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Identity on steamer needed please....


tom_in_nh

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What a nice survivor! Hope the owner (you?) isn't planning on a FULL restoration.....a mechanical one, yes, absolutely, so it runs like (or better than) new. But I'd recommend a sympathetic restoration, leaving the body as original (keep the original paint if it is original - and upholstery, if useable) as possible (it's only original once!). OK, on to your question. I'm certainly no steam expert (I'll admit to not being smart enough to operate a steamer!), especially on the early ones. But I'd venture two guesses, one more likely in my opinion than the other, but both probably inaccurate. 1st guess is a Grout. 2nd is an early White. But there were literally dozens of pioneers (blacksmiths, railroad or other mechanical/practical engineers, "backyard" mechanics - like Henry Ford, etc.) who were trying to produce a practical/saleable (not always the same!) steam car in the period from 1890 through 1905 (undoubtedly the period of this vehicle, though I'd estimate 1899-1903 as most likely), who may have produced a single prototype, which this could be. Though one thing speaking for this as a factory (such as it may have been - perhaps not much more than a small "garage" in actuality) built example is the stylish dash, designed for saleabilty more than practicality/ease of building, as might be suggestive of a prototype. Hope this at least stimulates someone more knowledgeable than I to knowingly comment!

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Nice car, but I don't know what it is, it does have some interesting features. Most steam cars of that era had wire wheels, and the single transverse front spring is unique. If you have a copy of the Standard Catalog of American Cars go to the back index that lists every steamer built in the USA. May take a few hours but you can view the photos of the cars listed on two page list. I checked the above mentioned guesses and they don't match any of the photos. Steam's the Stuff.........get it running! grin.gif

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