Motion Pictures Can anyone identify this little runabout from 1924?

The car was used in filming the Harold Lloyd movie Girl Shy (1924), but the scene was deleted from the film. This image was shown by Harold Lloyd Entertainment and identified as a Mercer Raceabout. If it is, it was heavily customized. Any ***istance in identifying the car will be most appreciated.

 

Mercers were in several early 20's movies, but I can't see any Mercer. Maybe the ch***is, but even then people still used the original radiator , and that one looks non-Mercer.

 

Definitely not a Mercer. I think it’s a Kissel Gold Bug that’s been customized a bit. Here’s a restored example…Love the mother-in-law seat!!

 

Try a 1922 Templar Roadster. It has the sidestep plates, and square radiator shell but the spare tires were mounted near paralleled to the frame.

 

Amelia Earhart's Kissel is close with drum headlights and step plates.

 

Here's the Templar that Jim32 mentioned. Lots of similarities, but also lots of differences.

 

Yes, and just to complicate things, I’ll throw the Marmon Speedster into the mix!..All these cars were America’s first sports cars , basically factory hot rods, I guess. Would love to drive one of these someday…

 

I would want the mother-in-law seat on the other side, hard then for her to give me an ear bashing about my driving.

 

Had to send my mother in law a Pic of that, just to keep her in line.... Lol.

That's awesome Amelia Earhart owned one. Always found her fascinating.

 

I would call every car posted so far COOL. They are all cool little hot rods if you ask me .

 

I'm not sure of the make but it's obviously the Mick Jagger model by the big lips on the front bumper.

 

Here's a '23 Marmon-

 

Thanks Mac for the Marmon pic!..Just imagine back in the day, being the young affluent gentleman driving to the country club in one of these speedsters. BTW…that small door in the side of that Marmon is where your golf clubs go.. I **** you not!!

 

The " mother in law" seat was actually for the chauffeur when the owner wanted to actually drive his own car rather than being drivin around like a big shot

 

Interesting bit of history there. kinda like the idea of the mother in law sitting outside the vehicle in the wind though

 

This is a '22 Cunningham. Cunninghams were originally coachbuilt cars.....so, built to customer input/early customization? I compared the spare and the circular door, the headlights/headlight bar and the cowl lights in the OP's pic to this one. And then there's that front bumper....which I think would be defining to the car.....like a Rolling Stone.

 

That very same bumper can be seen on many different cars of the era. Back then, bumpers were an added cost accessory.

 

Can you educate me by posting up some bumper pics like the OP's car?

 

Whoa!!…my apologies…I guess I wasn’t really paying attention.. Now I get the Mick Jagger reference. You’re absolutely right, I’ve never seen bumpers with that distinctive lips shape in the center..

 

No apology needed. I'm in the same boat as you, have never seen one either.....and that's not to say that the pic I posted is the same one. It's not crystal clear but the shape sure looks the same.

 

I'm so glad this was posted! In "From Hand to Mouth" circa 1918, Lloyd has a gag with this tiny cycle car, it just so happens the IMCDB, Internet Movie Car Database, identified as a 1916 Saxon Model 14!

 

My money is down on "total coach built". The fender-to-tire spacing is what I call a "tailored look". There are a number of other clues that also cause me to lean that way. It's like the world's first kit car.
I have no idea what's under the skin.