The Å koda 637 is a
Czechoslovak
Czechoslovak may refer to:
*A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93)
**First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38)
**Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39)
**Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60)
** Fourth Czechoslovak Repu ...
mid-size car
Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in ...
that was made by
Å koda
Å koda means "pity" in the Czech and Slovak languages. It may also refer to:
Czech brands and enterprises
* Škoda Auto, automobile and previously bicycle manufacturer in Mladá Boleslav
** Å koda Motorsport, the division of Å koda Auto responsi ...
from 1932 to 1935.
The car has a 1961 cc, six-cylinder, sidevalve engine, which is an enlarged version of the 1792 cc engine introduced in the successful
Å koda 633 in 1931.
Transmission is via a single-plate clutch
[ and four-speed gearbox with synchronised third and fourth gears.
The wheels are pressed steel, with ]drum brake
A drum brake is a brake that uses friction caused by a set of Brake shoe, shoes or Brake pad, pads that press outward against a rotating bowl-shaped part called a brake drum.
The term ''drum brake'' usually means a brake in which shoes press o ...
s. The car has 12 Volt electrics. The body has pressed steel panels on an ash
Ash is the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash is the ...
frame.[
]
Type 637
The original 1932 version of the Type 637 was built on a ladder frame
A vehicle frame, also historically known as its ''chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism.
Until the 1930s, virtually every car had ...
. Its 1961 cc engine produces .[
In 1933 a trio of Type 637 cars won second, third and fourth place in the two-litre class of the Czechoslovak 1,000 miles race. In 1934 a Type 637 again won second place.][
But economic conditions were poor in the early 1930s, and Å koda managed to sell very few Type 637 cars. Only 11 were built.][
]
Types 637D and 637K
Å koda developed a new backbone chassis
Backbone tube chassis is a type of automobile construction chassis that is similar to the body-on-frame design. Instead of a two-dimensional Vehicle frame#Ladder Frame, ladder-type structure, it consists of a strong tubular backbone (usually re ...
based on the successful Tatra concept. This had more torsional stiffness than a ladder frame. The first Å koda to have a backbone chassis was the 420 Standard introduced in 1933. In 1934 Å koda applied a larger version of the same chassis to the Type 637.[
At the same time Å koda increased the power of the Type 637 engine to , giving it a top speed of .][ The improved model was designated Type 637D. Body options offered included a two-door or four-door sedan and a six-seat, "six-light" limousine with sunroof. Sales improved slightly, with 39 cars being built.][
Å koda revised the model again as the 637K. Sales remained low, with only 17 examples of this version being built.][ Production ceased in 1935.
]
Successors
A Type 637 with its engine enlarged to 2492 cc and its chassis lengthened became the prototype Å koda Type 640. The model was launched on 22 October 1934 as the Å koda Superb.
In 1936 Å koda tried to return to the Type 637's segment of the mid-range market with the four-cylinder Å koda Favorit
Å koda Favorit is a model name that the Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak (and now Czech Republic, Czech) car maker Å koda Auto has used for two series of car models.
The first series was the Škoda Favorit (1936–1941), Type 904 which was a 1.8 lit ...
. This model also suffered from poor sales, and production ceased in 1941.
Notes
Sources
*
Cars introduced in 1932
637
__NOTOC__
Year 637 ( DCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 637 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in E ...
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