" rod was and angle)
i am thinking some thing like a tri car, cyclecar or quadcar. REX, Rexette, Phoenix, Riley, Lagonda.
i would like to try and make it back into what ever it is.
 
any thoughts?
 
Many thanks,
Simon

[Simon Anderson]

More pictures

[R]

This appears to be much more substantial than say an Austin 7.
You probably need to be on a vintage car forum ?
It will doubtless leap out at someone there....
Good luck, tell us how it goes.

It may also be helpful to pop off the cover over the wheel bearings,
and study what thread is retaining it.
If its british or metric or maybe even unfied etc (american) will give you some guidance as to its origins.

[Simon Anderson]

The thread pitch on the hub cap and king pin is M1.25, or 20tpi by my basic thread gauge.
the hubs and hub caps where nickel not chrome as discovered after removing a hub cap.
You turn the top to expose the hole, Rotterham Coventry is the brand on the oiler.

The axle is not Austin seven, I have one of those and the  mystery axle is slightly narrower then a A7

Does anyone have a REX or Rexette forecar, as the hub caps look the same as Rex

[R]

Its more substantial/heavily built than an Austin 7 isn't it though ?
Which suggests car rather than something lighter ??

That would rather be Rotherham  ??



Nickel rather than chrome would tie in well with those band brakes, (early? )1920s era.
Which also look quite substantial...

[Simon Anderson]

It's funny so many people have mentioned that front brakes didn't come out till late teens, but you research tricars or forecars there are about 4 brands that had front band brakes in 1904/5ish.
The other interesting part is that what appears to be chassis/frame rails which have been cut, are mounted directly to the axle and then the body or seat is sprung. It's an odd one.

[murdo]

Are the cut off tubes at an angle? Could they have been an 'A' frame mounting going back to a central pivot similar to a Ford Prefect idea ?

[R]

It won't be a forecar though, with the front wheels having steering like that ?

And that whole setup looks quite substantial, where most tricars are quite lightweight in construction.
(And those brakes are large..)

Can't help thinking its a 1920s small car of some sort - predating the Austin 7 by some margin ??

[33d6]

You haven't said what part of Oz you live in but you could ask Graeme Jarrett of the Victorian Veteran Car Club. (Or is it Veteran Car Club of Victoria? No matter.) He is a keen cyclecar owner and has contact with many cyclecar/light car owners.

You'll have to chase himself down yourself, I can't really put his private details up on here can I.
Cheers,

[Simon Anderson]

Thanks, yes I have spoken to Graeme.

The tube size of the main axle is only 1 1/8" and the cut off tube are 1" and lower cut off tubes are 1/2". So it is lite.

[R]

Curiouser and curiouser....

Is there an equivalent person in the UK, we wonder.
That brake arrangement is quite distinctive, someone must have seen it before,
if not actually owned one.

[Simon Anderson]

This is a rexette tricar, seams simallar to the brake and axle setup.

[R]

Great photo. Can you track down the owner ?
Hoping that someone here might have one is a bit of a shot in the dark, to say the least ?

Searching in Australian newspapers, Rexette would seem to be somewhat known,
and there would seem to be a Dealer in Adelaide. And mentions of one in Tasmania.