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

Barry, glad you posted these!!! No, it doesn't spoil the thread. We regulars discussed about six months ago how the thread really was finding its own way -- a metamorphosis, if you will -- SO, we started welcoming prototypes and even "Never-WUZ" cars that only made it to the mule stage OR stayed on the drawing board.

Good stuff above! Am I the only one who sees FoMoCo (esp. Lincoln-Mercury) picking up and running with defunct concepts from Teague at Packard here???

 

1935 Packard Flying Goddess

Okay, okay! I know I'm pandering to prurient
interests here. BUT, we gotta keep Barry happy
with EXTINCT nekid-lady radiator ornaments!

For those who may wish to collect (I would, if $$$),
you can see tons more at: www.cadvision.com/blanchas/hood_ornaments/

 

Not pandering. Certainly entertaining.

Can you identify this hood ornament?

 

Wow, that was a great hood ornament site!

www.cadvision.com/blanchas/hood_ornaments/

 

No problem! Prototype for the Vincent Black Shadow!!!

You know, Barry, I remember seeing a full-size, working bike very similar to this last year on the 'net. I was unable to capture the image, so I can't dedge it up here.

So, what it is REALLY, before we go back to our theme, bro?

 

Barry, RE Post #3612: Aint that the TRUTH??? Kind of blew me away, and I'm gonna spend some hours there, fer shur!

 

'53 Chebby. Artist is Lewis Tardy. Awesome stuff. Some here will really appreciate his welding skills.

http://www.tardysculpture.com/

 

This dream car is kinda cool. Could/should have gone into production had the company had the resources.

 

Mr57, you probably already know that the Packard Predictor was never actually intended for production but, instead, was a test bed for style ideas to see how they'd resonate with the public AND also to suggest possible future design trends in the field. To that end, it was QUITE a success -- witness a couple of the Predictor's "children," below!!! It was a "never-wuz" car that, nevertheless, spawned a few babies!


Here is a fairly stylish update of the Edsel for 1960 --
which might just have flown, as it would have been
competitive with the looks of some other models on the
market. You'll note the obvious influence of the
Packard Predictor show car, though the central grille
"blade" works better here than it did on the ostentatious
Predictor.




And, though I don't normally do this, I think the Predictor was such a significant historical point, here's a recap of Post #2434.
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I think I mentioned before that I always felt FoMoCo admired many
of Packard's style touches in the early '50s. And I think if you
examine the looks of a lot of Lincolns and Mercurys, even into the
early '60s, you can see some things that are too similar to be mere
coincidences. ONE of these is Packard's idea of a slant-back rear
windscreen. I seem to recall Packard using the idea on their Balboa,
but also in much more exaggerated form on their '56 Predictor show car.

Now, as a kid, I was almost entranced by the '63 Merc Monterey.
Please look at these photos and see what you conclude.


Publications International, Ltd., THANKS to ConceptCarz.com

 

Well, folks, we haven't found much about the Cutting auto
make, BUT history tells us famed driver Bob Burman drove
one in the 1912 Indy 500! Here are two Library of Congress
pix from FlickR, originally taken by Bain News Service.

It is known that Cuttings had a reputation as powereful cars
for their time, and they used engines from Milwaukee, Wis-
consin and Model rating about 30- to 60-hp. For 1912, they
reportedly used two fours -- one L-head of 251-CID, and a
T-head of 389.

Historical note: Steady Burman was hired to replace Barney
Oldfield in the "Blitzen Benz" after the champ got his ass in a
sling for a rule-breaking stunt, driving an exhibition race
against boxing champ Jack Johnson. In January 1911, Bur-
man blistered the sand at Ormond Beach at just shy of 142
mph, a record that stood for eight years!

Bob was in 12th when the 15 Cutting crashed out on turn two at the Brickyard.


Here's a a Bain Service pic of Bob Burman from FlickR, dated about 1909.

 

Posted by T-Head over on Kurtis' Auto racing 1894-1944 thread,
Here's Burman kicking up dust at Banning track near Washington,
D.C. with the 15 Cutting.


At rest, also apparently at Banning, posted by ehdubya
in April on the Auto racing 1894-1944 thread.

 

Well, to recap briefly: Cutting was a short-lived company out of Jackson, MI, that gained notoriety in auto-racing circles with famed speedster Bob Burman at the wheel. SWI presented the synopsis below a while back. Though we have racing info in at least some measure, we still don't have a pic of a PRODUCTION Cutting, and there's no evidence the #15 racer survived either. (Note: We also could confirm no real link between Cutting and the Bull Moose company of Minnesota, incidentally.)

We do have 37Kid's recollection that a REAL, LIVE Cutting car still exists, on Long Island, but still no pic. Using SWI's and my rule of thumb, then, I'm putting the Cutting on the NEARLY-EXTINCT LIST.

Only ONE KNOWN.


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

Cutting Motor Co.1909-13
Jackson, Michigan
Formerly C.V.I. Motor Co.
Absorbed by Clark-Carter Automobile Co. 1909
Absorbed by Cutting Motor Car Co. 1912
Property bought by Wm. M. Thompson 1913

 

Here is a very cool project and very rare but probably not financially prudent.

1937 BUICK ROADMASTER 131" WHEELBASE CHASSIS. CHASSIS SERIAL NUMBER: 3040353. THE ENGINE IS ORIGINAL STRAIGHT EIGHT [8] 130 HP. ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER: 83203182. THIS BUICK WAS BODIED BY BREWSTER IN 1937. BREWSTER BODY NUMBER: 9020. SEE SCAN OF COPY OF ORIGINAL BREWSTER JOB ORDER. BREWSTER BUILT ABOUT 134 HEART SHAPED GRILL TOWN CARS FROM 1934 TO 1937. MY RESERCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS THE LAST CAR THAT BREWSTER BUILT. BREWSTER WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN LATE 1937. THE SALES MANAGER JAMES INSKIP PURCHASED BREWSTERS ASSETS IN LATE 1937. SEE SCAN OF BODY TAG ON DOOR SILLS "COACHWORK BY J S INSKIP" . THIS BREWSTER BODY IS LONGER THAN MOST BREWSTER BODIED CARS, NOTE THE LONG COWL BETWEEN THE HOOD AND THE WINDSHIELD.
THE CAR NEEDS A TOTAL RESTORATION. THE STEEL FENDERS ARE VERY ROUGH. THE ALUMINUM BODY IS VERY SOLID AND STRAIGHT, NO DENTS. THE INTERIOR MUST BE REPLACED. ORIGINAL INTERIOR IS THERE FOR PATERNS.
THE MAHOGONY? DASHBOARD IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE TEAK? RUNNING BOARDS ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE DIVISION WINDOW IS ALL THERE AND IN GOOD SHAPE BUT GLASS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE JUMP SEATS ARE INTACT. THE ENGINE TURNS FREE [I HAVE NOT TRIED TO START IT].

 

AJ, I suppose this is just an interesting little side story. But the very FINEST, TOTALLY unrestored car I ever saw was a '36 Brewster-bodied Buick -- a pert trunk sedan (I think that's what they were generally called, you know, pressed-steel trunk not wood-etc. separate trunk). The original lacquer was pretty darn good. In a couple of spots, the paint had peeled away from the pristine steel below, so the judges forgave the careful touch-up the owner ahd done.

 

Barry (and everybody) may like this one!

This one's special -- any way you cut it, and EVEN without a long-alleged Babe Ruth-ownership connection. Always babied, beautifully restored, the '40 Lincoln "Zephyr" Continental cabriolet convertible was auctioned by prestigious RM Auctions in 2004 or 2006 for $407,000 -- or 143 times its original list price. (In an earlier auction back around 1999, Yankee Reggie Jackson was second-high bidder).

Maybe that's not too amazing, considering that little more than 400 examples of this show-stopping car were built for 1940. ALSO helps explain why I wanted to edge it into the theme of this thread. Here, Packard had just dropped its V-12 for good, and ALONG comes a "grown-up" V-12 Zephyr, morphed by Bob Gregoire & Edsel Ford into something of striking -- eventually declared classic -- beauty!

The car os said to have been given to Ruth by Yankees club president Joe McCarthy in 1940 (even though they didn't get on in his playing days) and a plaque (seemingly good provenance, eh?) was placed to the dashboard of the Continental, on which was engraved: &#8216;Presented to George Herman Ruth &#8220;Babe Ruth&#8221; Home Run King, New York Yankees, April 29, 1940.&#8217;




Sincere THANKS to RM Auctions for this peek at a great car!



MUCH has been written about this machine and is available readily on the 'net, so I won't belabor the details. However, I want to thank RM Auctions for the wonderful photo -- WHICH can only bring smiles of enjoyment to most any old-car lover! Some folks may not be aware of just who RM Auctions is (I wasn't until joining the HAMB). So, this is not a commercial but an FYI, only. Founded in January 2000, RM Auctions, Inc. grew to become the largest catalog auction house for rare and exotic sports cars, race cars, vintage and classic automobiles. The company conducts events every year in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, California and New York.






Babe Ruth Day, June 13, 1948. By one account, he was
leaning on Bob Feller's bat, as an impromtu crutch. Soon
cancer claimed the Bambino.

 

Okay, it seems to be that the Babe Ruth Continental was auctioned yet again, in 2009, this time by the auction house of Mecum, Des Moines, IA. No word on how it turned out, BUT the photos were wonderful! A huge THANKS to Mecum! (They are at mecum.com.)


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Here's a cool one, Stephens touring with child star of stage and screen
Miriam Battista posing on the running board. This pic was snapped in 1922
in Washington, D.C., when Miriam was about 10. Another historical photo
from Shorpy. Thanks, Shorpy! BTW, isn't this called a "cape" top?

 

Of course, the Stephens was earlier referenced on this ultra-rare & extinct thread. My material today is in addition. Refer to Posts #365 & 366 from HJ.

Ad promoted the new cars as being just like the parent Moline Plow products dating from 1878, "conservative, sturdy, reliable, honest."

 

Honestly, a sales pitch like that today would get you a ticket straight out of the business!

Stephens were built from 1917-1924 per Clymer ('14 - '24 per another source) by the M.C. Stephens Co. Div., Moline, IL The Stephens were rather finely stlyed, if pretty conventional, assembled cars with emphasis on the conventional (witness they all seemed to used wooden artillery wheels, to the end of the run). They were mid- to upper-mid-price cars, from ca. $1,000 to 2,500 during their run and sat on wheelbases from 115 to 122. They almost always claimed the "own" engines which were in fact valve-in-head 224-CID, though the 224-CID Continental six was used early on.



Here's a '24 Stephens, LAST year they were
made, thanks to OldTimerPictureGallery.

 

LittleMac, Muscatine, Iowa -- I have watched this make for a long time, waiting to post anything, hoping for more to arise. But, there seems to be MORE than adequate evidence (including good coverage by American-Automobiles.com, though few others) these were made -- at LEAST in 1930-31 but possibly from 1929 to as late as 1935.

It does seem clear that the company either lacked sufficient production capital or, maybe, dough for national advertising and/or distribution. They were technically "assembled" cars, using Star four-cylinder motors and steel-cladding over a wooden-frame body. They were made by the H.G. Thompson Motor Corp. on Fourth Street in Muscatine.

There are two things I surely noticed about the Littlemac: (1) They seem very similar to the American Austins and American Bantams, and (2) astute Muscatine resident are STILL proud to say the little cars made a go at it there!

As an ADD (and this may be the most fascinating thing!), it seems that the odd "LittleMac" name is honoring Mexican-War and Civil-War General George B. McClellan -- who actually ran against Abe Lincoln for the presidency in 1864!

So, as USUAL, the first question is: Does ANYbody in HAMBland know of a LittleMac that survives today???



THANKS to American-Automobiles.com, here's a 1930 Littlemac two-door sedan.

 

Major-General George "Little Mac"
McClellan ("the young Napoleon).

 

Advance Fore-Cars and Tri-Cars

Advance produced the following forecars and tricars:-



6HP Air Cooled Fore Car (744cc)

This fore-car was fitted with Advance's 6hp aircooled V twin engine complete with wipe spark and trembler coil ignition. The fitting were Chater Lea througout. Front brakes were compensating band and rear used a foot brake operating on the rear belt rim. Wheels were 26" by 2 1/2" on the rear and 26" by 2" on the front. As standard the Advance adjustable pulley was fitted, but there was an option to have a two speed gear and chain drive.


6HP Air Cooled Tri Car (744cc)

Advance's 6hp tri-car used either the aircooled or watercooled V twin engine, which used internal wipe contact maker with accumulator and trembler coil ignition. The sprung chassis again used Chater Lea fittings. The Chater Lea two speed gearbox also had a neutral. A large clutch was fitted to the engine and 3/4" by 7/16" chains were used. Tyres were 650 by 65mm throughout and brakes were expanding hub to the front, foot operated and band brake to the rear, hand lever operated. All controls were contained within the steering wheel.


9HP Water Cooled Tri Car (1145cc)

The 9hp tri-car used the watercooled V twin engine. Again internal wipe contact maker with accumulator and trembler coil ignition was used. Cooling was by twin radiators and belt driven pump. The sprung chassis used semi-elliptical springs and Chater Lea fittings. The Chater Lea three speed gearbox also had neutral and reverse. A large clutch was fitted to the engine and 3/4" by 7/16" chains were used. Tyres were "extra heavy" 750 by 80mm throughout and brakes were expanding hub to the front, foot operated and band brake to the rear, hand lever operated. All controls were contained within the steering wheel. Both front and rear seats were sprung.

 

Jim-Bo, when were these out? About 1905 to 1910? Somewhere in there?

 

Here's the acutal factory on 4th Street in Muscatine,
Iowa, where the diminuitive LittleMac cars were made.
Photo THANKS to Royal Feltner, Amesbury, MA. NOTICE
THE SEDAN-DELIVERY AT THE LEFT!!!!

I hope this gets the Bantam guys talking again!

 

Can't find a year mentioned. They were made in the U.K.

http://www.oakingtonplane.co.uk/advance/advance_tri-cars.php

 

This is a sharp pic of an ultra-rare Keystone, built in Pittsburgh by the H.C. Cook & Brothers Co., only in 1914 and '15. Snapped in 2004, this pic was placed in public domain. Sincere thanks, then, to the unknown photographer and to Wikipedia which has a brief entry on this short-lived company. Designed by Charles Snodgrass, the Keystones ran 55-horse Rutenber engines.

 

Another of those ultra-rare Dixie Flyers, this one a 1920 model,
thanks to Royal Feltner, of Amesbury, MA. I found it interesting
that this model -- though obviously a Dixie Flyer -- lacks the
Buick-like hood ports which I'd come to assume were a brand
standby. Apparently that was only for the few post-'20 model
years.

 

Okay, SunRoof & I were kicking around an early cyclecar over on another thread -- the Woods Mobilette, only made from 1913-16 and promoting itself as "America's First Cycle-Car." Jimmy found an early pic, proving that these rare cars were made (below). This prompted me to look again, and found the 1916 (below, color) on Royal Feltner's site. These were made by the Woods Motor Vehicle Co., Chicago (actually, Harvey). By one account, the company was around as early as 1899.

So, at least we know there is at least ONE in existence, folks!

Though, the Mobilette was dirt cheap, Henry Ford slashed his Model-T prices low as under $400 at times, eventually making a motorcycle-based car financially unviable in the car market of the day. By the time WWI ended, the cyclecar fad had all but faded from the scene.




1914 Woods Mobilette



1916 Woods Mobilette, THANKS to Royal Feltner, Amesbury,
MA. Appears these barely changed in the three years they
were made.

 

SWI found this 1902 Centaur in March, I think. But has anybody heard of a Centaur built in 1961 and/or '62 by one Tad Davies of Seattle? It may have been a gullwing coupe, powered by Corvette running gear.

SWI:

I ran across this one too.
another Buffalo Built car I don't beleive I had on my list!
1902 Centaur Runabout
Centaur Motor Vehicle Co. Buffalo, NY
1902-1903
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What is it? U.S. made. Posted elsewhere by the Surrey Vintage
Vehicle Society . . . and even they are stumped!!! HELP!