Carter (Australia) - AllCarIndex

Carter was an Australian automobile brand active from 1916 to 1924, founded by Clifton Caner in North Unley, South Australia. Caner operated on a personal basis rather than establishing a formal company structure. His initial foray into automotive design included the construction of a belt-drive cyclecar, which was built on a wooden chassis and powered by a 7 horsepower engine.

In 1916, Caner registered an 11 horsepower car, followed by a roadster of similar power for his personal use in 1917. By 1920, he had produced an 8.7 horsepower vehicle, and two cars with 11.9 horsepower were exhibited at the inaugural Adelaide Motor Show. These models featured four-cylinder, 1525cc overhead valve engines of monobloc construction, equipped with Dixie magnetos and Zephyr carburettors. Additional specifications included cone clutches, three-speed gearboxes, quarter-elliptic springs, and 710 x 80mm tyres, with wheelbase measurements of 103 and 109 inches (2616 and 2768 mm).

Carter's final automotive endeavor was a further belt-drive cyclecar, completed in 1922. This model was notable for its sturdy duplex tube chassis frame and an 8 horsepower air-cooled overhead valve engine. However, this marked the end of Caner's car manufacturing efforts. An interesting familial connection exists, as Caner's mother was a cousin of Charles W. Nash, the American automobile manufacturer, whose family had emigrated from Adelaide to the United States.