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

This might splain alot!!

 

LOL!!!

HJM,

Thanks again for the time you/ve put into this! Sorry if I was confusing earlier about the tractor engine- if you look at the truck engine in this pic you posted earlier (as opposed to the tractor engine), you can see some of the similarities to the Chevrolet passenger car engine- it's this one I'm looking for.



John Gerber (sprint car racer from the 20's) used a Samson timing cover (and gears I'm guessing) to run a magneto on his Chevy engine... I'm looking to do the same.

 

Living in Wisconsin, I actually get to see this car from time to time. It appears at shows and cruises all around here. It is truly a beautiful car.

 

from the fertile mind of Joseph Ihnat, part 1 – Poppen’s Special kid’s racer


A few times over the last couple years, I’ve presented miniature or kid-sized race cars in HCC Lost and Found. Joseph Ihnat of Whiting, Indiana, saw those and thought he’d share some pictures of the one that he scratch-built.

Enclosed is a picture of a car that I built that is sized for a four-year-old. I referred to my Indianapolis race books to come up with a 1930s era design. The car is 75 inches long and weighs 75 pounds. It has a pedal crank chain driver, driving the left hand wheel. (Split rear axle)
​

Structure made of forms and stringers like balsa wood model airplane

The body is all riveted aluminum sheet, except for the nose piece (porcelain enameled roasting pan lid, cut in half, handle removed) and the rear turtledeck (Smoky Joe barbecue grill shell, cut in half). In order to scale it properly, 18 inch bicycle wheels were used. These are not easy to find. There are six exhaust stacks per side, providing plenty of pretend V-12 power.
​

Front cylindrical pieces are 1950s tea canisters. Head rest is an old choco-malt shaker cut lengthwise

A four-year-old has no problem pedaling it along thanks to about $120 worth of roller bearings. I used chain guards from a 10-speed to emulate the disc brakes. (It has no brakes – for now) I upholstered the seat by cutting foam swimming pool noodles in half lengthwise and covering them with naugahyde.
​

I had a guy at Budd Furnace cut these pieces from templates I made. He rolled the front top sections

Poppen’s Auto Service is the local garage I have my cars serviced at. They’ve been in business since 1936.
​

Radiator cap is a lid from a maraschino cherry jar
Looks awesome, Joe, though your wife might mind all the missing cookware from her kitchen…
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[url]http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nissan_Model_70_Phaeton.jpg[/url]
The mention of Grahams reminded me of this tidbit of history. The Nissan (Datsun) car company pretty much copied the Graham design as well as building Graham trucks under license.

 

Ah crap! I can't make the link work or the pic come up.

 

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nissan_Model_70_Phaeton.jpg
Try this link...I'm such a dork on the PC

 

Swing Away, Eddie! The Corvairs that Never Were

[SIZE=+0]By Karn Utz
[SIZE=+0][SIZE=+0]It was the late 1950&#8217;s, and the <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 /><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE>US</ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION> automotive industry was being besieged by efficient, well-built cars from across the ocean, in the first of many waves that continue to this day. Of course, in those days, the ocean was the <ST1LACE><ST1LACE>Atlantic</ST1LACE></ST1LACE>, and the car that was giving them fits was Volkswagen&#8217;s Beetle, and to a lesser extent Fiats and Renaults. Small cars (by US standards) were seemingly on everyone&#8217;s drawing boards. Independents Studebaker (Lark) and American Motors (American) had established their beachheads first, and to good effect: each of those cars sold well, and were the basis for later sporty variants that would be the potential saviors of each of those brands. Cross-town rivals Ford and Chrysler were hard at work on their Falcon/Comet and Valiant/Dart models. <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O></O>
GM&#8217;s answer to the challenge posed by the Beetle was at once predictable and unprecedented. As has been the case many times over, General Motors engineered a car that was seemingly a re-work of the VW&#8217;s basic design. Air-cooled rear-mounted engine? Check! Swing axle rear suspension? Driver-forward van and truck variants? Check and Check! Light, rigid body mounted on a stiff flat platform? <O> </O>Uh, no. <O> </O>
Chevrolet chief engineer Ed Cole had developed an appreciation for aircraft construction, and felt unit-body construction was the best way to build a light-but-sturdy design. Except for the swing-axles &#8211; which had proven problematic in proving-grounds tests as one prototype after another flipped over do to &#8216;jacking&#8217; (the outside wheel tucking under the car, triggering a roll-over) &#8211; the design was a success. It was small, roomy, and stiff (for its day) and was an aesthetic success, as well. Rather than the VW&#8217;s anemic four-cylinder unit, the Corvair had a horizontally-opposed flat six. The look was long, low and clean with its airy greenhouse, and it inspired a handful of production car designs in <ST1LACE><ST1LACE>Europe</ST1LACE></ST1LACE>. <O> </O><O></O>
</SPAN></SPAN><O></O>

<O>1961 Corvair Sedan</O>​

When the car was introduced for the 1960 model year, it won Motor Trend&#8217;s coveted &#8216;car of the year&#8217; award. Chevrolet got to work on higher-horsepower versions featuring a turbocharged flat-six. Design houses in <ST1LACE><ST1LACE>Europe</ST1LACE></ST1LACE> began penning &#8216;carrosserie&#8217; Corvairs. That first year, over 250,000 Chevy Corvairs were built in the <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE>US</ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION> and <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE>Canada</ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION> . By the end of 1963, over 1,000,000 had been pushed out the door. <O> </O><O></O>
In an attempt to spread the cost of the unit-body Corvair (the first such design produced by Fisher Body), GM engineering proposed a family of Corvair clones for other GM divisions. One, the Pontiac Polaris, was fairly well along before John DeLorean, mindful of the flipping accidents at the proving grounds, put a stop to it.The scuttled Polaris had unique sheet metal forward of the cowl that mimicked the look of the 1959 full-size <ST1:CITY><ST1LACE><ST1:CITY><ST1LACE>Pontiacs</ST1LACE></ST1:CITY></ST1LACE></ST1:CITY> . Ironically, the Pontiac Tempest, introduced in 1961, kept the problematic swing-axles, along with the rear-mounted transaxle, coupled via a flexible driveshaft (think very thick speedometer cable) to a large, rackety slant-four that was no more than a lopped-in-half V8. This car, too, won Motor Trend&#8217;s car-of-the-year award, in 1961. <O> <O></O>
</SPAN></O></SPAN>

<O>Pontiac Polaris Prototype
</O>
Production 1962 Tempest​

The other variations of the original Corvair were little more Corvairs with trim, badge and taillight changes. As we now know, none of these ever made it to GM dealerships, as the Tempest, as well as the more conventionally configured Oldsmobile F-85 and Buick Special.

Oldsmobile's Corvair Clone
<O></O>
<O>1961 Production Olds F-85 Cutlass</O>​

[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

 

Now this brings back memories.

 

SunRoof, I'm not glib with facts about the '55
Chryslers. Is that's a New Yorker? In the light,
looks like a convertible?

 

SunRoof, seeing the pic of the sharp '55 made me think again about
some MoPar show/experimental cars we had not really talked about
yet on this thread. I particularly like the Falcon, powered by the 276-
CID DeS Hemi, good for 170 horse, 0-to-60 in 10-flat and 115 flying.
And with the 'glass body, it would do the quarter in a respectable
17.5 -- good as a stock Roadrunner of later vintage.

Though I find the side pipes garish, even a tad awkward, I feel the
styling is otherwise JUST as keen as the Facel Vegas!!! (In fact, I feel
the Exner show cars had a BIG influence on Facel. THERE, I said it!)




Sincere appreciation is owed to the CarStyling site on the web.
For MUCH more detail and wonderful photos, please search
www.carstyling.ru/cars.1955_Chrysler_Falcon.html


'55 Chrysler-Ghia Falcon (silver),
'54 Dodge-Ghia FireArrow (yellow),
'57 Chrysler-Ghia Diablo (red)

 

YES! Great memories! Remember the hit record, "Kookie, Kookie, Lend me Your Comb" ?

FORTUNATELY, Norm Grabowski is anything BUT extinct! He still hangs with hotrodders and HAMBers, not just in SoCal where he gained fame. Here he is with HAMBer Langy in the U.K. The pic is part of a thread posted last year by HAMBer HomeMadeHardtop57, entitled simply, "Hanging With Norm Grabowski." WELL worth a look!



For ANOTHER kick, watch this super-nostalic vid, incl. "77 Sunset Strip"!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4bMyrKxRdQ

 

That is interesting. It might only be me but the floating Hupmobile image makes it impossible to do an advanced response to this thread. I was going to post this picture for Lordairgtar:

 

AJ, don't know why that stuff happens. We had a similar situation shortly after Jim came onto the thread. Any-who, since it didn't correct itself (floating Hupp), here's an equally good pic of the one-year Scout.


1913 American Underslung SCOUT. Sincere appreciation is due ConceptCarz, source of MORE great photos and a ton of facts about American Underslung models.

 

I would guess/hope it's only going to be an issue with this particular page of responses. When the forum software generates the html for the page somehow that floating Hupp is getting embedded.

 

I've been all day exploring Herschell-Spillman engines, which were used in at least 10 early V-8 vehicles and over three dozen, if you include 4- and 6-cylinder makes (even including the du Pont Model C of the mid-'20s). What I find most fascinating is that H-S had car and truck engines as ONLY a side line! Their original success and passion were for making and selling CAROUSELS . They were absolutely HUGE in the early market for carousels and related carnival rides.

 

I was visiting with an old friend of my Dads last evening that bought a Chain Drive Frazer Nash back in 1954 and is currently involved in restoring it for the new owner. Not quite sure of the exact year. It is considered a Full Classic by the Classic Car Club Of America. Thanks to Wikipedia for the following;

Frazer Nash was a British automobile manufacturer and engineering company founded by Archibald Frazer-Nash in 1922. Frazer Nash should not be confused with the unrelated companies Kaiser-Frazer and Nash Motors.

The company was founded in 1922 by Archibald Frazer-Nash who had, with Henry Ronald Godfrey founded and run the GN Cyclecar Company. The company was established in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, moving to Isleworth, London in 1929. The company entered receivership in 1927 and re-emerged as AFN Limited. The majority of AFN was acquired by H. J. ("Aldy") Aldington in 1932 and run by the three Aldington brothers, H.J., Donald A. and William H. Aldy's son, John Taylor ("JT") Aldington was the last of the family owners/directors until AFN Ltd was sold to Porsche GB.

In 1929, Nash & Thomson was formed by Frazer-Nash and Godfrey to develop the Frazer-Nash hydraulic aircraft turret

The company produced around 400 cars until the mid-1930s, notably a series of famous chain drive models.

They became importers and assemblers of BMW cars in 1934 and sold them as Frazer Nash-BMW. They were the official British BMW importer until the outbreak of war in 1939.

In 1954 the company started to sell Porsche cars, becoming the official importer for Great Britain in 1956. This lasted until 1965 when Porsche Cars Great Britain was set up; Aldington family members remained on the board of this company for some time.

During World War II, the company was involved in armaments production. It specifically built powered turrets for use on bombers such as the Avro Lancaster.

Eighty-five more cars were produced from 1948 to 1957. These cars were entirely unrelated to the chain-drive pre-war Frazer Nash, but were largely a direct evolution of the sporting BMW 328, mentioned above. In the choice of Bristol engines the cars were natural successors to the imported BMWs, the Bristol engine being a development of that of the BMW 328. Models include the Le Mans Replica, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Le Mans Coupé and the Sebring. Competition successes included a third place at Le Mans (1949) and a win in the Targa Florio (1951). These post-war cars are very highly prized by collectors. The company participated in the 1952 Formula One season, the cars driven by Tony Crook and Ken Wharton.

There are several successor companies still (as of 2009) active in engineering consultancy (Frazer-Nash Consultancy) and electric vehicle design (Frazer-Nash Research).

Considering the small number of cars made, the model range is vast and the following is not entirely comprehensive. Cars were all built to order and virtually any combination was possible. Some were rebuilt at the factory as different versions.


<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <th style="background: rgb(239, 239, 239) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">Type</th> <th style="background: rgb(239, 239, 239) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">Engine</th> <th style="background: rgb(239, 239, 239) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">Approx Production</th> <th style="background: rgb(239, 239, 239) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">Year</th> <th style="background: rgb(239, 239, 239) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">Notes</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Fast Tourer/Super Sports</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder</td> <td>165 in the 1920s</td> <td>1925-1930</td> <td>various engines including Plus Power, Anzani and Meadows. Super Sports (from 1928) had no running boards. 105-inch (2,667 mm) wheelbase chassis on Fast Tourer and Super Sports with short 99-inch (2,515 mm) option on Super Sport.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Interceptor/Sportop/Falcon</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder</td> <td>5</td> <td>1930-1932</td> <td>Anzani or Meadows engine. Sportop version was fabric bodied. Falcon had a better equipped body. Long and short chassis options.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Boulogne</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder</td> <td>16</td> <td>1926-1932</td> <td>Anzani or Meadows engine. Supercharger optional. Long and short chassis options</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Ulster</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder</td> <td>5</td> <td>1929-1931</td> <td>Competition version of the road cars. Long and short chassis options.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash N&#363;rburg</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder</td> <td>3</td> <td>1932-1933</td> <td>Competition model. Tuned Meadows engine. No doors. Short chassis only.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Exeter</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder</td> <td>4</td> <td>1932</td> <td>Single carburettor Meadows engine. Short chassis only.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Colmore</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder or 1660 cc in line 6 cylinder</td> <td>19</td> <td>1932-1939</td> <td>Four seater. 105-inch (2,667 mm) or 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase chassis options. Four cylinder cars used a Meadows engine, six cylinder cars a twin OHC Blackburne. Three or Four speed transmission.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash TT Replica</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder or 1660 cc in line 6 cylinder</td> <td>83</td> <td>1932-1938</td> <td>Gough 4 cylinder engine used as well as the Meadows and Blackburne. 105-inch (2,667 mm) or 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase chassis options</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Shelsley</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder or 1660 cc in line 6 cylinder</td> <td>8</td> <td>1934-1936</td> <td>Gough (supercharger optional) or Blackburne engines. 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Ulster 100</td> <td>1.5 L in line 4 cylinder</td> <td>1</td> <td>1936-1937</td> <td>Originally Anzani powered, later replaced by Gough engine and then a Meadows. Long rounded tail to body.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Falcon</td> <td>1.9 L in line 6 cylinder</td> <td>1</td> <td>1936</td> <td>BMW engined. 102-inch (2,591 mm) wheelbase.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica</td> <td>Bristol engine (2 L in line 6 cylinder)</td> <td>34</td> <td>1948-1953</td> <td>Originally named "High Speed" and "Competition". 96-inch (2,438 mm) wheelbase. Cycle wings. Conventional (Bristol) gearbox.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Fast Tourer/Mille Miglia</td> <td>Bristol engine (2 L in line 6 cylinder)</td> <td>12</td> <td>1948-1952</td> <td>Full width body.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Targa Florio</td> <td>Bristol engine (2 L in line 6 cylinder)</td> <td>14</td> <td>1952-1954</td> <td>Turismo (100 hp (75 kW)) or Gran Sport (125 hp (93 kW)) Bristol engine options. One car fitted with Austin Atlantic engine.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Le Mans Coupé</td> <td>Bristol engine (2 L in line 6 cylinder)</td> <td>9</td> <td>1953-1956</td> <td>140 hp (100 kW) engine.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Sebring</td> <td>Bristol engine (2 L in line 6 cylinder)</td> <td>3</td> <td>1954</td> <td>Open version of Le Mans Coupé.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Frazer Nash Continental</td> <td>3.2 L V-8</td> <td>2</td> <td>1957</td> <td>BMW engine. Listed at £3751 at the London Motor Show.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Frazer Nash cars participated in 4 World Championship Grands Prix. Drivers of Frazer Nash cars scored 3 World Championship points.

Much more info and pictures here;

• Official website of the Frazer Nash Car Club
• Frazer-Nash Consultancy
• The Postwar Frazer Nash Cars - An Overview
• Frazer-Nash Research - Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

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I also learned of the following book by Automobile Quarterly.

The American Car Since 1775: The Most Complete Survey of the American Automobile Ever.

A great reference book that I'm not sure has been mentioned before or not.

 

Got a email price quote on a Samson timing cover (sounds like without gears)...

$170 plus shipping- looks like I'm still going to be searching for a while.

 

1921. "Margaret Gorman in Birmingham car." Whose reptilian body has an alligator finish. In 1921 Margaret was both the first Miss Washington, D.C., and the first Miss America.

Washington Post, Sep 25, 1921:

The Birmingham Motors demonstrated to about 15,000 people of Washington Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the ability of their cars to withstand the most severe rough road tests ever seen here. The cars went over roads built of logs from 4 to 8 inches in height at from 15 to 35 miles per hour. This feat did not seem to affect their cars, although the sedan has traveled over similar tests more than 14,000 miles.
Birmingham Motors offers an attractive challenge of $5,000 for any make of car to follow the Birmingham over the roads which they will construct.
All of the three models are exceptionally attractive, finished with Dupont Fabrikoid in place of paint. The company is now ready to start quantity production in their first plant at Falconer, N.Y., and will start delivering cars in this city in the near future.


​

The Birmingham (1921-1923) was a 55 hp Continental-engined six on a 124-inch wheelbase with standard components used throughout but a most unusual flexible suspension system. Three transverse springs and an independent rear axle were combined with two transverse springs in front that made for a four-wheel independent suspension and the "easiest riding car ever put on the market," as advertising said. Alas, getting the Birmingham on the market was the hard part.

Because the suspension system was similar to that which had appeared on the Cornelian built by the Blood Brothers in Kalamazoo, Cyrus E. Weaver, the designer of the Birmingham, purchased all relevant patents held by the Blood Brothers. This was perhaps the only aspect of the Birmingham venture that went right.

The first Birmingham prototype sedan was completed and tested in Detroit in May of 1921, but already Jamestown, New York, had been selected as the factory site. The mayor of Jamestown, Samuel A. Carlson, agreed to serve as president of Birmingham Motors Corporation, accepting no salary for the position. Because he believed Birmingham would do for Jamestown what Franklin had done for Syracuse (and even, grandiosely, what Ford had done for Detroit), Carlson asked only for out-of-pocket expenses for promoting this new industry for his community.

Demonstrations of the new Birmingham were set up in numerous towns in Upstate New York and elsewhere, with an office opened in each for the sale of stock. Five cars were assembled in nearby Falconer by early 1922, these joined the two further cars previously put together in Detroit, and this fleet of demonstrators had soon hit as many as 50 cities. One of them was New York City for the National Automobile Show in January 1922.

In March James B. Mansfield (a noted automotive engineer and president of Mansfield Steel Corporation, Mansfield Truck Company, and Detroit Trailer Company) had been hired as consulting engineer, and Charles A. Towne (who had served in both houses of the U.S. Congress and who had run for the vice-presidency of the United States with Williams Jennings Bryan) came aboard as counsel. Stock was selling like hotcakes. But Mayor Carlson soon fell victim to his political enemies. Already a defamatory article about the company had appeared in the stock market publication, U.S. Investor.

Initially it was thought this malicious piece of journalism could be turned to Birmingham's advantage. But in August 1922 the AP wire service buzzed with the news that a Federal grand jury in Washington had filed a presentment following a 10-month investigation by the U.S. Post Office. The charge was fraudulent use of the mails to sell more than $300,000 of worthless stock, and among the 18 Birmingham men named was Mayor Samuel Carlson. Newspapers not friendly to Carlson had a heyday.

During the next two months Birmingham assembled 26 cars and chassis to prove its viability. But a stock holders meeting in October ended in bedlam, with one local stock salesman stabbed to death. A Birmingham official smashed his way through a plate- glass window to escape. In June of 1923, the indictment against Birmingham officials was dismissed in court. But the exoneration came far too late for Birmingham Motors. A valiant attempt was made to generate favorable publicity with a Duesenberg-engined special-built Birmingham race car to compete in the 1923 Indianapolis 500, but the money ran out before it could be completed. In December mortgage foreclosure arrived. In 1924 there was an attempt to revive the Birmingham as a new car to be called the Wright for the Canadian market.

This plan fell apart quickly. As many as 50 Birminghams may have been built during the contentious short life of the company. None of the cars are believed to exist today.

Samuel A. Carlson was Mayor of Jamestown, N.Y. in 1909-10, 1916, 1933-37

 

And there is a carousel museum at one of the original factories in N. tonawanda NY.
Yet another claim to fame of Western NY in automotive history, and of course carousel history.
http://www.carrouselmuseum.org/


The Herschell-Spillman Company

In 1900, Allan Herschell formed a new company, the Herschell-Spillman Company, with new partners. They purchased the inventory and factory building in the now defunct Armitage Herschell Company, located on Sweeney Street, and began producing new carousels in late 1900. The new business continued to produce traveling or &#65533;road&#65533; carousels but also produced more elaborate park carousels. By 1900, the new &#65533;jumping mechanism&#65533; that allowed horses to go up and down had been patented. The new style carousel with jumpers was considered to be the most thrilling ride yet.

The Herschell-Spillman Company produced horses with more realistic expressions and more complex saddle designs. They sported glass jewels, glass eyes and horsehair tails. The decorative rounding boards were offered in a variety of styles. Herschell-Spillman began producing a catalog in 1901. They marketed their products to both traveling shows and parks by offering a range of sizes (20&#65533;, 36&#65533;, 50&#65533;, and 60&#65533; in diameter), a wide variety of horse styles, variations of rounding boards and generous credit programs. They even began introducing menagerie animals- animals other than horses- around 1904. Ostriches, zebras, chickens, dogs, cats, goats, polar bears, pigs and frogs appeared on carousels, although they never achieved the popularity of horses.

The Herschell-Spillman Company also dabbled in making a variety of other rides, as well as having separate division which manufactured automobile engines (another new invention). The Herschell-Spillman V-8 was used in a number of cars including the Austin Climber. The company also continued to improve its rides by making improvements to the safety mechanisms. They patented a new locking horse hook mechanism, which made it impossible for the pole to disengage from the crankshaft.

The Herschell-Spillman Company moved to the corner of Goundry and Oliver streets in North Tonawanda by 1913. When Allan Herschell retired from the firm in 1913 he had been in poor health for several years. His partners, the Spillman brothers, would continue making carousels under the Herschell-Spillman name and later under the name Spillman Engineering.

 

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=10 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD> The History of the rise of this Company from a small, unnoticed beginning to its present (1916) commanding position in the great world of business is, indeed, "A Record of Progress."
A little over six years ago (1910), Mr. William B. Hurlburt, after having spent more than fifteen years in the mechanical and selling ends of the automobile business, decided that in the manufacture of a motor truck of the very highest type, built regardless of money spent, lay both in the greatest gain for his life's work. He began a consistent and conscientious study of the results achieved up to that time by the truck makers, both of this country and of Europe.
He became thoroughly acquainted with what had been accomplished in America and then made two trips to study European methods in the manufacture of motor trucks of every type and class.
It was during his sojourn in European countries that Mr. Hurlburt became convinced of the high efficiency of the silent, long lived worm and gear.
Upon his return to America, the Motor Truck Company, which bears his name, was founded, and took its place as a pioneer in the manufacture of worm drive motor trucks.
The Hurlburt Motor Truck Company began business a little over four years ago (1916) with small capitol. Few orders were taken during the first year. These vehicles were turned out practically by hand and after the order was received.
Little or no thought was given to the subject of profits. The building of these trucks was carried out with the idea always in view of giving to the purchaser the most mechanically perfect, heavy duty vehicle that money, brains and years of experience could produce.
There gradually grew up in New York City, a feeling of great confidence in the product and the service of the Hurlburt Motor truck Company.
The reputation gained during the first two years was of such high character that orders began to come in with little or no selling effort.
Gradually the size of the organization was increased and the services of the highly-trained experts were obtained. The modest factory at Fort George was quickly outgrown. (Fort George is located on the upper east side of Manhattan)
The truck using public had awakened to the merits of a truly well made vehicle, and the Hurlburt Company soon found itself in the position of having more orders on their books than could be filled from the plant that they then occupied.
Realizing that much of the product of the Hurlburt Motor Truck Company was in the hands of the New York City Purchasers, and realizing that many new orders for the Hurlburt trucks would be derived from this field, there was selected, after thorough and careful examination, the large plant formerly occupied by the J. L. Mott Iron Works, situated on the Harlem River and Third Ave, New York City.
Here the Company has many times the space formally occupied, with railroad and water transportation at its very door, and with every possible facility for taking care of the trade that has come to it as a result of its efforts in placing into the hands of every purchaser a truck that is, as near as humanly possible, mechanically perfect.
While only four months into the year (1916), the Company allready has unfilled orders on its books greater in number than its total sales for the entire year of 1915.
Sales in 1914 showed an increase over the year 1913 of more than 500%
Sales in 1915 showed an increase over the year 1914 of more than 500%

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1917 Napoleon
Napoleon Auto Mfg. Co.Napoleon, Oh
1916-1923

The Napoleon Automobile & The Napoleon Auto Mfg. Co.


Napoleon
Napoleon Auto Mfg. Co.
Napoleon, OH
1916-1917

Napoleon Motors Co.
Traverse City, MI
1917-1923 The Napoleon Auto Mfg. Co. of Napoleon, OH was formed in April of 1916. Officers of the company included A. C. George (president), Francis P. Diemer (Sec-Treasurer), C. E. Donlley (General Manager), F. M. McGrew and O. A. Diemer. The Napoleon was an assembled car that sold for $735.00 to $835.00.


A 4 cylinder 166 cubic inch engine that developed 25 horsepower was used in all models. Additional features include selective transmission, disk clutch, electric starter and lighting, I-beam front axle and demountable rims. The Napoleon Auto Mfg. Co. produced five passenger and seven passenger American Automobiles in Napoleon, OH in 1916 and 1917. However in late 1917 the company moved to Traverse City, MI. At Traverse City, MI. the Napoleon Auto Mfg. Co. was reorganized into the Napoleon Motors Co. to also produce assembled cars. In Traverse City, MI the company produced a six passenger touring car, a four passenger touring car, a four passenger roadster, and a 3/4 ton truck, ranging in price from $1,085 to $1,285.

In 1920 The Napoleon Motors Co. cease production of passenger cars. From 1920 to 1923 this company produced 1 ton and 1 1/2 ton trucks. However, a financial recession in the early 1920s spelled the end of this company and by 1923 it was forced to closed its doors.

 

1921 Gary Model J 2½ Ton Chassis 2

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Barnes Towing and Salvage are a Brisbane based recovery company with a long history in their industry. The very slick looking Dodge, apparently built by the company's founder in 1938

 

Wow.

 

In 1928-29, the famous Springfield, MA, motorcycle company tried making
a few tourers and convertible coupes on an 85-inch wheelbase. Engines
included a twin motorcycle engine and a Continental four. Despite the low
$800-900 price, the venture was short-lived. NOT A BAD-LOOKING CAR;
KIND OF REMINDS YA OF A BANTAM OF A DECADE LATER, DOESN'T IT?


1929 Indian two-seater roadster. Sincere appreciation is expressed
to American-Automobiles.com (Farber Associates, LLC).

 

i wonder if anyone has ever pulled a car from the ocean floor...would have been cool to pull some from the titantiac...or other places below.

 

Concept sketch for Brooks Stevens EXCALIBUR J, actually
built in 1951-53 and mostly used promotionally. Some call
it America's first true sports car. It was built on a Henry J
chassis, of course utilizing the Willys engines. One did
employ a jag power plant, though.