Finding the missing pieces to our Springuel puzzle

The agent in Australia was Jas A Munro & Co and he imported chassis from Springuel and Imperia though his brother who lived in Paris. Springuel was an innovative engineer, and successful in motor racing in Europe. The company purchased Imperia c1911 and the cars were marketed as Springuel, Imperia or in some cases Springuel-Imperia. Most of the cars sold in Australia up to the War were badged Imperia. The history of Jas A Munro & Co can be found in my book of the same name. There are many photos of the Australian cars, again mostly badged as Imperia.
Cheers. Ian

The Springuel appeared in contemporary American motoring magazines and the British press. Here are few extracts:

American Motor Age magazine February 18, 1909 reported nineteen of the forty-four exhibitors at the January 1909 Brussels Motor Show were Belgian, including Springuel. There was no detail about models but the March 10, 1910 Motor Age has an article about Belgian car production and it lists the three Springuel models for that year: a 3.5-inch bore x 4.7-inch en-bloc, shaft-drive, metal clutch, 16-20 h.p.; a 4.1-inch x 5.1-inch pair-cast, shaft-drive, cone clutch, 28-35 h.p. and a 4.1-inch x 5.1-inch pair-cast chain drive, cone clutch, 28-35 h.p. Prices respectively equal to $1580, $2400 and $2500. The Company was said to be capitalised to a value of $100,000 and to have made a large profit that year – as had every other Belgian car firm, with Belgium ranked third in European car output behind France and Britain.

At the Brussels show in January1910, a British reporter wrote that Springuels nearly all had side-chains, but the 16-20 h.p. had a 3-speed gearbox and cardan drive, while the 28-35 h.p. had a 4-speed with chains. Motor Age July 14, 1910 noted a M. Springuel driving a Springuel coming second to a Mercedes in the 1910 Belgian Meuse Trophy Hill Climb and the Motor Age of June 15, 1911 lists a 3.5-inch x 4.7-inch Springuel racer driven by Hautvast winning it that year and a second Springwell, 2.96-inch x 4.7-inch driven by Springuel coming third. Klinkhamer won the closed car class with a 2.96-inch x 4.5-inch Springuel.

The February 15, 1912 Motor Age has an article about the Belgian Motor Show which includes a photo of a Springuel 12 h.p. Torpedo with a cabin with oval windows. There was also a Belgian car list with three Springuel models, all with 4-cylinder en-bloc engines: a 12 h.p. of 2.9-inch bore x 3.9-inch stroke; a 16 h.p. of 3.6-inch x 4.7-inch; a 28 h.p. of 4.125-inch x 5.125-inch. There is a photo of the Springuel stand at the show and a close-up of a 12 h.p. Springuel Imperia sporting car in that February’s American Automobile.

Here is what the Westminster Gazette’s reporter saw at the November 1912 London Motor Show: “SPRINGUEL. A new-comer is to be noted in the Springuel, an attractive Chassis of Belgian origin, the agency for which has been taken up by Messrs. F. W. Berwick and Co. of 19. Berkeley-street. W. This chassis, although not known in England, has met with much favour in Belgium. The motor is of the monobloc order, and has a bore and stroke of 90 and 120 mm. The gear-box provides four speeds and reverse, and the power is delivered through the medium of a leather clutch, the final drive being, of course, by bevel. A model, having an engine of 75 by 120 mm., is also made. This chassis, rated as 20-h.p., is listed at £420, with tyres, and the smaller model of 14-h.p. at £325 minus the body.”

The January 30, 1913 American Automobile, reporting the Brussels Motor show, lists Belgian cars and includes five, four-cylinder Springuels, all with gear-driven camshafts and L-headed cylinders: a 75mm bore x 100mm stroke en-bloc; a 70mm x 120mm, en-bloc; an 80mm x 130mm en-bloc; a 90mm x 140mm pair-cast and a 100mm x 160mm pair-cast. There are references to the Springuel in the American Automobile of September 1913, noting that Durtal on his 2.9-inch x 4.7-inch Springuel racer won the Belgian Grand Prix. Two other Springuels were eliminated by crashes during the race; those of Gallice and Klinkhamer. There are photos of the winner and Gallice’s crashed car. Similar reports in the Horseless Age and similar-dated magazines.

Following Paris fashion, a “Springuel Sporting chassis fitted with a boat-type body… having a pointed radiator and stern” is pictured at the Brussels’ Motor Show in the February 5, 1914 Motor Age. It identified Springuel as one of Belgium’s most important manufacturers. The British Automotive Journal of December 9, 1915 gave Springuel’s London agent’s address at 18 Berkeley Street; it was one of twelve Belgian brands until then being imported into the UK. The January 1915 edition of American Motor Age had described Springuel’s Huy factory as intact under German occupation but the Automotive Industries Magazine of May 29, 1919 has an article describing the wartime destruction of Belgian industrial resources and describes the Springuel factory as being “completely stripped” and it having “sustained such losses that it is doubtful if the firm will be revived”.

Perhaps not the same owner/driver as in 1910-11 but a 122 cu.-inch Bignan in the Rudge-Whitworth Cup race held at Le Mans in July 1925 was co-driven by a M. Springuel…

Was the car company connected to B. L. Springuel, a distiller in Huy before 1900?

From G. N. Georgano's The New Encyclopedia of Motorcars 1885 to the Present, third edition (1982):

"Springuel (B) 1907-1914
SA des Automobiles Springuel. Liège
The protytype Springuel appeared in 1903 but production did not start until 1907. The car had a 24hp 4-cylinder engine with pair-cast cylinders, 4-speed gearbox and double chain drive. It was made in small numbers, mostly in open tourer form, up to 1910, when the company was acquired by Imperia. The later cars manufactures in the Springuel factory were known as Springuel-Imperias and were similar to Imperia models."

...continuing with the Imperia:

"Imperia (B) 1906-1949
(1) Automobiles Imperia, Liège, Nessonvaux 1906-1929
(2) SA des Automobiles Imperia-Excelsior, Nessonvaux 1929-1949
The first Imperias were the work of the German Paul Henze. At first only a 24/30 four of 4.9 litres was marketed with lt magneto and coil ignition, 4-speed gearbox, and shaft or side-chain drive. The smaller 3-litre that followed was shaft-driven and a 1767cc monobloc four arrived during 1909. As late as 1911 an immense Kaiserpreis-inspired chain-drive 9.9 litre 50/60 was still offered. In 1912 Imperia merged with Springuel, but though the latter name soon vanished, Jules Springuel took over the management, and some ioe Springuel designs were sold under hte Imperia name. in 1914 a range of conventional well-made sv fours of 1.8 litres, 2.6 litres, 3.6 litres and 5 litres was offered."

The Imperia entry goes on to describe the company and cars from 1919-on, which included taking over the marque Abdal (Spain), and Belgian marques Excelsior, Nagant and Minerva. They also built several models under license: the fwd Adler, Trumpf-Junior, Trumpf, Zweiliter, and the 2088cc Standard Vanguard. For a brief period in 1947 they also built the TA8, a car that blended the fwd Adler and Amilcar designs, using the 1340cc ohv Amilcar engine from 1940.