History We ALL Love a DARE! PIX of TRULY Extinct Makes?

Etore Bugatti was indeed italian, but is know as a french car manufacturer since his plant was in Molsheim France...

 

How's about a 360-horse STRAIGHT 12 by Wolseley from 1905? This was actually for marine
use and could be adapted to gasoline or oil. STILL, fun to actually SEE, though!






Title page of the 1912 edition of Rankin Kennedy's book,
The Book of Modern Engines, Vol. VI. Note that the above
photo, however, is from Volume III.

 

I've always liked these. A bit underpowered for my tastes but radical styling. Do you have any other pictures of the 3 window? How many total 2 doors are known to exist?

 

This curious bicycle was constructed in the style of “velocipedes” pioneered by the French in the middle 1860s. Bicycles of this type were among the first to have pedals, though credit for that innovation is difficult to assign given the murky nature of early patents. The International Cycling History Conference has been host to intense debate regarding the inventor of pedals, but discussion usually focuses on two Frenchmen named Ernest Michaux and Pierre Lallemant.

This contraption bears some similarity to the offerings of Michaux st Cie of Paris. The company was formed in 1868 by Ernest Michaux and brothers Aime and Rene Olivier becoming the first to mass produce bicycles; however, this bicycle’s being constructed of wood seems to preclude it from being a Michaux built velocipede as that company’s offerings were constructed of wrought iron. The term “bone-shaker” is often incorrectly applied to big-wheel bicycles of the farthing penny style, but it was actually coined to describe the incredibly uncomfortable ride offered by early two-wheeled conveyances such as the one seen here.

Perhaps the most likely origin of this machine is that it was created by a craftsman as an attempt to copy off of the popular velocipedes of the day. Whatever the case, it is a delightfully archaic object of whimsy.

More Pics;

http://www.wwgauctions.com/auctions/details.cfm?vehicleID=40&id=33

 

Speaking bicycles.

The Russell Motor Car Company was an automobile manufacturer in Toronto, Canada that produced cars from 1904 to 1916. The company is considered to have produced Canada's first successful automobile.

In 1903, weakness in the bicycle market prompted Canada Cycle and Motor Co. (C.C.M.), a bicycle manufacturer, to acquire the assets of Canadian Motors Ltd., a failed automobile producer. Thomas (Tommy) Alexander Russell, C.C.M.'s new general manager, saw an opportunity to diversify his company's product line.

From 1903 to 1905, C.C.M.'s new automobile division, named Russell Motor Car Company with Russell serving as president, began production of electric-powered two-passenger runabouts. In 1905, the company produced its first "Model A" car with a two-cylinder gasoline engine. A larger "Model B", and a four-cylinder "Model C", arrived in 1906. A 40 horsepower touring car was introduced in 1907, with a more prestigious 50 horsepower model coming in 1908.

The Russell vehicles developed a reputation as well-built and engineered cars, and success allowed Russell to focus on the high-end market. Sales offices were opened in England, Australia and New Zealand. In Canada, Russell promoted its vehicles as "The Thoroughly Canadian Car," built with Canadian material, labour and capital. Marketing included publicity stunts such as races on frozen Lake Ontario between Russell cars and ice-yachts. The Russell Motor Car Company Limited was incorporated separately from C.C.M. in 1911.

The company began to experience difficulties with its sleeve valve engines in 1913. A downturn in the high-end market, coupled with the commencement of the First World War in 1914, resulted in Russell selling its automobile production business to the American manufacturer Willys-Overland Motors in 1916. Russell produced munitions during the war, and manufactured automobile parts after the war ended. In 1938, the company changed its name to Russell Industries Limited, as it continued its shift away from the automobile industry, expanding into the manufacture of machine parts. The company continued to exist into the 1950s, but the name Russell Industries Limited since 1972 the name has been used by a Burnaby, BC lighting fixture company.

 

That Biddle, Philadelphia, chose to advertise their 1917 cars in the April issue of New York's Arts & Decoration magazine seems a clear indicator of the upscale buyer they sought to woo!

The Biddle automobile was named for its primary investor, wealthy Philadelphian R. Ralston Biddle. Though thoroughly solid and reliable mechanically, the Biddle's emphasis was clearly upon STYLE! Note the Mercedes-influenced "vee" radiator in the advertisement, as well as wire wheels and step plates instead of the full running boards most WWI-era cars would have sported.

The V-ed radiator was Biddle's signature touch throughout its run and, notably was mimicked by the later Abbotts and the short-lived Argonne, among other makes. Through the entire Biddle run, their bread-and-butter power plant was a Buda 226.4-CID four. But, at least for 1917, the company also offered a more pricey Duesy 301.6-CID four. The magazine ad is THANKS to the WikiMedia Commons project!




I think this is one of the Duesenberg fours, such as would have been in the '17 Biddle. Photo
was originally shown at PreWarCar and was posted on the HAMB to illustrate another point
by HAMBer LGS of New Zealand. It is said that a LARGER version of this plant was used in
the elite Roamer and the ReVere, as well. Neat package, what?

 

Now, shift gears to a new MYSTERY CAR!



This photo was posted in December by Grahame (MrFire), and accompanying original information states that it was taken in 1944 at a car show where it was judged as a 1918 BIDDLE and won its class (C). A Rochester-Duesenberg engine resides under the bonnet there. The owner at the time was one George Ayer of Stanford, CT, and the car was later sold to D. Cameron Peck, well remembered as a car collector.

Someplace, I read that Peck's collection was auctioned off about 1952. So, the first question is, was this the same Biddle that wound up in Bill Harrah's collection? The Harrah car went to the Wickham Collection before finding its way to Alaska. And SO, the second question: Is this the same car which RECENTLY found its way to the Fountainhead Museum in Fairbanks, Alaska, apparently after being reinterpreted as a 1920 Argonne? Or, is the Fairbanks Argonne simply a different car? As for me, I think enough pieces of the puzzle are there to say that it's the same car, and, yes, it was misidentified in '44.

To be sure, a pretty darn esteemed panel nailed the Fairbanks car as a '20 Argonne, ONE OF ONLY TWO DOZEN MADE. I surely don't doubt their finding. But if, indeed, it is the same car, it would seem that the judges did guess wrong back in '44 . . . and the Argonne existed for literally DECADES, misidentified as a Biddle. Wowee. A little like twins, switched at birth!

If the '44 "Biddle" and the Fairbanks Argonne are the same car, I don't think it taxes the imagination much to see HOW this could have happened. First, just LOOK at the two car's -- and the nose, not in the least part. Then there are the body lines, wire wheels and the step plates in place of the era's usual running boards. The short-lived Argonne was built in Jersey City, NOT too far from Phildelphia where the Biddle was built. Argonne's DESIGNER, perhaps not surprisingly, was Otto Bieler from Biddle. That said, is it possible that Biddle, in its declining years, might have struck some sort of agreement with the start-up Argonne company?

Today, Biddles are quite RARE. And the Fairbanks Argonne goes on the ULTRA-RARE list, as it is believed to be the ONLY REMAINING SPECIMEN of that make.

 

1919 Biddle Model H Speeway Special, as illustrated by George Morales. Buda four
of 23 rated hp and 226.4-CID with Zenith carb and 4-speed trans. (Source, The Automobile,
Jan. 16, 1919, via the Horseless Carriage Fndtn., LaMesa, CA.) This print is available on
eBay, for the serious collector!





Photo and/or link originally posted elsewhere by HAMBer The37Kid. THANKS!


















Compare the '20 Argonne at Fountainhead
to the B&W 1944 shot of the '18 "Biddle."

 

A proud possession of the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles, this second-year
Biddle, a 1916 Model D Victoria tourer features "Vee-d headlamps," complementing
the signature Biddle Vee grille shell! Museum is at 85 S. Walnut St., Boyertown, PA.



A well-lit view of the '16 Biddle Victoria, this one taken by Bruno Costers, a very active ally
of the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles!

 

The Power Of The Hour

 

Jim, a HUGE "THANKS!" for these 1919 images! It's just of immeasurable value to SEE
how the "horizontal" feature worked here on the Rochester version of the Duesenberg
four. I'd love some time to get a look under the hood of a ReVere and see how their
engineer, Adolph Monson, improved the engine over there in Logansport, Indiana!
As for Roamer, I am GUESSING that they ran the Rochester version, just as delivered,
since some say it got up to 80 horsepower!

 

SUPERCHARGED 1953 CADILLAC ELDORADO CONVERTIBLE

In spite of the glamour and hype surrounding this Cadillac of Cadillacs, the standard Eldo was not magnificent enough to please another president – one John E. Alexander, whose Nekoosa-Edwards Paper Co. produced fine writing and print papers in Port Edwards, Wisconsin.

According to automotive historian Dave Duricy, Alexander was an aviator who had served as a World War I Navy pilot. He liked speed and power in the air as well as on the ground. The forward-thinking industrialist was responsible for the paper company’s first purchase of an airplane – a 1929 Ford Tri-Motor – and he made Port Edwards’ airport possible by donating land.

During World War II, supercharged engines gave Allied fighters and bombers the speed and altitude necessary to win dogfights and evade anti-aircraft guns. In piston-driven engines, superchargers compress the air-fuel mixture, making them behave as if each cylinder displaced more cubic inches. In a sense, it creates free horsepower.

Alexander, who had owned a factory-supercharged 1937 Cord 812, wanted his 1949 Cadillac to enjoy the same type of forced-air induction. He asked Frank C. Burrell, a test engineer for Cadillac from 1950-55, to make his ’49 the fastest thing on the road. Burrell increased the new V-8’s horsepower by fitting a pair of carburetors, but he felt the supercharger kits available at the time were not sophisticated enough for a vehicle driven daily. Racers were using the adopted aviation technology, but they were willing to live with the fouled plugs, cracked blocks and blown gaskets, not to mention the blower’s mechanical whines and whistles.

In 1953, Alexander’s persistence led Burrell to install one of General Motors’ 4-71 Roots-type diesel engine superchargers on a new Azure Blue Eldorado convertible. The Hydra-Matic was beefed up to handle the extra power, but the 3.07:1 stock rear axle gears were left alone. In the days when dynamometer time was too valuable to waste on a single customer’s car, horsepower increases were estimated based on seat-of-the-pants observation and a stopwatch. Burrell guessed Alexander’s supercharged Eldorado produced 300 horsepower – nearly a 40% increase!

Alexander wanted his unique car to look and sound unlike anything else on the road. Thinking back to the supercharged Cords, Auburns and Duesenbergs, he asked Burrell to create a functional outboard system that would deliver the exhaust just ahead of the doors. Burrell knew that the left or right bank of a V-8, by itself, produced an inharmonious, unpleasant noise, so simply channeling four exhaust ports out the nearest fender would not please Alexander. Fabricating the system from 3/16-inch steel pipes, Burrell synchronized the exhaust pulses by having two left-bank ports channel under the engine and out the right fender and vice versa for the right-bank ports. The creation of this manifold and crossover pipes allowed both sides of the car to broadcast the proper V-8 tempo from their Buick-like portholes when the driver demanded; otherwise, a bypass valve closed, allowing the exhaust to flow the length of the car and exit through stock outlets in the rear bumper.

To accommodate the unusual exhaust, Jack O’Day’s body shop in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin modified the Eldorado’s fenders and hood. O’Day’s body man, Pete Marsh, may also have been responsible for pulling the Eldo’s fender skirts and giving the rear wheel-wells a factory-radiused contour. It has been assumed Alexander made this request so observers could better see the Italian-made Borrani knock-off wire wheels he installed early in his ownership of the car.

Alexander’s need to customize did not stop with the supercharged engine or body modifications. The Cadillac’s gauge cluster was replaced with Stewart Warner instruments more befitting one of Alexander’s aircraft. On a field of engine-turned aluminum, he placed a 160 mph speedometer, an 8,000 rpm tachometer and gauges to report amps, oil temperature, coolant temperature, manifold pressure and fuel. A Stewart Warner “Motor Minder” (what we know today as a vacuum gauge) sits to the right of the signal-seek radio.

In a bit of whimsy only the driver could appreciate, Alexander placed an aviation-style engine-hours clock dead center in the cluster – the rim of which was marked with letters reading “JOHN ALEXANDER.” Alexander was not fearful of duplicating effort, as there is a plaque in the center of the dash also marked with his name, and he mounted a clock to the steering wheel even though the Eldorado already had one in front of the passenger seat.

History does not record how long Alexander owned this rare Eldorado whose engine was modified by Cadillac’s test engineer, although we do know he passed away in 1963. In 1972, when Cleveland, Ohio’s The Plain Dealer featured a short article about the car, it was owned by Edward Jordan, of Brooklyn, Ohio, who purchased it three years after Alexander’s death. In 1985, Collectible Automobile reported it was owned by Santa Ana, California physician Dr. Gerard DePersio, who purchased it from Owens’ estate auction in 1980.

In the mid 1990s, the John E. Alexander Eldorado was treated to a full restoration and later won the 2007 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance prize for Great American Convertibles.

More pictures here;

http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=MR10&CarID=r129

 

Now THAT is one wild, weird machine! I would not have believed it,
if you hadn't shown all this background. Wow.

 

Autovia - 1935 to 1938.

Engine is interesting- 2 x 4-cylinder Riley engines on a common crank. Two gearbox options, but it seems all cars built used the Armstrong-Siddley pre-select.

"Autovia was a short lived brand of British car from Coventry existing from 1935 to 1938 with production starting in 1936. The venture was ambitious and even included setting up a school for chauffeurs. The cars were expensive and it was a market sector well served by other companies. 44 cars were made.<SUP id=cite_ref-2 class=reference>[3]</SUP>
The company was created by Riley as a subsidiary to produce large luxury cars and a new factory was built. A 2849 cc V-8, triple camshaft engine was developed from existing Riley engine blocks and coupled to either a pre selector gearbox bought from Armstrong Siddeley or a conventional four speed manual unit. Drive was to the rear wheels through a live axle with worm gear final drive.
Three body types were advertised, a Sports saloon, a Special Saloon with extra leg room at the expense of boot space and a limousine mostly built by Arthur Mulliner. The car was also available as a bare chassis.
The venture failed when Riley went bankrupt. When they were taken over by the Nuffield Organisation Autovia was not resurrected.
There are thought to be eight of these cars remaining.
.........................."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autovia






http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autovia








http://www.topklasse.net.au/forums/showthread.php?p=9433



Mulliner body.

http://www.carpictures.com/Autovia/Sport-Saloon-by-Mulliner-1-of-1-Ever-Built-1937-09LEE242514541

 

chrisp,

That's a neat and very rare car.



http://forumpanhard.free.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1423&sid=952d6f45d2d01833b6381055cfa9e750

 

Jimi,

You left out one of the best bits and why it may have been even more rare -

"............Heine demonstrated his car to Chevrolet and demanded to see the head engineer. He was pointed in his direction, leaving the car unattended, and the car was stolen. The following year Chevrolet released a car with pivoting windows........."

Then -

"His last three cars were lent to a local dealer for display, but he was never paid for them, and they disappeared."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heine-Velox

.




http://fountainheadauto.blogspot.com/2009/12/heine-velox-update.html

 

BIDDLE -

A bit of video from 1954 Britain.

A number of American cars were shipped across to take part in a Rally from Edinburgh to Goodwood. About half way through the clip, from British Pathe, there is mention and footage of a 1918 Biddle, unfortunately, it there is no mention of the owners name.

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=82910

PS. Sorry, Jimi, I know you are on dial-up and it would take about a week-and-a-half to load the video.
Hopefully, someone might be able to ID the car and provide more details.

PPS. There are some other great cars, and scenery, shown.

 

The coupe Major 3 window only one survivor, the Junior coupe (260cm wheelbase) I have no idea, couldn't find any info. To me the Panoramic and Dynamic Panhard are among the best looking car of the time coupe or 4 doors are great looking. The engine is low revving because of the design they were designed to be quiet and low vibration, I guess that,s why they lack power.

 

Very cool movie, thanks for sharing!

 

Thanks for posting the link of that film!
Can you imagine, having the ability and means to transport your vintage car overseas to take part in a rally like that?
Of course at that time, theose cars were "only" 40-50 years old.
Put that in perspective, that's like taking our 50's and 60's cars on a rally overseas, somehow, a little different now I guess..........

I especially liked the fact it was in all weather, and they kept going, did a hillclimb, and an endurance run.
Using the cars as they were meant to be used.
Bet most of those now are in museums.

 

There really needs to be a filter for photoshop to keep things like that from happening......Jim, Did you find that around the first of this month???

 

Floyd;

It is UGLY, isn't it. I was reading an old issue of Old Cars Weekly and saw it listed in the auction results. So, I did some research on it. Never knew any thing about it before that. Just cause I post it, doesn't mean I necessarily like it. I don't think photoshop existed back then. LOL

Maybe, you'll like this one better, a 1941 Cadillac by Darrin. There seems to be no information on this car except for these two pictures.

 

There is only one of the 3 window, but how many of the 5 window?

 

Homer Fitterling once hadn an Elkhart. My grandpa used to work for him, and said it was one of two.

 

I always thought the Erskine was made in South Bend by Studebaker.

 

The Erskine is a Studebaker.

 

Like the Rockne, the Erskine was a full-fledged marque and was built in South bend by Studebaker. The Erskine was named for Albert Russell Erskine who headed Studebaker during the overall dynamic stretch from 1915 to 1933. He had joined Studebaker as an accountant in 1911 when, as an automaker, the company was still quite young. Erskine was well respected among car people and loved by his employees, as Studebaker was known for the best-paying line jobs in the auto industry, as well as for always posting a dividend for stockholders, even if that mean tapping into company capital reserves.

Erskine, 1871-1933, was born in Huntsville, AL, died in South Bend and is interred in Huntsville. When the '29 crash hobbled the parent company financially, both the Erskine and the Rockne were dropped, along with recently acquired Pierce-Arrow. Though Studebaker regained its financial legs, it was not before bankruptcy and reorganization. Albert Erskine -- himself financially ruined, in poor health and facing an uphill battle to save Studebaker -- walked out to the company proving grounds on July 1, 1933, and shot himself in the heart. One of many personal tragedies spawned by the stock market crash.

As a trustee of Notre Dame University, Erskine is remembered for personally sponsoring the Erskine Award, the forerunner to today's annual college football championship process. President Erskine had prevailed upon his friend, famed NotreDame football coach Knute Rockne, to lend his named to the Rockne auto line.


Note: Not to get too technical, but some of the Erskine and Rockne models were also built in Detroit at the old EFM plant and at Stude's Walkerville, ON, plant. Sorry for the previous generalization. I just meant that the parent company was based in South Bend, eh? For the record, Erskines were made from '27 to '30, and the Rockne's were built in '32 and '33.



Albert Russell Erskine, 1871-1933
<!-- / message -->

 

Extremely RARE one here, folks! Only about six in the world.



'27 Erskine 50 Sport rumble-seat roadster. Used a small, long-stroke 40-horse-rated Continental F-head six to suppress production costs as much as possible. In various body configurations by Ray Dietrich, the Model sold more than 25,000 units in its debut year, fading steadily thereafter. At nearly $1,000, "The Little Aristocrat" sold for about the price of TWO Ford Model As. Sitting on a 107-inch wheelbase, the stylish experiment suffered the same fate as Jordan's Little Custom -- both over-priced for their target niches in the market. The '29 market crash put the final nail in the Erskine coffin.

 

Crow-Elkhart Motor Car Co.

Elkhart, IN

1909-1924

The founders of this early American Automobile manufacturer were Dr. L.C. Crow and his son Martin Crow. The Crow-Elkhart automobile was produced in Elkhart, Indiana from 1909 to 1924. The Crow-Elkhart's were some of the first self starters.

The first automobile produced was a 5 passenger touring car. As you can see in the magazine ad below this car sold for $935.00 in 1918. In addition to the touring car, Crow Elkhart produced a 3 passenger convertible coupe, 5 passenger sedan. Deluxe models included a 5 passenger touring and a small 4 passenger deluxe clover leaf body.

Crow-Elkhart's motor cars were powered by Rutenber, Lycoming, Herschell-Spillman, Gray and Atlas proprietary engines. The first being a 30 horsepower Herschell-Spillman. 1918 engine specifications include a 4 cylinder with a Zenith carburetor, Connecticut ignition and Dyneto self starting motor and lighting.

See all the 1918 Crow-Elkhart models below.

 

The Elkhart Carriage & Harness Manufacturing Company was organized in 1873 in Elkhart, Indiana. The company was a phenomenal success and became one of Indianas largest businesses by the turn of the century.

Brothers William and George Pratt marketed their buggies and harness sets through consumer catalogues. The Pratt brothers advertised their company as "The Largest Manufacturers of Vehicles and Harness in the World" selling to Consumers Exclusively.

In 1906 the company saw the increased penetration of the automobile and developed the desire to add a motorized buggy to the roster.

Through trial and error development, they finally announced the Pratt-Elkhart automobile in 1908. A five passenger touring car made the sales catalogue in 1909, priced at $1600.

The Model 1 was powered by a 4 cylinder engine producing 30 horsepower and ran on a 117 inch wheelbase. 1

1909 was also the year when a misguided voter base approved the 16th amendment to the US Constitution providing for an income tax!

Unfortunately, soon it was discovered that this well built automobile was too expensive for the carriage and harness customers. The Pratts would not compromise on the quality to lower the price, so they developed new models that were even bigger and more highly priced.

In 1911 several models were offered at prices ranging from $1750 to $2,000 and sold through automobile dealers. Average income at the time was under $1,000/year.

In 1915 the company's name was changed to the Pratt Motor Car Company and the marque was renamed the Elcar.

When the country was gearing up for World War I, the company destroyed most of the horse drawn side of the business to make way for the building of ambulance bodies.

The Pratt brothers sold the company in 1921 and retired, leaving the subsequent checkered history to the new business consortium that eventually went into receivership in 1931.

1910 PRATT-ELKHART MODEL 1 30-35HP TOURING