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

The venerable Ford Model T -- the car that ushered in low-cost, mass produced cars and created the era of personal mobility we take for granted today -- is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. More than 15 million examples of the "Tin Lizzie" were built during its lifetime, and the landmark car was produced and sold all over the world. To commemorate its centennial Ford is planning celebrations throughout the summer, and recently ran a completely restored 1923 Model T Montier racer in the Le Mans Classic -- the oldest car ever to compete in the event.​

Named for its original driver, Charles Montier, the Model T Montier racer took part in the very first running of Le Mans back in 1923, finishing 14th overall. Now on July 12th and 13th for the fourth biennial Le Mans Classic at the iconic Sarthe circuit, under the Ecurie Ford France banner the very same car joined 400 competition vehicles and 1000 drivers for the massive event. Racing by turn before 81,000 spectators, the Montier managed to take 49th place -- not for a set of wheels that's 85 years old. ​

Based on the none other than the Model T Ford the 2 litre Montier Special placed fourteenth at the first 24 hour Le Mans in 1923 driven by Charles Montier, a distributor of Ford cars and creator of the Montier Special and his brother-in-law Albert Ouriou. Though Charles was never victorious in a major road race it wasn't for want of trying. He raced various versions of a Montier Special from the 1912 French GP through to the GP de la Baule in 1933. Charles Montier died in 1952.

It was built by Charles Montier, a Parisian Ford agent who made several sporting versions based on the Model T and later on the Model A. The one we showed you was the 1923 version that took part in the very first Le Mans 24 Hour race and finished 14th overall.









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Ford Montier Spécial

 

This reminded me of the FREEWAY HMV (High Mileage Vehicle) of the early '80s, especially since I was looking at one in a friends private collection on Friday afternoon. I sure wouldn't want to be on the freeway today in a FREEWAY. I'd rather be in one of todays Smart Cars and I really don't want to be in one of them either.

I actually delivered paint to the FREEWAY manufacturer in Burnsville Minnesota in the early '80s when I was working for Sherwin Williams. It was usually in spray cans.

The Freeway automobile was developed by a Burnsville native in the late l970s, Dave Edmonson who still lives in the Twin Cities.

The Freeway had three wheels, two in front and one in back. The three-wheeler was powered by a single-cylinder lawn tractor engine. The tubular frame was wrapped in a fiberglass shell. It had a single door on the left hand side and was classified as a motorcycle.

The Freeway's top speed was 65 mph, and it achieved stunning gas mileage.

According to David Edmonson; we ran six vehicles on a fuel economy test and averaged about 102 miles per gallon.

The Freeway was mechanical engineer Dave Edmonson's response to the Arab oil embargo of the l970s, when gasoline prices rose from 30 cents a gallon to a $1.20 a gallon.

He convinced family members to invest in the company, made 700 vehicles priced at $3,500 each, and sold a bunch. Orders dwindled during a bad winter, and the venture folded in the early l980s.

 

Then there was the Messerschmidt from the late 50's and early '60s

Messerschmitt KR175

The Messerschmitt KR175 bubble car (1953&#8211;1955) was the first vehicle built by Messerschmitt under its 1952 agreement with Fritz Fend. In concept, although not in actual design, it was an extended version of the Fend Flitzer invalid carriage. Approximately 15,000 were built before it was replaced by the Messerschmitt KR200 in 1956.

The Messerschmitt KR200, or Kabinenroller (Cabin Scooter), was a three-wheeled bubble car designed by the aircraft engineer Fritz Fend and produced in the factory of the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt in the 1950s and early 1960s.

Messerschmitt, temporarily not allowed to manufacture aircraft, had turned its resources to producing other commodities. In 1952, Fend approached Messerschmitt with the idea of manufacturing small motor vehicles. These were based on his Fend Flitzer invalid carriage.

The first of Fend's vehicles to enter production at Messerschmitt's Regensburg factory was the KR175. The title Kabinenroller means "scooter with cabin". While the Messerschmitt name and insignia were used on the car, a separate company, incorporated as Regensburger Stal- und Metallbau GmbH, was created to manufacture and market the vehicle.

There were several problems with the first KR175s to be built, resulting in 70 design modifications between the beginning of production in February 1953 and June of the same year.

The KR175 established several features unique to the Kabinenroller platform. Externally, the narrow body, the transparent acrylic bubble canopy and low stance were among the more obvious features.

The narrow body, and corresponding low frontal area, was achieved with tandem seating, which also allowed the body to taper like an aircraft fuselage, within a practical length. The front fenders did not have wheel cutouts.

Entry to the KR175 was through a canopy door hinged on the right side of the vehicle. The door included all the windows (windshield on both models, window frames and acrylic bubble on closed version) and the frame in which they were set, extending from the right side of the monocoque tub to the left.

The bubble went completely around the cockpit with cutouts for window frames at the sides and a small, flat glass windshield at the front. The windshield wiper was manually operated.

The KR175 ran on a 173 cc (10.6 cu in) Fichtel & Sachs air-cooled single cylinder two-stroke engine positioned in front of the rear wheel, just behind the passenger's seat. The engine was started with a pull rope as standard, but there was an option of an electric starter. The transmission was a sequential, positive-stop type with four speeds and no synchronization nor reverse gear.

The KR175 was steered with tubular steel handlebars. Operated by pushing rather than by turning, the steering bar was connected directly to the track rods of the front wheels, providing an extremely direct response best suited to small, measured inputs The gearshift lever, on the right side of the cockpit, had a secondary lever on it which operated the clutch. The throttle was operated by a twist-grip on the left handlebar. The footbrake pedal, which was the only pedal in the car, operated brakes on all three wheels mechanically, using cables. The handbrake lever operated similarly.

The KR200 was developed from the KR175 and replaced it in 1955 and was an almost total redesign whilst retaining the original concept. The most noticeable thing about the KR200 "limousine" model is its distinctive bubble canopy. These were usually transparent acrylic ("Plexiglas" or "Perspex"), though reproductions are car-safe polymethyl methacrylate. Three-wheeled, low to the ground, and sporting two perfectly round headlights, these cars were unusual, even by the standards of microcars. The KR200 ran on a one cylinder two-stroke air-cooled motorscooter engine, which was in front of the rear wheel, just behind the passenger's seat. It had very simple controls, including a steering bar reminiscent of that of an aircraft. A convertible or "Cabriolet" model was also made which had a roll-down hood directly replacing the Perspex dome.

 

And the BMW Isetta

From Wikipedia

The Isetta was one of the most successful microcars produced in the post-World War II years&#8212;a time when cheap, short-distance transportation was most needed. Although the design originated in Italy, it was built in a number of different countries, including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Because of its egg shape and bubble-like windows, it became known as a bubble car&#8212;a name later given to other similar vehicles.

The car&#8217;s origins were with the Italian firm of Iso SpA. In the early 1950s, the company was building refrigerators, motor scooters and small three-wheeled trucks. Iso's owner, Renzo Rivolta, decided he would like to build a small car for mass consumption. By 1952 the engineers Ermenegildo Preti and Pierluigi Raggi had designed a small car that used the scooter engine and named it Isetta&#8212;an Italian diminutive meaning little ISO. It is said that the stylists had arrived at the design of the Isetta by taking two scooters, placing them close together, adding a refrigerator and shaping the result like a teardrop in the wind.

The Isetta caused a sensation when it was introduced to the motoring press in Turin in November 1953, it was unlike anything seen before. Small (only 2.29 m (7.5 ft) long by 1.37 m (4.5 ft) wide) and egg-shaped, with bubble-type windows, the entire front end of the car hinged outwards to allow entry and in the event of a crash, the driver and passenger were to exit through the canvas sunroof. The steering wheel and instrument panel swung out with the single door, as this made access to the single bench seat simpler. The seat provided reasonable comfort for two occupants, and perhaps a small child. Behind the seat was a large parcel shelf with a spare wheel located below. A heater was optional, and ventilation was provided by opening the fabric sunroof.

Power came from a 236 cc (14.4 in³), 7.1 kW (9.5 hp) two-cylinder two-stroke motorcycle engine. The engine was started by a combination generator-starter known as Dynastart. A manual gearbox provided four forward speeds and reverse. A chain drive connected the gearbox to a solid rear axle with a pair of closely-spaced 25 cm (10 in) rear wheels. The first prototypes had one wheel at the rear; this made the car prone to roll-overs, so they placed two rear wheels 48 cm (19 in) apart from each other. This narrow track eliminated the need for a differential. The front axle was a modified version of a Dubonnet independent front suspension. The Isetta took over 30 seconds to reach 50 km/h (31 mph) from rest. Top speed was only about 75 km/h (47 mph). The fuel tank held only 13 litres (3.5 gallons). However, the Isetta would get somewhere between 50 mpg_{<small>-imp</small>} (5.6 L/100 km; 42 mpg_{<small>-US</small>}) and 70 mpg_{<small>-imp</small>} (4.0 L/100 km; 58 mpg_{<small>-US</small>}) depending on how it was driven.

Two models were offered - the little egg-shaped Turismo with narrow 50 cm (20 in) rear track, and the Autocarro, a commercial version with full-width rear axle. The Autocarro was offered in several body styles, a flatbed pickup, enclosed truck, a tilt-bed, or even a fire engine. The Autocarro was an extremely popular type of vehicle in Italy, and numerous manufacturers produced some variant of the type. Iso had previously produced a motorcycle-type Isocarro. The Iso Autocarro was larger than most, with its four-wheel layout, conventional rear axle with differential and leaf springs, and a large tubular frame. It was good for a 500-600 kg (1,102-1,323 lb) load. The name Isetta Autocarro was also used.

In 1954, Iso entered several Isettas in the legendary Mille Miglia where they took the top three spots in the economy classification: over a distance of 1,600 km (1,000 mi) the drivers achieved an average speed of over 70 km/h (43 mph). In view of its maximum speed, which was just 15 km/h (9 mph) higher, this was an almost incredible figure. However, despite its initial success, the Isetta was beginning to slip in popularity at home. This was mainly due to renewed competition from FIAT with its 500C model.

Renzo Rivolta wanted to concentrate on his new Iso Rivolta sports car, and was extremely interested in doing licencing deals. Plants in Spain and Belgium were already assembling Isettas and Autocarros using Italian made Iso components. BMW began talking with Rivolta in mid-1954 and bought not just a licence but the complete Isetta body tooling as well. Rivolta didn't stop with licencing the Isetta to BMW. He negotiated similar deals with companies in France and Brazil.

After constructing some 1,000 units, production of the Italian built cars ceased in 1955, although Iso continued to build the Isetta in Spain until 1958. It is thought that some 4,000 Autocarros were built.

In 1954, VELAM acquired a licence from Iso to manufacture a car based on the Isetta. Since Iso had sold the body making equipment to BMW, VELAM developed their own body but used the original Iso engine. The VELAM body was rounder and more egg-like than Iso's Isetta and was known by the French as the &#8216;yogurt pot&#8217;. Instead of a chassis like the Italian and German versions, there was a sub-frame bolted to the body at the rear, which held the rear tires, engine, and transmission. The front suspension was bolted to the front of the body. The front door was opened by push button instead of a handle, and the speedometer was mounted in the center of the steering wheel.

VELAM started production of the car in 1955 at the old Talbot factory at Suresnes, France and the car was introduced at the 1955 Paris car show. All told, five versions of the car were built: the standard Isetta, a convertible version, a luxury version, a one-off "Sport" version, and a race car. Due to competition from the Renault Dauphine, production ceased in 1958.

In 1955, Iso licenced the Isetta to Romi, a machine-tool manufacturer headquartered in the city of Santa Bárbara d'Oeste, in the State of São Paulo. The Isetta was chosen because it was considered an ideal vehicle for use in the cities by virtue of its size and economy. Released in September 5, 1956, it was the first car produced in Brazil.

Some 3,000 of the Romi-Isettas were manufactured from 1956-1961. They kept the Iso design and used Iso engines until 1958; in 1959 they switched to the BMW 300 cc engines. Large numbers were exported to Argentina.

BMW made the Isetta its own. They redesigned the powerplant around a BMW one-cylinder, four-stroke, 247 cc motorcycle engine which generated 10 kW (13 hp). Although the major elements of the Italian design remained intact, BMW re-engineered much of the car, so much so that none of the parts between a BMW Isetta Moto Coupe and an Iso Isetta are interchangeable. The first BMW Isetta appeared in April 1955.

In May 1962, two years after launching the conventionally modern-looking BMW 700, BMW ceased production of Isettas. A total of 161,728 units had been built.

While it retained the "Bubble Window" styling, it differed from the Italian model in that its headlamps were fixed separately to the sides of the bodywork and it carried the BMW badge below the windscreen. The car was also redesigned to take a modified version of the 250 cc four-stroke engine from the BMW R25/3 motorcycle and the front suspension was changed. The single-cylinder generated 9 kW (12 hp) at 5800 rpm. The crankcase and cylinder were made of cast iron, the cylinder head of aluminium.

However, the head was rotated by 180° compared with the motorcycle engine. The twin-bearing crankshaft was also different in the Isetta power unit, being larger and featuring reinforced bearings. One of the reasons for this was the heavy Dynastart unit which combined the dynamo and self-starter. The fuel mixture was provided by a Bing sliding throttle side draft motorcycle carburetor. In addition to further changes of detail, the BMW engineers enlarged the sump for installation in the car and cooled the engine by means of a radial fan and shrouded ducting.

The power train from the four-speed gearbox to the two rear wheels was also unusual: fixed to the gearbox output drive was something called a Hardy disc, which was a cardan joint made of rubber. On the other side of it was a cardan shaft, and finally a second Hardy disc, which in turn was located at the entrance to a chain case. A duplex chain running in an oil bath led finally to a rigid shaft, at each end of which were the two rear wheels. Thanks to this elaborate power transfer, the engine-gearbox unit was both free of tension and well soundproofed in its linkage to the rear axle.

In Germany, the Isetta could even be driven with a motorcycle license. The top speed of the Isetta 250 was rated as 85 km/h (53 mph).

The first BMW Isetta rolled off the line in April 1955, and in the next eight months some 10,000 of the "bubblecars" were produced.

In October 1956, the Isetta Moto Coupe DeLuxe (sliding-window Isetta) was introduced. The bubble windows were replaced by longer, sliding side windows. The engineers had enlarged the single cylinder to a 72 mm (2.8 in) bore and 73 mm (2.9 in) stroke, which gave a displacement of exactly 298 cc, and at the same time they raised the compression ratio from 6.8 to 7.0:1. In this way the engine now generated 10 kW (13 hp) at 5200 rpm, and the torque rose to 18.4 N·m (13.6 ft·lbf) at 4600 rpm. The maximum speed remained at 85 km/h (53 mph), yet there was a marked increase in flexibility, chiefly noticeable on gradients.

In addition to the quest for better performance, there was another reason for the change: it was then still possible to drive the 250 cc Isetta with the old Class IV driving licence. Quite a number of Isettas were lovingly maintained by their owners for years and even decades, precisely because they possessed no other licence. On the other hand, from 1956 onwards, first-time drivers had to pass the test for Class III if they wanted to drive a car. True, the Class IV licence continued to be issued, but it was only valid for small motorcycles.

A second, similar reason for fitting the larger engine was the prevailing tax regime. The 250 cc engine did not take full advantage of the tax class, which then went up to 300 cc.

The BMW 600 was intended as an enlarged Isetta with more power and a more conventional four-wheel configuration.

The front end of the 600 was virtually unchanged from the Isetta, but the 600's wheelbase was stretched to accommodate four seats. A conventional rear axle was added. BMW introduced the semi-trailing arm independent suspension on the 600. This suspension would be used on almost every new model for the next four decades. Because of the increased size and weight, the 600 had a more powerful engine than the Isetta. The 600 had the 582 cc twin engine from the R67 motorcycle. Top speed was 103 km/h (64 mph).

In two years, only 34,000 600s were produced, partly due to price competition with the entry-level VW Beetle. In the late 1950s, consumers wanted cars that looked like cars, and they had lost interest in economy models. Sales of the 600 were, however, aided by the energy crisis of 1956&#8211;1957.

With space for two and their luggage, the Isetta was perfect for the UK's urban and rural roads. The first motorway, the M1, did not open until 1959, and more conventional cars such as early models of the Morris Minor could barely top 97 km/h (60 mph).

At one point, the British national health service started providing these vehicles for wheelchair users so they could drive while in their wheelchairs. Although noble in intent and many of these cars were made available free, the project was not deemed successful and was terminated.

In 1957, Isetta of Great Britain began producing Isetta 300 models at their factory in the former Brighton railway works under licence from BMW. The factory had no access by road, with components being delivered by rail, and finished cars being shipped out the same way.

The British cars had right-hand drive with the door hinged from the right hand side of the car and the steering column moved across to the right as well. Right-hand drive meant that the driver AND the engine were on the same side, so a 27 kg (60 lb) counterweight was added to the left side to compensate. Dunlop tyres were used, and Lucas electrics replaced the German Hella and Bosch components, with a different headlamp housing being used. Girling brake components replaced the ATE brake parts.

The Isetta was not popular in the UK until a three-wheeled version was introduced, and although three-wheelers were more prone to rolling-over, there was a financial advantage: if the reverse gear was not installed, they could evade automobile legislation and taxation by being classed as three-wheeled motorcycles, and could be driven with a motorcycle licence. Isetta of Great Britain continued to produce four-wheeled Isettas, but only for export to Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

In 1962, Isetta of Great Britain also stopped production of the little cars but continued to produce Isetta engines until 1964.

The now defunct British firm Tri-Tech, under the model name "Zetta", sold a kit car or even an assembled complete BMW Isetta lookalike replica from modern parts, including Honda CN 250 cc single-cylinder water-cooled engines with automatic transmission (standard) or Kawasaki 500 GPS two-cylinder water-cooled motorcycle engines with optional manual transmission.

Some parts, new or used, were from "donor" vehicles. Front suspension and steering were from (General Motors) Bedford (later sold under the Vauxhall name) "Rascal" or the original and almost identical Suzuki "Supercarry" light duty van or pick-up trucks. Drum Brakes and wheels were from Morris and the subsequent British Leyland Motor Corporation "Mini". Prices ranged from c. £2650 for the kit up to c. £9450 for a complete version.

It could be legally registered for use under British laws. Tri-Tech also supplied some body parts which can be used for running non-exact restorations of BMW Isettas.

A new version <sup id="cite_ref-Carthusiast_0-0" class="reference"></sup>of the BMW Isetta is likely to be introduced in 2010 sharing a platform with the Fiat Topolino. The car is expected to achieve 100 mpg_{<small>-imp</small>} (2.8 L/100 km; 83 mpg_{<small>-US</small>}).<sup id="cite_ref-autoexpress.co.uk_1-0" class="reference"></sup>

In the US, the Isetta has been associated with the eccentric character Steve Urkel on the popular television series "Family Matters".

Isetta featured in Depeche Mode music video for the song Never Let Me Down Again.

The Dementia car in Grand Theft Auto 2, driven by the Loonies gang is based on the Isetta. This is verified in the game with the mission "Getta Isetta!" <sup id="cite_ref-Grand_Theft_Wiki.2C_Getta_Isetta.21_2-0" class="reference"></sup>

 

James Ward Packard, driving his first 1898 model, built in
Warren, Ohio. Officially, the first model year was 1899, so
perhaps this was, indeed, Packard's first car. Reportedly
the first was donated to James' alma mater, Lehigh Univer-
sity, Bethlehem, PA, and supposedly resides in the Packard
Laboratory. Apparently, another of the earliest is on display
in the Packard Museum in Warren.

 

SunRoof said: A new version <SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-Carthusiast_0-0></SUP>of the BMW Isetta is likely to be introduced in 2010 sharing a platform with the Fiat Topolino.

Jimi: Wow! This is too good to be true. But maybe it'll cost a right arm!

 

Keen to see this add, since we discussed these little
kid's cars a couple of months back!

 

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1901 Packard Model C Runabout ​

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Crawford Auto aviation Museum collection.

 

HJ, seeing the fine 1901 Packard made a flag go up, so I'm going to ask this while it's on my mind. For REALLY EARLY cars such as this, was there more than one fuel for the lamps? Oil? Carbide, as in mining helmets? Input, buddy, please.

 

The Auto Bug Automobile & The Auto-Bug Company

The Auto-Bug Company
Norwalk, Ohio
1909-1910

The Auto Bug was an American Automobile built in Norwalk, Ohio from 1909 to 1910 by The Auto-Bug Company.

At least two models are known to have been produced in any quantity. A Model E five passenger Touring Car and a Model F two passenger high wheel runabout shown below.

A two cylinder engine that produced 22-24 horsepower with chain drive were standard on the Auto Bug along with solid rubber tires.

1909 Auto Bug


1909 Auto Bug Magazine Ad

In this 1909 Magazine advertisement - The Auto Bug Runabout claimed "Its new exclusive features put it way ahead of its procession. Absolutely the most positive chain drive produced. Our new drive idea is at once appreciated by the practical man. Other features you should know about"...You could have written to The Auto-Bug Co. for more information in Norwalk, Ohio.

 

I know Acetylene and kerosene was used on some too.

 

Everybody, please correct me if I am wrong. I seem to remember that early lamps were intended more like the earlier "coach lamps." That means, specifically, that the lights were more for the purpose of BEING SEEN, as opposed to being intended as a "headlight" to LIGHT THE WAY ahead.

 

Top this..... sexy.

 

Carbide lamps, also known as acetylene gas lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn acetylene (C<SUB>2</SUB>H<SUB>2</SUB>) which is created by the reaction of calcium carbide (CaC<SUB>2</SUB>) with water.

Lit carbide lamp

These lamps were used in mines after the re-invention of the medium in 1892<SUP class="noprint Inline-Template" title="The text in the vicinity of this tag needs clarification or removal of jargon from April 2009">[clarification needed]</SUP>(not to be confused with the oil powered Davy lamp). Carbide lamps were also used to illuminate buildings, as lighthouse beacons, and as headlights on cars and bicycles. They are still employed by cavers, hunters, and cataphiles.

A French manufactured Carbide of Calcium lamp on a bicycle

 

The earliest headlamps were fueled by acetylene or oil and were introduced in the late 1880s. Acetylene lamps were popular because the flame was resistant to wind and rain. The first electric headlamps were introduced in 1898 on the Columbia Electric Car from the Electric Vehicle Company of Hartford, Connecticut, and were optional. Two factors limited the widespread use of electric headlamps: the short life of filaments in the harsh automotive environment, and the difficulty of producing dynamos small enough, yet powerful enough to produce sufficient current. <SUP><SMALL>[2]</SMALL></SUP> "Prest-O-Lite" acetylene lights were offered by a number of manufacturers as standard equipment for 1904, and Peerless made electrical headlamps standard in 1908. In 1912, Cadillac integrated their vehicle's Delco electrical ignition and lighting system, creating the modern vehicle electrical system.
"Dipping" (low beam) headlamps were introduced in 1915 by the Guide Lamp Company, but the 1917 Cadillac system allowed the light to be dipped with a lever inside the car rather than requiring the driver to stop and get out. The 1924 Bilux bulb was the first modern unit, having the light for both low (dipped) and high (main) beams of a headlamp emitting from a single bulb. A similar design was introduced in 1925 by Guide Lamp called the "Duplo". In 1927, the foot-operated dimmer switch was introduced and became standard for much of the century. The last vehicle with a foot-operated dimmer switch was the 1991 Ford F-Series. Foglamps were new for 1938 Cadillacs, and their 1954 "Autronic Eye" system automated the switch between high and low beams.

 

​

McLaughlin-Buick Model F Specifications ​

<TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Like today's cars, the 'Model F' had four wheels, and rubber tires - but that's where the resemblance ended. The wheels were wooden spokes with steel rims. The tires were grey -- the practice of adding carbon black to tire rubber to make them black was not yet common. And they were very tall and narrow -- 30 x 4 inches in size.
The car had no bumpers, but it did have a raThe lights were not electric, however; they were illuminated by acetylene gas, generated by the reaction of calcium carbide and water in a generator mounted on the left running board. Two cowl lamps and one tail-lamp were oil-fired, and all the lamps had to be lit by hand.[/diator and headlights. SIZE]
The lamp housings and gas generator, like the radiator housing and most other trim pieces on the vehicle were brass, not chrome-plated, giving rise to the characterization of that period of auto design as the 'brass era.'
As with current cars, the 'Model-F' was powered by a gasoline engine. But under the hood, rather than an engine, was a gas tank -- its brass cap protruding through the top of the hood. The engine, a 159 cu. in. (2.6 L), horizontally-opposed two-cylinder, rated at 22 hp, was mounted transversely beneath the front seat. Like many of today's engines, it employed an overhead-valve mechanism -- one of the first automobile engines to do so. Unlike today's engines, however, the valvetrain was exposed, as were most other mechanical components.
Moving components were not lubricated internally, but through external oil lines from a 'Hill Precision Oiler' mounted on top of the engine, or by hand as part of a daily maintenance schedule. Neither the engine nor transmission had oil sumps; once the oil served its lubricating purpose it served a secondary function of keeping the dust down on the roads!
More complex than some transmissions of its day, the 'Model F' provided two forward speeds and reverse from a planetary gearset similar to those used in modern automatic transmissions. Forward low and reverse were engaged by holding down foot pedals, and forward high was engaged by pulling a lever mounted on the right side of the body and releasing the foot pedal. There was no accelerator pedal. Instead, the throttle in the simple, single-venturi Schebler updraft carburetor was controlled by a lever on the steering wheel.
A second lever on the steering wheel controlled spark advance, which had to be retarded to start the engine. It was also connected to a cover over a hole on the side of the vehicle below the driver's seat. Electric starters were still four years away, so the car had to be hand-cranked to start, and that was where the crank was inserted. If the spark was not retarded, the cover remained closed, preventing the hand-crank from being inserted -- a novel means of ensuring correct procedure.
Without an electric starter or lighting, the electric system in the 'Model F' was limited solely to the ignition function. Redundant batteries under the seats -- one wet battery as used now, and six dry-cells, provided power. With no on-board generator, the wet battery had to be charged externally, so the dry-cells provided a backup for times when its charge was low. A 'Splitdorf' coil system, mounted in a handsome wooden box on the dashboard, generated the high voltage needed by the spark plugs.
The 'Model F's' chassis was more similar to current trucks than cars, with a separate frame to which the engine, running gear, and body were mounted. Unlike the massive C- or box-sections of modern frames, however, its frame rails were made of angle iron. Solid axles were used, both front and rear, with leaf -springs -- three-quarter elliptic in front, fully-elliptic at the rear. In concept, some of today's trucks are not all that different.
What is different is the drive-shaft connecting the transmission to the drive axles. The 'Model-F' doesn't have one. Instead, it drives the rear axles with a chain.
It didn't have hydraulic brakes either, nor any brakes on the front wheels -- just mechanical expanding-shoe drum brakes on the rear wheels, similar to the parking brake on current cars. The braking shoes were lined with 'camel's hair felt' that could, according to the sales brochure, 'be renewed at very slight expense when necessary.'
Perhaps the greatest difference from current vehicles was the 'Model F's' body. Not only did it not have roll-up windows, it didn't even have doors up front. Nor were a windshield or top standard equipment, although they could be purchased as options. The McLaughlin-Buick's top differed from that of U.S.-built Buicks by being fully lined -- a practice only recently returning to convertible design -- and its optional 'Ideal Glass Front,' with mahogany wood frame and fold-out upper half, was unique to McLaughlin.
Like the buggies from which they evolved, the automobile bodies of that era were made of wood. Although they were produced in volume, they were necessarily the work of craftsmen, and with their vast experience as carriage makers, that is where the McLaughlins excelled. An example of the craftsmanship common at the time can be seen in the hand pin-striping that adorns not only the body but the metal-formed fenders and even the springs.
The McLaughlin-Buick came in only one colour, but it wasn't black. It was a rich burgundy, called simply 'dark wine,' with black fenders and a bright red chassis, including the wheels. Its deeply-tufted leather upholstery matched the burgundy exterior, as did the top liner. On the outside, the top was black. Interior wood surfaces were highly polished, and the floors and running boards were covered with grey matting. Overall, it was anything but dull.
As the forebear of many great McLaughlin-Buick and General Motors vehicles to come, they combined the best of the carriage-builder's craft with the emerging technology of the automobile, at a price that was then quite moderate -- $1,400 without extras, $100 for a top, and $50 for a windshield.




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The Last Surviving 1908 McLaughlin-Buick 'Model F'

 

<TABLE class=WGW-3000-table border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=WGW-3200-tdExt><TABLE class=WGW-3200-tableMid border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=WGW-3210-tdInt></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=WGW-3300-td>1930 montier spéciale ford.
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Charles Montier was born in Napoli. His mother was Italian and his father was French he lived in Richelieu, Indre-et-Loire.
Charles worked for the Darracq firm after his military service, later he had a garage at Puteaux and was the distributor of Siva cars and from 1912, Ford. That year he entered a Ford-Montier 6CV in the French GP.
He moved to Paris and in 1923 after he criticised the ACF after they refused his entry for the Touring car race at the GP at Tours, he took revenge at Le Mans, finishing the first running of the 24 hour race, sharing a 2-litre Ford Montier Special with his brother-in-law Albert Ouriou in 14th place. In the 1924 and 1925 Le Mans races, they were forced to retire.
Charles and his son Ferdinand both raced. Respectively 9th and 10th of the Coupe de la Commission Sportive in 1927, Charles and Ferdinand gained their best results in the Grandes Epreuves during the 1930-1931 seasons, in the Belgian GP at Spa (6th, then 7th). In other races, at La Baule in 1926, the Montier Special finished second in the GP behind the Delage of Louis Wagner, and took fifth in the Rally du Soleil.
Charles specialised in American Fords and in 1930 he built a special based on a Ford Model A. He entered a "Montier Speciale" Ford V8 car in the the Belgian Grand Prix in the hope that amateur drivers would show an interest and buy one.
The 1933 Montier Speciale featured two Model A four cylinder engines mounted inline to create a straight eight. This was built on one of his 1930 Model chassis and fitted with long bonnet single-seater bodywork.
The Montier never won a major road race, it was often victorious in the 3-litre class in hillclimbs.
When Charles Montier was forced to withdraw his entry in the 1933 GP de la Baule he retired from the sport.
After racing, Charles and Ferdinand went into a Taxi company at Paris, using one of the Montier Specials in city trim until WW2.

 

1 of these built for Chrysler, now at the bottom of the sea in the ship it
was in. Ghia body. i want to recreate one...come on Ed i may already
be a winner.

 

Go for it!! There is a posting on this thread about it. See posting #925 by SWI66. I checked out your website. Nice work.

 

Here is a HAMB thread about the Chrysler Norseman.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=392013

 

Chris, I think you'd be a hero among most rodders if you recreated a Norseman people could see with their own eyes. All we have now is the dim, grainy old B&W production pix. Thanks for your post, and welcome to this thread!

 

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 borderColor=white borderColorLight=white borderColorDark=white cellPadding=0 width=680 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width=545 align=middle>THE MARTY MARTINO CONCEPT RE-CREATIONS...</TD></TR><TR><TD width=545 align=middle> </TD></TR><TR><TD width=545 align=middle>This has to be HARD work... Over the last several months Marty Martino, has been toiling away, somewhere in Virginia, building accurate re-creations of some of the lost concept cars that we all love. Scroll to the bottom, for a full text explanation.

http://www.huffreport.com/2007/martymartino.htm

See link for:
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The Pontiac Club De Mer Re-creation...

The Lincoln Futura Re-creation...

The Chrysler Norseman Re-creation...

 

<CENTER></CENTER><CENTER>Here is one for SWI66</CENTER><CENTER></CENTER><CENTER>
1968 Ultra Van


World's Largest Production Corvair!
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General Description

The Ultra Van is a unique motorhome.Powered by a Corvair engine andtransaxle, it was designed by DavidPeterson (a professional aircraftdesigner) in the early sixties. Theseunits were produced in limited quantities by the Ultra Van Corporation ofHutchinson, Kansas until June of 1970.
As a true monococque structure, the Ultra Van has no chassis. It is constructedlike an airplane with aluminum ribs covered with riveted sheet aluminum on thetop and sides. Compound curved areas (front and back corners) are fiberglass.All wheels are independently sprung with coil springs and tubular shockabsorbers.
These units cruise easily at 60 mph and deliver 15 plus mpg. More than 200 ofabout 370 units produced are still on the road, many with between 100,000 and500,000 miles of use.The Corvair Society of America (CORSA) recognizes the Ultra Van as a trueCorvair marque.

http://www.corvair.org/chapters/ultravan/

 

Nwaringa, cool old ad, and thanks for posting it! Sakhnoffsky's unique vehicles surely defined an era in design! Gives us a good reason to show again what was THE FASTEST BEER TRUCK in the world, in 1936-1939 -- THANKS to HJManiac's earlier post when we covered the "streamliner" era!!!




Labatt's restored Streamliner, touring Canada on its way
to the winter Olympics

Hell, now that I think about it, all this talk about
hottest Africa and BEER makes me thirsty!!! LOL

 

Folks, this may be one of the rarest American automobiles,
that is unless it's extinct! This photo, from the Minneapolis
Hall of Historical Records, is of inventor Edward Scott Callahan
and was taken in 1884 in the Dakota Territory, in what is now
South Dakota. Callahan's vehicle was supposedly powered
by kerosene, though there seems to be a burner or boiler
aboard. Any theories or facts?

 

My friend Ken Ganz 1909 Buick Model F



By Brian Earnest

It’s only been a few years since Bill Brunkow died, and Ken Ganz, one of Brunkow’s car buddies and best friends, still thinks about him pretty much every day.

“I do. Yes, I do,” Ganz admits. “I miss Bill a lot. And I miss his collection, too.”

That collection included about 20 rare and vintage cars, including a Duesenberg, Cord, Auburn Speedster and a group of about 10 brass-era cars. Ganz helped Brunkow feed and care for his stellar family of automobiles for many years, helping with some restoration work, keeping the vehicles running and generally sharing in Brunkow’s love for historic iron.
“Working with Bill’s collection — I spent probably 10 years working with his cars and taking care of them and showing them. And as I spent more and more time with those cars, it seemed more and more like the older the cars were, the better I liked them,” Ganz said.

“And this one fit in really well,” he added, pointing to a splendid 1909 Buick Model F five-passenger touring car, its ample brass trim glowing in the mid-day sun. “It just happened that before he died, he and I had taken the body off this car and were doing some work on the engine. I had done a lot of work on it. I detailed the undercarriage. The brass really needed a good going-through. I spent a lot of time getting the chrome (brass) back into condition.”



Little did Ganz know at the time that he was actually fixing up and maintaining what would be Brunkow’s parting gift to his longtime friend.

“I really didn’t [know], and to be honest, when he passed away, I called his son Bill one day, and I said, ‘Bill, I’ve gone about as far as I can go with this car without spending a bunch of money on it. What do you guys want to do with it?’ And his response was, ‘Well, that’s no problem, that’s your car! Dad wanted you to have that car.’
“And that’s how I found out.”

Out of all the fine machinery in Brunkow’s collection, Ganz says he somehow developed a special affinity for the venerable 1909 Buick. It had enough things wrong with it to keep him busy, it was undeniably beautiful, with its dark red paint, black upholstery and fold-down top, and overflowing brass. And, it was almost 100 years old!



If Brunkow’s ultimate hope was to keep Ganz smiling, tinkering and motoring to shows around his home state of Wisconsin, then it’s been mission accomplished so far. Ganz admits he is always busy doing something to keep the car on the road, and the car continues to make periodic car show appearances, including a stop at this year’s Iola Old Car Show.
The car isn’t without its problems and challenges, and that’s just the way Ganz, a resident of Alma, Wis., likes it.

“There’s never an end with these cars. You’ll never have the ultimate, perfect car, and that’s just the way it is,” Ganz said. “So there is always something that has to be tinkered with, and I enjoy that. You really wouldn’t want to get into a car like this if you didn’t enjoy that. It’s a great hobby, but it’s really a time-consuming hobby.”

Ganz’s 101-year-old beauty was a bell cow in the Buick lineup when it was born a century ago. Buick made nine different models that year, and of the 14,606 cars built, 3,856 were Model F Tourers.



The Model F was one of just two two-cylinder cars remaining on Buick’s menu by 1909 and came only as a touring car. It featured a 92-inch wheelbase and rode on 30 x 3.5 tires. Under the hood was a 159-cid, 22-hp inline power plant. The planetary transmission had two forward speeds plus a reverse gear. Power was supplied through chain-drive. The pilot drives on the right side of the cozy front seat, surrounded by a variety of brass trim and shiny do-dads.

The base price of $1,250 also got a buyer wood-spoke wheels, mechanical brakes on the rear wheels and a tilt steering column. The windshield was optional.

Driving such an open contraption is not for the uncoordinated or faint of heart. Pilots accustomed to operating with one foot and one hand are in for a 100-year-old reality check when they get behind the wheel.

“The big challenge is to keep track of the pedals,” Ganz said. “You have three pedals on the floor: low, reverse and the brake. Once things happen you have to move quick and if you’re not used to that, it can be a problem. You kind of have to get your mind in that frame of thinking, that, ‘OK, what do I have to do if I need to stop quick,’ or whatever.

“[Right-hand drive] doesn’t really bother me much. I try to stay over to the edge of the road anyway. At least we have mirrors on this one. Some other old cars don’t even have mirrors to help you.



“It’s a nice-driving car, but you worry on the highway. I don’t want to take it on the highway, but I need to drive it. You’re only driving 30, 35 mph, and everybody else is going 55 or 60 or who knows what. You don’t have turn signals, you’ve got right-hand steering. Just a lot of little things, and you worry about somebody coming up too fast behind you.”

Ganz guided the Buick on the 120-mile New London to New Brighton Antique Car Run in Minnesota a few years back before he became the car’s owner, but these days he lets the car get its most strenuous exercise at, of all places, a small airport.

“I’ve got a good half-mile strip that I can run both ways,” he says. “All I have to do is look out for airplanes, and there aren’t many planes out there.”

Ganz says he likes to keep the brass on the car as shiny as possible, but beyond that he tries not to baby the car, or get carried away trying to fix all its imperfections. The car was restored at least once in its life, and Ganz has no idea how many people have actually owned it — he knows he’s at least the third.

“Some people are so meticulous. I just go with the flow with this one,” he said. “If it needs something, we do it, and if we don’t, that’s OK, too. It isn’t a perfect car, so I like to drive it, and I don’t see the need to have everything back to perfect. Looking at it from this distance, it’s a beautiful car. You can look up close and find lots of little flaws, but that’s what old cars are.

“I’ve even put an electric starter on it. Most people say if you’re a purist, you’d never do a thing like that. But if you crank these things long enough, and they don’t want to start, you’ll be darn happy to have a starter.

“We’re just happy with the way it is right now, and pretty much intend to keep it that way and drive it.”

Ganz figures Brunkow would have approved of his treatment of the century-old Buick. The car continues to get lots of love at home, plenty of miles on the road, and loads attention at car gatherings, where people can appreciate a machine that has lived such a long and charmed life.



“It certainly attracts a crowd, there’s no getting around it,” Ganz says with a hearty laugh. “ I had it at Red Wing [Minn.] at a car show on Father’s Day, and you couldn’t keep people away from it.

“I always thought that about Bill’s cars. Those cars at a car show are like garbage cans are to flies! You couldn’t even get the cars out of the trailer and you’d have people gathered around.

“I really got spoiled. How could you not be, being around those kind of cars? But, I knew it was going to end someday. I’m just really, really happy to have this one.”

 

Talk about rare! Residing in the National Automobile Museum,
this is the Capitol Steamer of 1889, which some claim is the
earliest car of American production. It does appear on the big
Wiki list, so it is a recognized "make."



No big deal, 'cause Joseph Cugnot beat this in Paris by 120 years!

 

Ya know, in EVERY automotive era, there are ugly, functional cars (and ugly, NON-functional cars, too! LOL).

BUT, in every era, there are outstanding autos that just make you want to stop and stare for a while! One beautiful car -- for ANY time, really!

 

<hr>

​

Once the car was a familiar sight on the American roads, it did not take long for someone to create a motorhome. This photograph of a happy family in their home on wheels was published in 1909.

Source: Motor Magazine, 1909