Abadal

F.S.Abadal Cia., Barcelona, Spain. 1912-1923, !930

Francisco Serramelera Abadal became the Madrid agent for the newly-announced Hispano-Suiza Cars in 1904, Extending his dealership to Barcelona in 1908. Four years later he announced a car under his own name. Cylinder dimensions were similar to those of the Hispano-Suiza Alfonso, at 80 x 180mm, as was the T-head valve layout, but they were not made by Hispano-Suiza. Instead Abadal bought them from the Belgian Imperia company, who also made the chassis. Abadalswore handsome vee radiators and were mostly seen with sporting bodywork, particularly skiff tourers by Labourdette and Alin et Liautard. About 90 Abadals were made up to the outbreak of World War 1 which abruptly ended supplies of components from Belgium. Abadal also offered a 4.5 litre 6 cylinder car and it's origins are unknown as such a model was not listed by either Imperia or Hispano-Suiza. During the war Abadal built a number of bodies on Hispano-Suiza, Mercedes and Peugeot cahssis, but soon concentrated on the 6 cylinder Buick, for which he became Spanish agent from 1916. These bodies often concealed the American origins of the chassis, with exotic town car or racing styles, being sold as Abadal-Buicks. The longstroke fours were made in Belgium by Imperia, and sold under the Imperia-Abadal name. There was also a 5.6 litre straight 8 Imperia-Abadal, of which only three or four were made. Imperia dropped the Spanish designs in 1923 after about 170 had been made and the Abadal-Buicks appeared in 1930. It was a 4 door saloon of very American lines, powered by a 3.5 litre Continental six cylinder engine, though a European feature was a 4 speed gearbox. It never went into production.