From Small Parts To Starring Role

摘要

Bean and Dodge were two examples of motor components firms that accidentally became important carmakers. The story of Bean is particularly fascinating. It seems to encapsulate all the glamour, wealth and excitement of those early days of motor manufacture all compressed into 10 years.rnFrom the reluctant adoption of the Perry car, which had been killed by the First World War, via a peak output of 505 Bean cars in July 1920 it charts a bumpy ride of the Bean company to bankruptcy in 1931. The firm was then reconstituted with Victor Riley of the Riley car firm becoming its late 1930s chairman. Jack Bean himself was chairman of GKN's Carrington drop forge between 1940 and 1955, having been a director of Guy in the 1930s.