Early 1900s Beauties at Meadowbrook Concours

I took my family to the Meadowbrook Concours D'Elegance Sunday. Every car was amazing. The featured theme was brass era cars. Even got to see/hear a lot of them run as they paraded across the show stand area. Cool to see an old Michigan crank started. Anyway, the rusty old unrestored cars, of which there were only maybe three, were especially fascinating to me. Thought I'd post a couple pics of the oldest rat rods I've ever seen.

Wish I could give you some info on 'em, but I didn't take notes. The "16" racer was a Ford, something about being an international champion or something.

 

I went through my pics and decided to post some more. Just breathtaking cars. Not traditional hot rods and customs, but this is where it all started.

 

And a few more.

 

Okay, I'm done.

 

Great pictures, good to see that even the big money guys know the importance of keeping some things unrestored.

 

We've got a couple of those old suckers in collections storage at the Kansas History museum, where I work. They are fun to look at, but they won't let me run 'em

 

cool,

thanks I always enjoy seeing the evalution in styles of cars

 

Airkooled - thanks for those pix!!

Old 16 (in yr first post) was a champion; driven by George Robertson to win the Vanderbilt Cup 1908, beating a lot of European iron. It's not a Ford though, that old beast is a 1906 Locomobile.

Here's a painting of it in action, by Peter Helck (who, as I understand it, saw the race as a boy). Better yet, Helck owned the car after WWII, til his death. I saw him drive it a Hershey years ago.

He willed it to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. Saw it just a few months ago. Still original paint, LOTSA patina.

And a pic of it in the race.

Love that thing. -Keith

 

NOT TRUE! "Old 16" was real close to being sold to a group of investors in Japan, a local dealer got the Ford family to buy the car from Peter Helcks estate and keep it here in the USA where it belongs. I think it is great that "Old 16" and the Ford "999" racer are under the same roof, along with the many other famous cars.

 

neat pictures!!!
Thanks for sharing.

 

What is this?

 

I tried to track back and figure it out. All those weird orphan makes in those days. My best guess, and I think it's a solid one, is that it's a 1915 Winton Runabout.

We ran into this older guy at the show who is a family friend. He had his camera and a notepad. A huge car enthusiast. Probably the most knowledgable I've met, and I've known some real experts. If I was there without the wife and baby I might have been a little more inclined to study things more attentatively. When I'm older I hope I'm like him.

Oh, by the way, good catch on old number 16. You guys are a wellspring of facts! I guess I wasn't paying much attention to that one either. Kind of like if you meet a celebrity but you think it's just some regular guy until someone tells you later.

 

Airkooled, Thank you for posting all those photos, real nice collection of cars. I've spent over an hour on Google trying to find a list of the cars at Meadowbrook this year. The red roadster is very unusual, has what look like European features of that era. Six cylinder cars were rare at that time, there was mention of a Pierce 66, Kissel Kar along with the Winton at the show. Sure would be nice to know for sure what the car is. I'm guessing it may be a Kissel, they had a nice raceabout in the 1920's. "Old 16" was fairly local, and was out every year at the shows, I NEVER saw it on a trailer. The trip to Dearborn may have been its first.

 

"AHHH-OOOO-GAH"

Nice pictures

 

They gave us a fancy program at the show, but it's been wedged in the stroller in the trunk of the wagon, haven't cracked it yet. I'm hoping it has some car info and not just a ton of ads for steakhouses. If I remember to dig it out tonight I'll post some info. The Detroit News (detnews.com) "Joyrides" section has some more photos with captions.

My pics barely scratch the surface of the show. There were tons of super-rare cars from every decade. I just happened to have my hands full with the baby during the other parts and didn't take pics. There were a bunch of Ghia-bodied cars, 2 Enzos, 2 F40s, and the Rain Man Buick. I like that 3-wheeler Morgan a lot. That was my pick for the thing I'd like most to test drive.

There was an all-star cast of automotive folks there too. Auto execs and magazine editors especially. Weird to see them randomly strolling around the show. Strangely, there was no Ol' Skool Rodz tent! Go figure.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=110806

what about this? I know I have seen one before, but I cant remember what it is? whats with the "v-twin" looking motor on the front? and is it 3 wheeled?

 

Morgan 3-wheeler with a J.A.P. engine.

 

Yup. That's the one I was saying I wish I could drive.

 

J.A.P.??

 

J.A.Prestwick.Made motorcycle engines back in the 20's and well into the 50's as I recall.Lot of them were used for flat track bikes.

 

J.A.Prestwich built what are called "proprietary" engines.
if you wanted to go into business building motorcycles (or small 3 wheel cars) you could buy your engines from them and build the rest yourself.
just like a lot of american manufacturers had outside sources for transmissions and gearboxes,like saginaw,muncie,borg-warner,or carburetors like holley,rochester,carter,or electrics like delco-remy and autolite.

 

Yeah. Good question. I had heard of these before, but never knew the story. Still don't really. But the JAP logo is printed big across the front of that motor. I Googled and got this which seems informative:

http://www.500race.org/Marques/JAP.htm

 

OH, very interesting. Thanks for the history lesson Yorgatron, and Ray.
I'd really like to see a drawing or photo of how the drivetrain on that little morgan is set up. pretty neat car... Is it rear steer?

 

I wanna say it's front steer. I have a side view photo at home I think. Will try to post later this evening.

 

There is one of those Morgans here in the Austin area. Saw one at a show last year and asked some questions. It's a really cool design, front steer with the v-twin engine...has to be an absolute blast to drive!

 

J.A. Prestwich (J.A.P.) the fellow who designed the V-Twin engine in England. The trikes also had Matchless and other engines fitted at the factory.The cars are front steer, and have a hand throtle that you controll with your thumb. Makes for real scary turning. They were an English tax dodge, sort of like a car but taxed as a motorcycle.

 

Well, I dug out the Concours program. It's mostly coverage of last year's award winners. There is a list of this year's cars, but no photos. It just gives make, model, year, owner, and home town. It also has a list of those "dignitaries" that were there as judges. I thought I heard them say Barris was there, and I was right. The other one I look up to is Jean Jennings. She's one of the coolest car guys at any of the non-hot rod type mags.

There is an article about 1905 cars. Here's a list entitled "Sales for 1905: The Top 12 Makes":

1. Oldsmobile
2. Cadillac
3. Rambler
4. Ford
5. Franklin
6. White (Steam)
7. REO
8. Maxwell
9. Buick
10. Stanley (Steam)
11. Packard
12. Stoddard-Dayton


Then there's another list "Other Prominent Makes Available in 1905":

Adams-Farwell
Moon
Royal
Autocar
National
Russell
Northern
Simplex
Columbia
Singer
Corbin
Peerless
Star
Haynes-Apperson
Pope-Hartford
Stevens-Duryea
Knox
Pope-Toledo
Studebaker
Locomobile
Pope-Tribune
Thomas
Marion
Pope-Waverly(Electric)
Wayne
Matheson
Pullman
Winton
Mitchell

Then there's a note "There were also a few other less well known makes."

It's amazing to see the twisted history of the automobile. So many companies got into the game and subsequently fell back out or got swallowed up by the giants.

 

I took thes Morgan photos today at Lime Rock Park in connecticut. The car has a J.A.P. twin and will hit 105MPH

 

Luxury at it's finest...