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

There was actually an unrestored Vim in my area(Buffalo, NY) for many years. I have 35 mm pictures of it somewhere.
It was sold about 10 years ago and rumored to have gone to a museum.

 

THANKS, guys & gals for endorsing this thread in the blue-star rating system! SEEMS since more people DID so, even MORE people have read and gotten drawn in! This has been an ENGROSSING theme, and it's actually hard as hell to come up with pix and info about cars that few (to ONE!) were even made!

That said, Ned Ludd, THAT's a hilarious but on target observation about "exclusivity" ! REMEMBER when the Infiniti was promo'd in print and TV? They went LITERALLY for MONTHS and wouldn't show a pic of the car!!! LOL (Hell, people COULD have wound up with another Edsel!!!)

 

here is another oldie, though not extinct there are very few of these.
this is a 1903 I think thomas model 93

 

JeepJay! Dude, welcome to this thread! Thomas. Well, well. So damn old it wasn't even brass-lamp era. Now THAT is OLD (though, I doubt they were hi-performance! LOL).

Jeep, can you tell us anyMORE RE the Thomas???

WHO were the people behind this make? Converted carriage maker, or what?
WHAT (if anything) was diff. RE the mechanical components?
WHEN (as in, what year started & quit?)
WHERE were the manufactured?
Any info RE where one may be in a museum or private hands (OR rodded? LOL)

Sorry for the 3rd degree, Jeep! Us inquiring minds juts want to know!

Anyhow, glad to see you on the HAMB!!!

 

1913 ALCO

1913 Alco Model 6 Berlin Limosine​

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Alcos were built by the American Locomotive Company from 1909 to 1913 and were among the most expensive American cars of their day, costing in the $6,000-$7,000-plus range. Their engines were massive: 453 cubic inches for the four in 1911, 579 cubic inches for the six. It took one year and seven months to build a single motorcar, and six months alone to build the rear axle.
It is no wonder then, that on Aug. 22, 1913, the auto industry was horrified when The New York Times reported that the Alco was to be discontinued. The Alco plant was among the best equipped in America, their products were among the most respected in the nation, the American Locomotive Company had just revealed gross earnings for the fiscal year of $34 million but, unfortunately, none of the profit came from the automobile division. Alco’s management apparently had been unaware that while locomotives are bought, automobiles have to be sold. When the time was taken to total up and analyze the figures, they revealed that 5,000 Alcos in 54 different models had been built, and that the company had lost an average of $456 on each one of them. Almost immediately, American Locomotive announced its desire “to sever as completely and as soon as possible all connections with the automobile branch of the business.” Fortunately, a handful of Alco cars survive today as testimony to how a motorcar can be built too well for its own good.

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id love to see a beaver!!!

 

How about some Wood?



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1914 Woods Mobilette Roadster

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1916 Woods Mobilette Roadster​

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</TD><TD height=48 width=1><SPACER type="block" height="48" width="1"></TD></TR><TR height=384><TD height=384 vAlign=top width=480 align=left xpos="16"></TD><TD height=384 width=1><SPACER type="block" height="384" width="1"></TD></TR><TR height=873><TD height=873 vAlign=top width=481 colSpan=2 align=left content csheight="559" xpos="16">The story of the Woods Mobilette is one that could be taken straight from today’s headlines: Inventor of Gasoline/Electric Vehicle Turns Attention to High Mileage Gasoline Cars. Francis A. Woods, of Chicago, made attempts at producing an electric car that could be converted to gasoline power in less than 10 minutes. Although never put into production, it is believed that one Interurban was produced. After the failure of this venture, Woods turned his attention to producing a small, affordable vehicle that would, “Give gasoline a new value, a new worth, new distances, new mileages,” according to advertisements. The Woods Mobilette was introduced with tandem seating and an air-cooled engine in 1911. Production peaked in 1914, with an estimated 1,000 units per month rolling off the assembly line. In 1916 Woods introduced the Model 5, featuring staggered seating. Though this was a step in the right direction, providing improved comfort over the tandem seating, the Mobilette was no competition for the inexpensive Ford Model T. By 1916 production ceased for the Woods Mobilette.</B>

Specifications: Model 5. 12 horsepower, 69 cubic inch, Sterling four-cylinder in-line engine. Price New: $380. Wheelbase: 104 inches. Transmission: two-speed. MPG/MPH: 35-40.​

Connections: Compare the gas economy of the 1916 Woods Mobilette to today’s high efficiency automobiles. Now compare the comfort of the two vehicles.​

 

Info on the Thomas Car:
E. R. Thomas Motor Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in Buffalo, New York between 1902 and 1919.

A 1907 Model 35 with 4 cylinders and 60 horsepower, dubbed Thomas Flyer, won the 1908 New York to Paris Race, the first and only around-the-world automobile race ever held. The race began in Times Square, New York, on February 12 and covered some 22,000 miles (35,000 km), finishing in Paris on July 30, 1908. Six teams started the race (one Italian, one German, three French, and the Flyer). Only three of the cars finished, the Thomas Flyer which won, the German Protos, and the Italian Züst. The original intent was to drive the full distance. In the course of the race, the Flyer was the first car to cross the United States,<SUP style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap" class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from March 2008">[citation needed]</SUP> and the first to do so in the winter,<SUP style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap" class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from March 2008">[citation needed]</SUP> with George Schuster the first driver to ever make the transcontinental winter crossing of the US.<SUP style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap" class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from March 2008">[citation needed]</SUP> Finishing in 169 days was a remarkable feat, considering the lack of roads and services in 1908. Schuster, the driver, was the only member of the Thomas crew to go the full distance.
The Flyer survived and was restored to the exact condition it entered Paris on that day by William F. Harrah. It is now on exhibit at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. Additional details with numerous photos and videos on the 1908 New York to Paris Race are available at The Great Auto Race of 1908

more info here:
http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/vintage_e-r-thomas_motorcycle.html

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10511/1911-Thomas-Model-K-670-Flyabout.aspx

http://www.greatrace.com/newsite/index.php/the-great-race/greatestrace/

http://www.thegreatestautorace.com/
Great DVD here by the way, I saw the premier of this film, and could not wait to see it again so bought it as soon as it came out.

In 2008 there was several celebrations commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Great Race of 1908 in and around the Buffalo NY area.
The winner of the race was a Thomas Flyer built in Buffalo, and the Driver of that car was from Buffalo and later nearby Springville NY. I participated in all events in one way or another.

 

Huge THANKS!!! Ned!

SWi66, now THAT is thorough info on the Thomas!!! Good work, man; you BELONG on this thread! WHEN YOU ADDED "FLYER" TO THOMAS, THEN A LIGHTBULB CAME ON.

HJManiac, as usual, you also amaze with detailed info! The WOODS sounds like it was a good idea. But like a ton of makes, the builders were clobbered by the man-hours needed to make ONE, driving up unit costs -- and driving buyers to low-cost Fords, etc.

 

HJ, the AlCo sure is an odd story! Ya have to wonder, even in the early 20th Century, how ANY company could build THOUSANDS of cars and just SUDDENLY realize they'd lost $$$$ on every one! (NICE car, though!)

 

The Thomas car comes easy as I am from the Buffalo Area.
There is one in the Buffalo Transportation Museum. And I saw another last weekend at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn.

The E.R. Thomas factory still exists, though now it is Rich Products, but the E.R. Thomas name is still carved in stone over the office building.

The Pierce Arrow Factory is still around as well, though now an industrial park.

During the Great Race celebration last year there were several stops for tourists commemorating the event, including a re-enactment called "The longest auto race centennial". http://www.longestautoracecent.com/

Included in this trip was a friend of mine who did the first leg from NY to Buffalo in his Corvair, but there was also a Thomas Flyer Replica, and a Peterbuilt Street Rod and an early Chevrolet with the first Chevrolet OHV motor (not 1955).
http://rides.webshots.com/album/568162307fflzSV
There's a link to my pictures of "The Longest Race weekend".
During this event, the re-production Thomas led the event into Springville to a Heroes welcome greeted to the entire elementary school waving American Flags as we enterred the grounds, like the original Thomas Flyer was commonly greeted across the country in 1908. In Springville NY, the Great Race is part of the school curriculum as the winner of the race George Schuster was from Springville.

 

Ned, I finally had time to search for the Gordon Diamond. MAN, WHAT AN INTERESTNG CAR YOU PUT ME ONTO!!!

When I first saw a picture of it, I was at least vaguely reminded of Stout's Scarab of the 'mid '30s -- generally a teardrop shape. Then, I saw the wheel configuration from whence the car got its name: diamond pattern, with one single wheel fore and aft, plus the two drive wheels mounted side-by-side amidships! The front and back wheels did the steering, but they steered in opposite directions (makes sense, if you think about it!). Rather like the Scarab, the Diamond used a Ford engine.

Only ONE prototype was built, and it's in Harrah's in Reno. There's a very GOOD and thorough article on the Gordon Diamond, written in '08 by Chris Hafner. Search CAR LUST for "Gordon Diamond Automobile" or www.carlustblog.com. There is a line drawing and an actual photo of the car, but I can't repost them here, due to copyright; GO look up the item, and I'm sure you'll find it time well spent!!!

The Gordon Diamond was the brainchild of Californian H. Gordon Hanson who conceived the unique car during WWII and actually licensed it in 1947. The Diamond was NOT SMALL. Try 6.7 feet wide and 13 feet long. In my book on defunct American cars, I covered Fuller's Dymaxion, the Stout Scarab and Lewis' Aeromobile. . . BUT, this Gordon Diamond is just as wild to see, and it somehow flew under my radar!

Thanks, Ned, for bringing this SUPER-rare U.S. car to our attention here! ONE makes it very rare, NONE would have made it extinct!

 

SWi66, I don't think most people REALIZE just how much Buffalo & Syracuse were involved in the auto industry! It'd be interesting to see a list of the makes produced in those two cities.

 

Here is a map showing all the makes built in NY, unfortunately hard to read. This is on the wall of the Northeast Auto Museum in Norwich NY.

Somewhere at home I have a book on cars built in the area, I will try and find it.

also, ever seen this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_defunct_United_States_automobile_manufacturers

 

http://www.american-automobiles.com/Electric-Automobile-Manufacturers.html

 

Owen Magnetic

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1916 Owen Magnetic O-36 7-passenger Touring Car​

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Owen Magnetic 1914-1915 R. M. Owen Co New York, 1915-1920 Baker R & L Company, 1920-1921 R. M. Owen, again. Not an electric car or a pure hybrid, but a gas car with an electric transmission. W. C. Baker bought the 1897 Justus B. Entz patent from White in 1912 and licensed the rights to Raymond Owen. In October 1915 the R. M. Owen Company was folded into the Baker R & L Co and moved to Cleveland, where Owen became a VP with an equity position. Owen took the company back in 1920 and made the cars in Wilkes Barre PA. Fewer then a thousand cars were built, most with Rauch & Lang Bodies.

 

The owner claims this was built in 189? but who knows.Maybe one of you .

 

It is at least a 1904 A.D Meiselbach. See below.

A.D. Meiselbach started a company with 2 other partners in 1903 in Washington D.C., called the McKaig Friction Drive Vehicle Co. but it didnt last. Meiselbach got a hold of that companies patterns and in 1904 started under his own name in Milwaukee.the first built a 1 ton then progressed to 2 and 3 ton models. they never built any cars for production but did build a few to use for salesman cars. they where all a highwheeler design.Meiselbach also had a pretty big bicycle company, and built typewriters too.

The Meiselbach Gasoline Motor Trucks.
The A. D. Meiselbach Motor Wagon Company, of North Milwaukee, Wis., are building a 2 ton truck and a I ton delivery wagon, which are said to be of such construction that they can be operated by any truck driver of ordinary intelligence.
The delivery wagon has a wheel base of 84 inches, a gauge of 56^4, and is fitted with 36x3}^ rear and 32x3^ front side wire solid rubber tires. A maximum speed, loaded, of 15 miles per hour is claimed. Special designs of bodies to suit different conditions can be fitted to the chassis.
The gasoline motor is of the double cylinder opposed horizontal water cooled type, of 5 inches bore and 4J4 inches stroke. The valves are 2Mi inches in diameter, and the valve stems are supported in guides 5^4 inches long. The piston pins are of tool steel, iJ4 inches in diameter, and with 2j4 inch length of bearing. The crank shaft is of i?4 inch diameter and is supported in babbitt metal end bearings 5 inches long. The motor measures 19^ inches in width by 31 inches in length over all, and weighs complete with flywheel 370 pounds. The crank case is fitted with cover plates on top and bottom.

 

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1925 Rollin Model G Touring ​

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This car was produced from 1922 to 1926. Total production was about 6,000. The radiator shell resembled the Rolls Royce. The Rollin had a badge similar to the Rolls Royce, so Rolls took them to court and they changed their badge in 1925 and 1926.


Rollin White was the designer and builder. He was considered to be a very fine designer and engineer. He also controlled the Cleveland Tractor Company. CLETRAC was produced till after WW II. This was a 4-cylinder tractor.


White used this engine in his car. This car was a prestige car. There were few custom bodies but the average was a touring. Due to the competition, most units were shipped to Asia and New Zealand, etc. There are only seven left.

The growth of the White companies' manufacturing facility was considerable. This meant that, among other things, they had to pay particular attention to the marketplace as inefficient manufacturing and/or a slacking in sales would be magnified by costs. As the White steamer was an excellent automobile it was also a unique technology, and this made it vulnerable in a market that was accepting the internal combustion engine as the standard. In response to this, White "canvassed" existing gas manufacturers and licensed the rights to the Delahaye design for the "gas car," showing a chassis at an English auto show in December 1908. White built their last steam cars for the 1910 model year though they continued to show them in their catalogues as late as 1912. Rollin White at that time became more interested in agricultural tractors and developed some designs for tractors derived from standard White truck parts. When the White Company was not interested in producing tractors, Rollin set out to develop his own designs and, with brother Clarence, eventually founded Cleveland Motor Plow which later became Cletrac tractor. In the early 1920s Rollin briefly produced the Rollin car in order to diversify the tractor company, but found that it could not compete in cost versus price against much larger manufacturers.

 

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1924 Rollin 5 Passenger Touring Sedan​

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You guys are getting a tda AHEAD of me! I got my '38 Plymouth transported today (WHEEW!), and I have to do another one tomorrow. So, I mya not get back to this thread for a day or two. Please bear with me! I LOVE all the input. Some RARE makes thta don't even appear on ANYBODY'S lists!!!!!!!!!!

 

The Royal Tourist was the successor to the Hoffman Steam Car. The first model of the Royal Tourist was a rear entrance Tonneau produced in 1904 by Edward Schurmer of The Royal Motor Car Co. in Cleveland, Ohio. This American Automobile was Touring Car equipped with a two cylinder engine rated at 18-20 horsepower. It sold for $2300.00 and 100 automobiles were made in the first season. A 32 to 35 horsepower four cylinder Royal Tourist was also produced in 1904. Both cars had a 100 inch wheelbase.

The Royal Tourist grew in size, luxury and price over the next few years. By 1906 a 40 horsepower four cylinder Model "F" was priced $3,000.00 to $5,000.00. Also in 1906 the company reorganized into The Royal Motor Car & Mfg. Co. Plans for a large six cylinder were stopped by an economic slow down in 1907. in 1908 The Royal Motor Car & Mfg. Co. was in receivership and reorganized once again. The Royal Tourist Car Co. came out of this reorganization.

The 1908 and beyond Royal Tourist was a large automobile with a four cylinder in 42 horsepower and 48 horsepower models on wheelbases of 114 inches and 126 inches. In March of 1911 the Royal Tourist merged with The Croxton Motor Co. of Cleveland, Ohio and formed The Consolidated Motor Car Co. A few months later even this company failed.

 

Ever check out this site?
http://www.microcarmuseum.com/

Also check the "What a Find" section.
Plenty of orphqan and unique cars here!

 

you say super rare, I say ugly

 

One of only two cars manufactured in Oregon, the Benson is a one-of-a-kind orphan -- BUT a surviving orphan, at least!!!


Oregon Historical Society

The first car built in the "Beaver State" crafted in Portland between 1904 and 1906 by machinist and tinkerer Nils Benson and a teenage assistant. Ford wouldn't develop the true assembly line until 1914, so the Benson was built in an era when anyone with an inclination, a back yard or a garage could at least try to build a car!

According to the Oregon Historical Society, Benson and his helper, James Chance, only build one Benson car, though Benson had planned for more. Parts that Benson couldn't make were ordered from Chicago, and the live-rubber tires came all the way from the Orient. Though the pair had started with a two-cylinder engine, the completed car had grown to four. And in an era when most cars were steered by a "tiller" handle, the Benson featured a patented steering wheel.

The OHS states that the Benson two-seater was stored behind Benson's own home and, in 1951, was sold to neighbor, William McAllister. In 1973, McAllister sold it to Walter Rusk, who eventually donated it to the OHS in 1999. The OHS restored the '06 Benson according to best records and collector advice available. The photo above pictures the sole Benson before it passed to the husbandry of the OHS.

 

KiwiPackard, good news AND bad news, man!!! You wanted to SEE a Beaver (presumably not the animal or something else?).

The GOOD news is that the SOLE Beaver automobile manufactured in the "Beaver State" of Oregon in 1912 by the Beaver State Motor Company of Gresham, Oregon -- well, it DID get made.

BAD news is that the company was very short-lived, so ONLY one Beaver car got built. EVEN WORSE, the Oregon Historical Society reports that the best info they have indicates that the lonely, sole Beaver car lay in someone's back yard for quite some time. And when the owner (OR,maybe, his wife?) got sick & tired of looking at it, he burned the largely wooden car up!

There's a silver lining in this dark cloud, Kiwi!!! The THREAD is about finding out if there are/were any truly EXTINCT car makes! Well, we just added ANOTHER EXTINCT CAR to our list!

 

1913 AUSTRO-DAIMLER PRINCE HENRY ROADSTER
Custom Body by Healy New York, Ny
Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum Cleveland, Ohio

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Same A-D Prince Henry as above undergoing current restoration.

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