The M.E.B. car finally gets finished

Maurice Edwards in the original pictured during 1927
After five years – on and off – I have just completed the MEB three wheeler.
This is a replica of a car that was built here in Bolton in the nineteen twenties by Maurice
Edwards of EDBRO fame.
EDBRO (Edwards Brothers) are a long established company, still in business today as
manufacturers of commercial vehicle tipping gear, but in 1926 had a brief foray into car
manufacturing with the MEB. Unfortunately for them the cyclecar boom was over by the
time it hit the streets and sales were virtually none existent.


One of the factory photos discovered during a clearout in 1995

It disappeared without trace until some photos surfaced during a factory clearout, and our
local MP Peter Thurnham thought it would be a good idea to build a replica of it for use
as a fund raising exercise for Bolton Hospice.
I volunteered to build the replica, and here it is in all its glory after many months of hard
work.

The 2002 version – note the 2CV engine, just visible behind the front wings.
The original car was powered by a J.A.P. V twin engine, as used by Morgan, and
although we managed to acquire one of these, the transmission components needed to
make it work proved illusive. In the end I decided to make life easy and fitted an engine
and gearbox from a 2CV and link it via a system of belts and chain to the single rear
wheel.
The chassis frame is of channel section steel with aluminium front and rear cross
members. This proved to be far too flexible so was stiffened up by boxing in the side
members and gussetting them to the cross members.

Rear view – note the rear suspension and spartan instrumentation

The two-seater body is of traditional construction with a timber frame clad in aluminium
panels, and has a V windscreen fabricated out of brass and nickel plated.
I fabricated the dummy radiator out of sheet brass, and had it nickel plated to match the
screen. Although chrome plating was starting to appear on cars by 1927, I think nickel
would have been used on the original and certainly looks more “period”
Front suspension uses a pair of transverse leaf springs linking up to the sawn off ends of
an Austin Seven axle, and makes use of the Austin Seven brakes and steering.
Rear suspension makes use of a pair of cantilevered leaf springs attached to a long U
shaped trailing arm to locate the rear wheel, which came off a BSA A7.
A nice piece of mahogany formed the basis of the dashboard, which carries a Lucas
switch panel, speedo and starter button.
My aim was to make the car look like it was made 75 years ago, and I think I have
succeeded, with only the rocker boxes of the 2CV engine poking out from the bonnet
sides to betray its modern running gear.
Now that it’s finished I am in need of a new challenge. Anybody out there got one for
me? Anything considered.