Brewster Automobile

Greetings,

I am interested in meeting any other Brewster Owners.

Thanks

Craig 413-583-3522 ctvpa@Hotmail.com

Here's where you need to go:

http://dons-neatstuff.com/brewster2.htm

Still the most beautiful grille ever. IMNSHO

I like them but not sure I would say best grill ever.

Personally I like the early ones, back in 1919 there were four of them here in town. Bob

Thanks, I find that people either love the grill or hate it. It does draw attention.

Now my trivia question to all of you (Don't google or bing the answer) !

The Brewster was contrived when the depression caused Rolls Royce to decide to stop production at the Springfield plant. The head of RR of America, John Inskip wanted to keep his people employed. They produced 136 Brewsters under the name of Springfield Machine Co.

You comment on the grill.

When Inskip designed the car, he wanted to draw the person's eye to the grill, not the radiator ornament, that had been the standard. So the grill is based on an item that every person in America had. Most people had more than one. Both adults and children had them. Inskip thought it represented "Flow".

What is the Item?

You may already know. There is a Brewster at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. It is Packard powered. The date is a misprint, it is a 1931, not a 1913. Dandy Dave!

Look Here.. http://oldrhinebeck.org/ORA/collection/ground-vehicles/

Looks like an early Edsel.

Answer to my trivia question, the grill is based on the nib of a fountain pen!

Inskip wanted a car that flowed as smooth as the fountain pen he used to design the car.

The Brewster was built in the Depression on a extended 35 Ford Chassis. The intention was that the coach work could be re-chassied when times got better. With WWII bringing the Recession to an end, not many Brewster bodies ever made that change.

However I did have to the pleasure of driving one of them around 1989. The car belonged to E. W. "Ted" Holden who owned a 1935 Brewster on a 1947 Buick chassis. Ted and I were a Great American Race team in a 1935 Chrysler Airflow for many years. When we would practice in Jupiter FL, at the end of the day, Ted the Airflow driver, would become the passenger in the back of Brewster. I as the Navigator would become the Chauffeur in the Brewster and we would head for Zano's for dinner. I was a Ford V8 guy then too and always wished it still had the 85 HP flat head V8 that I raced before teaming up with Ted.

Ted was the editor of the Brewster Club newsletter (He said "it was because he owned a copy machine") For this reason we were greeted by many Brewsters and their owners all across the country for many years. I'd bet I've see over 25 of them, actually being enjoyed as cars.

When I first met Ted he was driving a 1915 Brewster that had been re-chassied to a 1935 Packard. He was participating in a practice rally in Miami with the Brewster at the time and having cooling problems with the small Brewster radiator and the big Packard engine. With the Brewster handicapped as a 1935 by the Great American Race plus the cooling problem, Ted opted to race the 1935 Airflow in 1984. By the time I raced with him instead of against him in 1988, the Airflow was legendary. Both of his Brewster's were real eye catchers, but I'm glad we raced the Airflow.

Enjoy your Brewster, but please DRIVE IT

Thank you for the information. My Brewster is not restored, but extremely well preserved. It has 45k original miles from new. I am the third owner. I have many copies of your friends Brewster Owners Club news. I would like to communicate with other Brewster owners. There is a Brewster site, that has all of the original Brewster club information. He has been very helpful with information on my car, but he does not release any other information on other Brewsters known. I think it would be interesting to know other Brewster owners. Mine was owned by Mr. Ed Fields of New Jersey.

Does the Brewster club collect info on the early cars or just the 1930's versions? It would be interesting to know if the ones here in town back in 1919 are still around. Bob

I believe he is mostly 34-36 models. He might have earlier information. He only supplies information about a car if you own it. He does not share other information regarding any current ownership, other cars or any locations.

I am looking for some parts, that some owner may have, but he does not release or forward any information to known owners on his list. He has all the original paperwork from when the company folded. He is pleasant, and did give me information on my car, including a copy of the factory tag. His site is http://dons-neatstuff.com/brewster2.htm

Here are some photos of the earlier cars. http://dons-neatstuff.com/early.htm

I remember the feature on this car in Hot Rod magazine back in the 1960's, it was the first Brewster grille I'd ever seen. Dad told me about the Town Cars he used to see in New York City when they were new. Bob