wrenchham

To all nice folks interested in the mystery Peerless/Cadillac question: Regarding the mystery car that I asked about. No one in our family is old enough to recall the early 1920's. Thanks for all the photos and ideas. I have had the original 3 X 4 photo enlarged a partial zillion and a whole zillion fold, and what happens is as it get larger, the grain of the original negative, or the 3 X 4 print or the cyber resolutions makes things too blurred to read. First, the Ohio lisecne remains 192-. The light bar badge MAY read N M A across the top and a serial nember across the bottom. No help. Cannot read the hub caps or the symbol on the bumper. The bumper is obviously an after market item. I have compared the visor brackets, the hubs, the tire mounting bolts, the lack of front brakes, the fender shape and contours, the running boards, the cowl lights, the square cut corners on the rear window and the square cut corners on the rear side windows, and the side "secret" compartment in the splash pan. the stirrup door handles, the headlight lenses, the headlight body shape and the "crown" design on the face of the headlight cowling. I even went to our local historic cemetery, just in case Vernon Rile, the chauffeur might tell me something. That is corny, but I learned so much from him that he sometimes still talks to me about the kind of things a gentlemen would have told a youngster. Although I know he wouldn't be able to tell me anything, I was comforted to visit him. I have NO anecdotal tales about my Grandfather's cars. BUT based on one difference between a Peerless and a Cadillac, I have decided what this great car is. The car in my photo, and other Cadillacs of that era have about twice the number of side hood loovers as the Peerless from the same vintage, and the items compared above all lean toward [right on!] Cadillac, Model 61, 1922-1923, either a Victoria or a 7-passenger suburban sedan. Someone wrote about Wright and Pratt-Whitney. That was my great Uncle, Fred Rentschler. He can be Googled. He was a major owner and head of Republic Automobiles in Hamilton, Ohio from 1909 to 1915. Made between 400 to 1500 two seater sporty and four door open sedans. Once raced Orville Wright in his airplane, and the car lost at over 60 miles an hour. No records survive, but the factory survives as a remodeled social services headquarters. No automobiles survive, even after nearly 50 years searching by local car buffs and family. But maybe one survives- mis-identified. If some grandchild can tell me how, I'll post a Republic. In the mean time, I have some info and other have more about Republic, and I will send it all in hard copy, actual size to AACA. Holy smoke, I have never before written to such a site. Going to send it with regards!! I was reading Henry V the other day and he said "Health and fair time of day. Joy and good wishes...." Me too sendeth!