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

Here's a NEVER FACTORY BUILT Cord Truck. Pretty sure it's Extinct. Would make a COOL Shop Truck.

 

So, SunRoof, this Cord panel would have been a sort of design-dept. "mule," building up an ACTUAL rough specimen (in this case, not TOO rough!) of something they were giving at least SOME thought to building in quantity?

Yeah, WOULD make a sweet shop truck, with your business art on the sides and a blown Lycoming V-8 under the hood!!! (I LIKE the fact they were thinking of keeping the retractible headlights, too!)

YUP, since it's never surfaced anywhere, I imagine they cut it up when E.L. left the car biz. EXTINCT!!! BUT! Since he didn't have the 810/812 body dies destroyed, MAYBE there's hope this truck MAY be ... in the Twilight Zone, what?

Heck, it amazes me that things can get tucked away in some stacks in some warehouse for literally decades, THEN suddenly turn up again! (That V-16 Peerless is a great example; and the Beechcraft Plainsman is still alive, somewhere. I don't seem to recall anybody exhibiting an Edwards America in present day, though.)

 

Very cool. However I think it's Cord sheet metal on a truck chassis. The hood seems higher then stock and without the Cord wheels I would imagine it's rear wheel drive.

 

I know a guy that has a factory 2 seat convertible model of a car that all the "experts" swear never was built. The only thing you see in the factory literature are illustrations of it. He's owned it for 50 years and just sits tucked away. There still are really cool cars hiding behind garage doors. Eventually they surface while others may go back in to hiding.

 

Maybe it something along these lines.

 

Al is correct. Pretty sure E.L. Cord had nothing to do with this truck. It originally appeared in Hemmings Classic Car Lost and Found a couple years ago. I thought it was an International with a Cord front clip and wrote Dan Strohl who is in charge of that column and here is his response to me;

Jim-

In studying that photo and photos from Crismon's book on International
trucks in our library, I can see the resemblance of the windshield, the
small peak above the windshield and the contour of the roof to an
International truck.

But (and I apologize for the quality of the photo in the magazine; I've
attached a larger version of the photo) if you look at the contour line
that flows along the rockers, over the rear wheelwell and back toward
the rear bumper, that's the exact same line used on Dodges of that era.
Also look at the beltline, which is actually a thick band with the door
handle in the center of the band, a feature of Dodge trucks of the time,
but not of International trucks.

Quite possibly the same shop that fitted the Cord front clip also sliced
the top from an International delivery and planted it on a Dodge
delivery?

Thanks for keeping us on our toes.

Dan

<script><!-- D(["mb","\u003cdiv style\u003d\"direction:ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan class\u003dq\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n-----Original Message-----\u003cbr /\u003e\nFrom: Jim Davis [mailto:\u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"mailto:sunroofcord@gmail.com\"\u003esunroofcord@gmail.com\u003c/a\u003e]\u003cbr /\u003e\nSent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 9:32 AM\u003cbr /\u003e\nTo: Dan Strohl\u003cbr /\u003e\nSubject: LOST AND FOUND ..............CORD TRUCK\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nGood Morning Daniel\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nI received my March '08 issue of Hemmings Classic Car yesterday and as I\u003cbr /\u003e\nusually do, checked out the Lost and Found column first.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nI see that you featured the Cord Truck that was in the September issue\u003cbr /\u003e\nonce again.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nWell, I have to disagree with all the other readers as to it's\u003cbr /\u003e\nidentification.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nLook at the ad below of the 1937 International Panel Delivery and\u003cbr /\u003e\ncompare the similarities.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nIt's almost an exact match to the Cord Truck including the windshield\u003cbr /\u003e\nand wheels. So, I really think the Cord Truck was built from an\u003cbr /\u003e\nInternational Panel.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nCORDIALLY\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nJIM DAVIS\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nBLOOMINGTON MN\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n1937 International Panel Delivery\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e",1] ); //--></script>

 

AlsAncle, you may be quite right, but the fact
it's a vintage pic says to me it's a legit Cord
effort. Maybe they just didn't go about it the
way Packard & Halrey's boys at GM did.

 

So, it's just a "fantasy" vehicle, after all? Even with the hood angle, I wanted to believe Cord might have tried this, just to see it in the flesh, so to speak. Guess I was dreaming!!!

 

Not many of these around either.

 

Don't feel alone. I'd love to see it in the flesh too, even if it is a Hybrid. In the world of Old Cars and Hot Rodding, there has been many Fantasy Vehicles Built.

 

AlsAncle wrote: "I know a guy that has a factory 2 seat convertible model of a car that all the "experts" swear never was built. The only thing you see in the factory literature are illustrations of it. He's owned it for 50 years and just sits tucked away."

RE Post 669, Yo! AlsAncle. You got my attention about the one-off-never-was car. PLEASE tell us more!!!

 

<table nof="LY" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="375"><tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"><td>
</td> <td width="325"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif]Corbin Motors[/FONT].
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table nof="LY" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="401"> <tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"> <td> <table nof="LY" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="341"> <tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"> <td width="50" height="14"></td> <td width="291"></td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td>
</td> <td width="291">

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Corbin Motor Company, California (USA) was formed on March 29th 1999 as a spin off company[/SIZE][/FONT]​

</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td> <table nof="LY" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="60"> <tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"> <td width="10" height="18"></td> <td>
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</td> <td width="50"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table nof="LY" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="401"> <tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"> <td width="50"></td> <td width="351">

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1] to The Corbin-Pacific company (Founded in 1996 by Mike Corbin). The Corbin Pacific company had been working on a single person electric vehicle since 1996 as well as globally supplying motorcycle seats, saddles and body styling. On April 12th 1999 their first 3-wheeler, "The Sparrow" passed its final testing for the Department of Transport and later that year the vehicle went into full production.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Sparrow was designed by Mike Corbin and has an electric engine that is powered by thirteen 12 volt batteries that give a range of 40 to 60 miles on one battery pack charge. It will also run at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. The Sparrow has a Light weight mono-coque chassis that is constructed of high-tech composites for strength and passenger safety and at just 4 feet wide and 8 feet long, it is as easy to park as a motorcycle. The Sparrow also features disk brakes on all 3-wheels. As the Sparrow is classed as a motorcycle this means that in the United States the Sparrow can use the carpool lane and in some states may also be exempt from road / bridge tolls. [/SIZE][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Corbin Motors also designed a second 3-wheeler called the "Merlin" that was being developed along side an open topped "Roadster" which Corbin announced would be produced from 2002 though despite several test vehicles it never saw full production.
[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]According to the Pinnacle News (Internet Edition) less than 300 Sparrows were made and many buyers never received their vehicles. Of those sold many went back to the factory for repairs. It also states that many customers paid a deposit to be the first to receive a Roadster off the production line but despite many beta models being produced the company filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy proceedings on March 31st 2003. In August 2003 the key to the old Corbin Motors building was handed over to Ron Huch who used to be the former Corbin Motors company president as he was the only individual of more than a thousand creditors who filed a guaranteed $500,000 UCC lien against Corbin Motors just before the company went bankrupt.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][/FONT] ​

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]In 2004 the Corbin Sparrow stock was acquired by [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Myers Motors.[/SIZE][/FONT]​

</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table nof="LY" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="325"><tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"> <td width="24" height="42"></td> <td width="1"></td> <td width="298"></td> <td width="1"></td> <td width="1"></td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td colspan="2" height="230">
</td> <td colspan="3" width="300"></td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td colspan="5" height="3">
</td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td>
</td> <td colspan="2" width="299"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The 2000 Sparrow [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-2](My thanks to Corbin Motors for allowing me to use this picture.)[/SIZE][/FONT]
</td> <td colspan="2">
</td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td colspan="5" height="8">
</td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td height="220">
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</td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td colspan="5" height="3">
</td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td>
</td> <td colspan="3" width="300"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Merlin. Originally planned for 2002.[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-2] (Photo taken at Motorshow 2000. (UK)[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1].[/SIZE][/FONT]
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

World's First Air-Powered Car: Zero Emissions by Next Summer



Some people don't read history.
These are claiming to be the first.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4217016.html

And just like my other post showed someone else came along with the hybrid concept long before the modern era.


and for alternative power.
How about nuclear?

Imagine a car that would emit no harmful vapors and would offer incredible fuel mileage far beyond that of the most efficient cars ever built. It&#8217;d be sleek and silent, with only the hum of a turbine. It&#8217;d basically be run on steam. That&#8217;s how nuclear power works.
Yeah, nuclear power. The Ford Nucleon concept car was designed to be powered by a miniature nuclear reactor. Simple, safe, and eco-friendly, right?

Ford&#8217;s engineers imagined full-service recharging stations in place of gas-stations, where depleted reactors cores could be swapped out for fresh ones. The car&#8217;s reactor setup was basically just like a nuclear submarine&#8217;s, only smaller. It was designed to use uranium to heat a steam generator, rapidly converting water into high-pressure steam which could then be used to drive a set of turbines. One steam turbine would provide the torque to propel the car while another would drive an electrical generator. The steam would then condense back into water in a cooling coil, and be sent back to the steam generator to be reused. It&#8217;s a closed system, so as long as there is some radioactive material in there, it&#8217;s good to go. No emissions, except for the eventual nuclear waste.

Designers anticipated that a typical Ford Nucleon would be able to travel about 5,000 miles per charge.
The idea never took off because reactors that small weren&#8217;t possible at the time and the shielding needed would have weighed down the car excessively. But it&#8217;s not really that bad of an idea. The US Navy has a 100% perfect record of nuclear safety with their subs. It&#8217;s greener than a lot of other technologies, who knows, maybe we&#8217;ll see some nuclear Honda&#8217;s out there come 2020.


OK, only a design study................but supposedly one constructed, but I have no proof it ever was actually powered..............

Maybe if they had some dilithium crystals.............

 

The car Al is referring to is a Hollywood Graham 2 seat convertible, same body as a 2 seat Cord Cabriolet. The pictures were taken in the '60s.

 

Thanks, SunRoof! Not to sound argumentive at all, but I read that Graham engineers and workmen (who built the bodies for the Graham Hollywood AND the Hupmobile Skylark) had to work their tails off to ALTER the sheetmetal that came from the old Cord dies. This was to make them fit the Graham and Hupp chasses, as well as to accommodate, in both cases, rear-wheel drive and the preferred Hupp and Graham motors. That meant a TON (LOL) of lead body seams to do, and that drove production costs up and limited the number of units they could bring to the marketplace in TIMELY fashion. So, not to nit-pick, but I wouldn't say it was quite the "same" body as the Cord -- similar but not exact, by half-a-foot.

As an aside, the production delay led to Hupp finally quitting the auto biz for good, after only a few hundred Skylarks were built. They'd been lethally hurt by poor sales during the mini-recession of 1938 (even halting car production for nearly a year), and they desperately needed a homerun, which did not come with the last-ditch Skylark effort to capture the hearts of the carbuying public. Graham hung in longer, but the end result was the same. Good old Joe Frazer (around since 1916 with Jeffery, Chrysler, etc.) PLEDGED to employees that Graham would AGAIN build cars, after WWII ended. And THOSE were called the Frazers (and, yes, the Kaisers), designed mostly by Howard "Dutch" Darrin.

 

Graham hung in longer, but the end result was the same. Good old Joe Frazer (around since 1916 with Jeffery, Chrysler, etc.) PLEDGED to employees that Graham would AGAIN build cars, after WWII ended. And THOSE were called the Frazers (and, yes, the Kaisers), designed mostly by Howard "Dutch" Darrin.[/QUOTE]

Don't forget the Graham-Paige ROTOTILLER

<CENTER>Graham-Paige Motors and Frazer Farm Equipment Co.

</CENTER>

Graham-Paige Motors Corporation of Detroit first agricultural adventure was the model 503 series Graham-Bradley tractor sold by Sears, Roebuck & Company. The tricycle model 503.103 was introduced in 1938 (Nebraska Tractor Test No.296) and the wide-front 503.104 in 1939. Production stopped in 1942 and was not resumed after WWII.

Graham-Paige Motors acquired the commercial line of Rototiller™ about 1944. In August 1944 Joseph W. Frazer joined Graham-Paige Motors and became its President

Kaiser-Frazer Corporation was incorporated on August 9, 1945 in Nevada. And in February 1947 Graham-Paige stockholders sold out to Kaiser-Frazer Corp. In 1947 the Frazer Farm Equipment Division moved to York, Pennsylvania and stayed there until 1949. Graham-Paige Motor Corp dropped the word Motor from its name and moved to New York City.

Frazer Farm Equipment Division faced numerous business problems in 1948. The Kaiser-Frazer Automobile Dealers no longer sold the machines, so they lost their distribution network. The trademark Rototiller™ expired allowing other manufacturers to call their machines rototillers

Frazer reportedly built two proto-type tricycle gear tractor powered by a Continental gas engine, and two prototypes with diesel engines. Serial numbers are X-1 to X-4. A known single good copy of a full-size Frazer tri-cycle gear tractor, taken at Williow run in the Spring of 1946, exist.

Frazer Farm Equipment Division sold 50% of the company in 1949 to Mast-Foos Corporation (a power lawn mower company) and the name was changed to Frazer Farm Equipment Corp. and moved to Auburn, Indiana. In 1950 the rest of Frazer was sold to Mast-Foos.



Beside the attachments offered by Frazer, Jaques Power Saw Company of Dennilson, Texas offered a Jaques Jr. Portable Post-Hole Digger, Jaques Portable Power Saw and the Jaques Cut-Off Saw was offered under the Jaques name.
<CENTER><TABLE width="90%"><TBODY><TR><TD><CENTER></CENTER></TD></CENTER></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<CENTER></CENTER>
Jaques and Frazer also produced a small four-wheel tractor based on Jaques "Mighty Mite", called the Model T, using the Frazer engine and gearbox as the prime mover. The excerpt from "Farm Tractors 1926-1956" has the Simar engine as the engine used, the picture shows the Frazer engine. Some 5,000 of these units where built in 1948

 

That just goes to show that everyone has to stop using '32 grilles on Model A's and everything else. There just ain't enough to go around any more.

 

Funny thing, Alfster, it gets UGLIER the longer you stare at it!!! Really, check the details. Who conceived this? Herman Munster???

 

We touched very briefly, and inconclusively, on the Geronimo very early in this thread.

Geronimo, only made 1917 - 1920 in Enid, OK. According to HAMBer 37Kid, only one, a touring, is known to exist. They were thought extinct until one turned up sitting in a field. It was restored and is owned by a local car club.

 

Here's a toughie. I haven't been able to find much at all on Simon Ingersoll's steam-powered car OR find if any survived. Ingersoll of New Jersey achieved fame, of course, by inventing the steam drill in 1871 (the same type mythical "John Henry" toiled to defeat!). Among numerous inventions was also a friction clutch. I'm wondering if, perhaps, the steam car wasn't successful and was, hence, dropped from Ingersol's stable of inventions & ventures? The name doesn't even appear in Wikipedia's huge list, and I do not have one of the early-car encyclopedias.

 

Actually, from the firewall back I believe the Cord and Graham are identical including the chassis. What is different is the the front sub frame that attaches to the torque boxes. The wheel base is shorter on the Graham but that is all in the nose. All the sheet metal on a graham from the firewall back should swap with a Cord. There was lots of differences in the trim and interiors. In general, every place that Graham could make the car cheaper to manufacturer they would make a change. For example, the cord has a gas door while the Graham does not.

The work that you are alluding to with regards to the sheetmetal was the factory trying to come up with a single stamp for the roof section. The cord requires 13 pieces to be welded and leaded. That was not very economical for Graham selling a car that cost less then 1/2 as much as the Cord.

 

For years it was assumed that Graham had only built a single five passenger convertible before this 2 passenger convertible was found to exist. Somewhere I have a artists drawing from a Graham brochure discussing their "3 passenger Sportster". Anyone who has sat in the front seat of a Cord knows that 3 passengers is very optimistic if 2 are not children.

Here is a drawing of the 5 passenger.

 

Here's more on the Geronimo from the Oklahoma Historical Society. William Allen headed a group of Oklahoma entrepreneurs and incorporate the company in 1917 to build Geronimo-badged tractors, roadsters and full-size cars. It was a big enough deal that stock was sold, and by mid-year, orders for 50 cars were taken. A 30,000-square-foot factory was finished in Enid, OK, by end-1917. Distribution was only regional (not uncommon in those days) and comprised dealers in just four states. Total production of Geronimos had reached about a thousand vehicles when, in 1920, the factory burned, permanently ending production.

As stated earlier, only one Geronimo is known to exist, in Enid. Since some 1,000 Geronimos were reportedly sold, this certainly seems to make a STATEMENT about how worn-out automobiles were usually regarded and treated in the decades before WWII !!!

 

Thanks, AlsAncle. As they say, the devil is in the DETAILS. But refining the detials (and dispelling misconceptions!) is what I find REALLY interesting about ANY sort of HISTORY!! Thanks to you and to SunRoof & HJ for all the input RE the somewhat, almost mythical Cords, Grahams & Hupps of this body style from '36 through '41.

 

Enid, Oklahoma and the Geronimo Car

July 30th, 2009 Posted by: Steve --> · 2 Comments

I once heard that in the early 1900&#8217;s that you could name an automobile manufacturer with every letter in the alphabet. Early car manufacturers were scattered across America in many small towns. The early part of the twentieth century was a great time of invention and innovation, especially for the automotive world. I enjoy reading stories about early car makes and manufacturing, there were so many that are now defunct for reasons of the early economy, war, mergers, buy outs, and I&#8217;m sure a hundred other reasons. This is a story about the Geronimo Motor Company that I ran across and had to share.
Image source www.enidbuzz.com


Published: July 27, 2009
By Robert Barron, Staff Writer
In 1917, Enid hoped to be the second Detroit
Enid was once home to a successful car manufacturer along local hopes of being the second Detroit, according to automobile historian Bud Smith.
Smith, who is president of Liberty Federal Bank, told Enid Rotary Club Monday about the Geronimo, which was manufactured in Enid from 1917 until 1920.
It was a successful company until the factory was destroyed by fire in 1920, which put the company out of business.
William C. Allen formed the company in 1917 and initially sold $500,000 in stock, a fortune for that time. They began production of the car at 409 S. Grand and the building still has the Geronimo name on it.

There also is one Geronimo remaining, and it is owned by the Enid Region of the Antique Automobile Association of America, which restored the car after it was found in a Kansas pasture.
There were two models of the Geronimo built the 6A-45 and the 4A-40. The first had a six-cylinder 230 cubic inch Rutenberg engine that reportedly obtained 45 horsepower or a 55-horsepower six-cylinder engine. The second vehicle was a four-cylinder model with a Lycoming 166 cubic-inch engine that had 37 horsepower. The four-cylinder model sold for $895, and the six-cylinder model sold for $1,295.
Among the other features were a high-grade motor driven horn, a complete set of tools, a motor-driven tire pump hooked up to the transmission and the hose was enclosed in a compartment behind a small door under the fender.
Because of the popularity of the car, a new and larger plant was built on the &#8220;outskirts&#8221; of Enid at Cleveland and Oklahoma. The new plant was completed in the fall of 1917. The company purchased ready-made parts from specialty companies and assembled cars of their own design. At the January 1919 stockholders meeting, Allen was re-elected president and the company reported an additional $500,000 in stock sold for a total of $1 million.
Employment varied from 40 to about 125 during the peak times of the company. The plan turned out one car a day. They also manufactured cars for France under the name &#8220;Wing.&#8221;
By 1919 the price had also increased to $1,955 for one model. During the production, more than 600 Geronimos were manufactured and sold.
The plant burned on August 14, 1920, and insurance covered only $65,000 of the $250,000 loss and the Geronimo Motor Co. was out of business.
Allen sold everything to pay the bank, but managed to survive and eventually got into the gas business founding Allen Oil Co, a wholesale fuel company. He died in Enid in 1955 at the age of 80.
Smith believes most of the Geronimo cars in existence were sold during World War II for scrap metal and there did not seem to be any Geronimos left.
The Enid Chapter of the Antique Auto Club of America started looking for the remains of one, and in 1972, found a Geronimo in a pasture in LaCross, Kan. It had been in an open field for many years and was in poor condition. The manufacturer&#8217;s emblem was gone, but the car still could be identified.
&#8220;The wood framework had rotted, but the fenders, cowl and frame and radiator were with the car and in fairly good condition,&#8221; Smith said.
The car was returned to Enid where members of the club began a painstaking process of restoring the auto and now have it in running condition. The car is featured regularly in local historical events and parades.
No foundation has been created to care for the car, but Smith said there are a number of benefactors who contribute to its upkeep.
&#8220;Our reward is sharing this piece of Enid history at community events and with groups that come to Enid to see it,&#8221; he said.

 

I decided to jump into the fray here. I think my pick on nearly extinct makes would also be technologically innovative and of course be blessed with advanced V-8 horsepower. In fact this cars engine was so advanced it also powered airplanes.
></O>
It would be the powerful Cole. Now only 70 Cole automobiles are documented to remain from all the cars Cole produced from 1911 to 1925. So nearly extinct.
<O></O>
The Cole Aero Eight was a V-8 introduced in 1915 just after Cadillac’s V-8. The Cadillac could not put a candle to the performance of the Cole. The engine was very advanced for it’s time. The Cole Aero-Eight was dressed in gloss black paint, nickel hardware, and enameled exhaust manifolds. The Cole was featured as the Indianapolis pace car for 1924.
<O></O>
An excellent article can be found here.
<O></O>
http://www.hemmings.com/hmn/stories/2007/06/01/hmn_feature32.html
<O></O>

 

George's Antique Auto Museum

Please help promote George's Antique Auto Museum :
George's Antique Auto Museum features 50 antique automobiles displayed in period settings. Twenty-five of them were made before 1950, and include the only Geronimo automobile known to exist. Auto museum owner, George McCamey, is the owner of the car.
Admission: Admission is $2
Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Not open year-round.
Address: 508 S. Grand
Phone: 580-242-6815

 

<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=+3]JOSEPH JARRET COLE[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+3]1869-1925[/SIZE]</CENTER>
</TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="36%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="34%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="36%"><CENTER>J. J. Cole, Indianapolis, Ind.
May 30, 1911</CENTER>
</TD><TD width="34%"><CENTER>J. J. Cole, President
Cole Motor Car Company</CENTER>
</TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=-2]Photos from the COLE BULLETIN, Vol 4, No. 2, FALL, 1917[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]Courtesy of Leroy D. Cole[/SIZE]</CENTER>
</TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=+1]CENTERFOLD EXPLAINED[/SIZE]</CENTER>
These photos have been copied from an original Cole Bulletin (Vol 4 #2) published in late 1917.
It introduces the 1918 Cole Aero Eight and connects its development with the Cole Aeroplane. From the same bulletin we include an article entitled, "The Aero Eight--A Dream Come True," Cole's own account of his airplanes back-ground.
One must remember how young the airplane was when Cole undertook the Continental Race. Cole was the first Auto Manufacturer to get into flying, first to put his car engine in an airplane, first Auto Manufacturer to fly cross country. His interest in flying was a part of his interest in transportation. Cole met many challenges but was never addicted to them.
He tasted the success of flying but never attempted to produce planes. His first love was the automobile and he spent his life focused on it. <CENTER>[SIZE=-1]Photos and Text From the COLE BULLETIN, Vol 4, No. 2, FALL, 1917[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Courtesy of Leroy D. Cole[/SIZE]</CENTER>
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<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>Famous Cole balloon, winner of many long-distance flights.</CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=+1]THE COLE BALLOON[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Extract from[/SIZE]
"History of the Cole Motor Car Company"
by Howard Delancy</CENTER>"And there really was a Cole Balloon. It was a gas bag of no small proportions. The balloon was well known during this period and it was quite popular in the air transportation field. The balloon was a common sight at fairs and other special gatherings. At the Indiana State Fair in 1912 the big gas bag set a record for the longest flight in the state of Indiana for a balloon carrying eight people. During the record ascent the balloon was piloted byt Captain G. L. Burnbaugh. The ascent was made from in front of the grandstand at the fair ground in Indianapolis. Two hour later the balloon came to earrth one mile east of Irvington on the Charles Retmir farm. The balloon had traveled approximately eighteen miles. During the flight the Balloon had reached a height of 3,200 feet.
Dr. L.E. Custer, of Dayton, Ohio, made a spectaculat flight in the Cole balloon at Kansas City. He was finally forced down by high winds and lightning, but not until he had managed to keep the craft in the air for nine hours and forty minutes. The big balloon's flights always warranted an article or two from the wires of the Associated Press."
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<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="40%"><CENTER>COLE BALLOON TAKES
SOUTHWEST COURSE
[SIZE=-1]Aeronauts Carried in Wide Circle [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Last Report From[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Gosport.[/SIZE]</CENTER>
[SIZE=-2]The Cole ballon, piloted by Capt. G. L. Burnbaugh, with Andrew Farrell, of The Star as aid, was carried southwest when it arose at the plant of the Indianapolis Gas Company shortly before 4' o'clock yestereday afternnon, but later took a southeasterly direction and at 9:45 o'clock last evening had turned again to the west and had passed over Gosport. The balloon there was flying about twice as high as the trees, and the aeronauts, speaking through a megaphone, asserted that they were having no trouble, but were traveling in a circle and that the wind was poor.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]Shortly before reaching Hope, from where the balloon was reported at 7:30 o'clock, the balloon sailed over Providence, Ind., and at that point Capt. Burnbaugh and his aid reported that variable air currents were causing some trouble. There the balloon was low, not much above the tree tops. Earlier in the evening the Cole passed three miles south of Smith's Valley.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-2]<CENTER>CONDITIONS FAVORABLE</CENTER>The big baloon got away under favorable conditions, and the ascent was described briefly in an "aerogram" dropped out by Mr. Farrell and picked up at Patrterson and Minerva streets by two boys, John Fox, 464 Agnes street, and Arthur Huff, 3302 East Twelvth street.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]The message follows:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]"Made perfect ascension. Air warmer than on earth; passing over city at an elevation of 2,000 feet; are moving southwest; wind about twenty miles an hour, but we hope to find faster one about 4,000 feet. Excellently equipped and everything looks good for recordbreaker."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]The flight was made as Capt. Burnbaugh's effort of the year to "lift" the Lahm Cup, which is offered for distance records only.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]The day was almost ideal and the start was witnessed by a crowd. The gas was of good quality and, barring the possibility of extremely cold weather, which would decrease its lifting power greatly, the outlook for a long flight was good.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]The balloon was fitted by the Cole Motor Car Company, owners of the bag, with everything necessary for the safety and comfort of the aeronauts. [/SIZE]<CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="30%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>J. J. Cole and "Bob" Fowler in Wright biplane at Dayton, O., 1911</CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=+1]The Aero-Eight--A Dream Come True[/SIZE]
Experiments Begun by J. J. Cole in 1911 Culminate with Creation of New
Car Embodying Improved Features of
Aerotype Design.</CENTER>
THOUGH the Cole Aero-Eight, which made its initial appearance at the New York Automobile Show last January, has been heralded as the sponsor of an entirely new vogue in automobile designing and has come to be regarded as one of the foremost developments in motor car engineering thus far conceived by American builders, the way for it was paved almost seven years ago by J. J. Cole, president of the Cole Motor Car Company, its builders.
In 1911 the Cole Company began its experiments with aviation motors as a basis for subsequent research to discover whether aeroplane construction offered any features which might be incorporated to advantage in automobile designing.
At that time a prize of $50,000 was offered to any aviator who would successfully cross the continent in an airship--as they were called in that day.


<CENTER>[SIZE=+1]Installs Cole Motor in Biplane[/SIZE]</CENTER>Mr Cole purchased a Wright biplane, installed in it a Cole motor--the same that was used in the cars he was building at the time--secured the services of "Bob" Fowler, one of the leading aviators of the Wright school, and set about to win the prize.
The start was made at San Francisco on September 11, 1911. It was Fowler's aim to reach New York in thirty days and win the trophy.
Though he went farther than any other aviator had gone up to that time, he was balked when he reached the Rockies. Cross winds and high altitudes had not been mastered by the aeroplane builders then.
Realizing that he cold not finish the journey within the required time, Fowler gave up hope of winning the trophy and returned to San Francisco. He started out anew, however, this time directing his plane toward Jacksonville, Fla.
He succeeded in crossing the continent by this route and though the Cole Company was not successful in annexing the $50,000 prize--which, by the way, was withdrawn finally--the experience that was gained from Fowler's experiments was invaluable.


<CENTER>[SIZE=+1]Interest in Aeroplanes Continues[/SIZE]</CENTER>The interest which he had cultivated in 1911 in the progress being made in aeroplane building never waned, and when the eight-cylinder motor made its appearance J. J. Cole was one of the first manufacturers in the country to avail himself of the opportunity to use it in motor car construction.
Further experiments were carried on. He reverted to his study of the aeroplane, realizing at the outbreak of the war that greater development would result in this field of machinery than in any other related to motor car building.

<CENTER>[SIZE=+1]Discovers Source of Efficiency[/SIZE]</CENTER>Thus, with the creation of the Cole Aero-Eight J. J. Cole's dream of 1911 proved a reality seven years later. He found that the greatest efficieny so far developed in motor car performance--economy, power, speed, acceleration and comfort all considered--could be secured by adapting to automobile design the advanced features which were being applied to the construction of aeroplanes.
It is doubtful whether any manufacturer by a single stroke of genius has ever before so completely altered and improved not only the artistic but the mechanical standards of his trade as has J. J. Cole with his Aero-eight.
How thoroughly the public has approved his production may be judged best by the popularity of the Aero-Eight. It is without question the most sensational success ever offered by Cole.
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<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=+1]Cole Aero-Eight Roadster[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Model 871[/SIZE]</CENTER>
</TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=+1]Cole Aero-Eight Tourister[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Model 870[/SIZE]</CENTER>
</TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=+1]Cole Aero-Eight Sportster[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Model 872[/SIZE]</CENTER>
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<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>Does anyone know anything about this plane?</CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>J. J. Cole shaking hands with the pilot. Note the Cole emblem on the plane.
This must be close to 1925: note the aging automaker.</CENTER>
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<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>[SIZE=+1]The Lake County Motor Sales[/SIZE]
For the story of one of the first dealers of the Cole Aero Eight, click on:
E. L. Cunningham</CENTER>
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<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%" CELLPADDING="5"><CENTER> </CENTER></TD><TD width="10%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%"></TD><TD width="70%"><CENTER>J. J. Cole died at the age of 56, in 1925</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

Any pics, old or new, of a Crit 3-wheeler? The only time I ever heard my grandpa swear was when he saw one of these. He uttered a word that rhymes with Crit!

 

As for Frontenac, which is mentioned several times in this tread.
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Here are several photos of a “Fronty” powered speedster from the 2009 “Eyes on Design” show in Grosse Pointe.