Treasured classics deserve a classic oil that their owners can rely on to provide the protection their vehicles need, so says Duckhams Oils.
Founded over 125 years ago by British pioneer Alexander Duckham, Duckhams Oils has a rich heritage with great British Classics. From the original Morris Minor to the luxury of Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Jaguar, and more, Great Britain has produced incredible cars over the past century. Duckhams Oils have been at the heart of many of these classic vehicles.
William Morris (later Lord Nuffield), the British pioneer of family car mass production, became a personal friend of Alexander Duckham, the founder of Duckhams Oils. Duckhams collaborated with Morris on suitable lubricants from their earliest days.
By the 1930s, Duckhams’ New Process Oils were specified by the makers of more than 90 per cent of British cars, including all Austin models, Bentley and Invicta; New Process Oils also enjoyed ‘approved’ status from Rolls-Royce, Humber and Rover.
In 1959, British Motor Corporation launched its ground-breaking new £500 family car, the Morris Mini-Minor. The car’s radical design placed the transmission beneath the crankcase, with the gearbox effectively operating in an extension of the sump. While this was fine for space-saving, it caused problems for the engine oil, which, in addition to suffering the usual contamination from combustion deposits, was suddenly called upon to act as a gear oil as well.
Not surprisingly, there were issues. Probably the greatest of these was the ‘shearing’ effect of the high pressures involved in the gears, which quickly broke down the polymers in ordinary oils, causing loss of viscosity and lubrication properties. Duckhams came to the rescue. While monograde NOL had been the manufacturer’s original recommendation for the Mini, Duckhams Q20-50 proved to be in a class of its own in this type of engine, maintaining viscosity and reducing the oil leaks that had started to plague the Mini.
The mini became a Duckhams icon itself, with the Duckhams ‘Q car’ proving a big attraction wherever it went. The car was built on mini underpinnings.
Today, Duckhams continues to provide the lubrication needed to keep much-loved great British classics in tip-top condition. Their range includes a 10W40 and 20W50, as well as traditional monograde SAE30 and SAE40 engine oils, specially crafted for vintage and classic vehicles that require a single-grade lubricant. These oils help preserve the authenticity and mechanical integrity of older engines while delivering reliable protection and smooth operation during regular use.
Products like Duckhams Classic [Q] 20W-50 – the original green multigrade motor oil – are widely recommended in many original owners’ handbooks and are suitable for use in older, higher mileage petrol and non-turbocharged diesel classic car engines. Using updated additive technology and high-quality virgin base oils, Duckhams Q meets specifications, provides reliable protection for modern cars, and is suitable for classic cars predating 1950.
