What is it? Besides not being very well restored.

[kccomment]

I was asked to put this on Ebay. Not a clue what it is. Looks like a buggy someone tried to make into a car. My husband says it's an <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">old </span></span> car. It has some nice brass work. The wheel spokes are wood. Has a Briggs & Stratton engine. Brakes look like they're falling apart. Hood is painted canvas. Leather seat. Some sort of storage in the back. Looks like someone found it in a dirt floor garage and everything that came into contact with the floor moisture had to be rotted or in poor shape so someone tried to put it back together without knowing what they were doing. Any ideas would be great. What I should ask for it would also be helpful. (I still think it needs a horse in front of it. )

[nearchoclatetown]

I'll open the bid at $100.

[1937hd45]

How big is the Briggs & Stratton engine?

[kccomment]

4 cycle, 3HP, 3600 RPM. Engine ID#147371.

[MCHinson]

It is hard to tell from just those photos.

Can you post some more photos from different angles?

[kccomment]

Here are more pictures. The garage was small and it was hard to get back far enough to take pictures. The Briggs & Stratton engine was made in 1952, horizontal shaft and rope start. The wheels are baffling. They wood spokes are 8.5" long and an 1" at their widest point, fixed to what is obviously an aluminum bicycle tire rim and a iron hub. The small tires make the the whole vehicle top heavy and quite unwieldly to drive. No reverse. Steering bar had to go through gravel shield to connect in a useable fashion for the more forward setting front wheels. Although at some point it could have been connected on the side somewhere when it was still chain driven Also the box being suspended between the two springs fore and aft is another conundrum. I saw this only in the Staver & Abbott high wheelers and I believe it was call the Black Motor Co. high wheelers. I never saw a Sears Motor Buggy without springs on all four wheels and a running board. This car has a cast iron step with a star embossed on it. I'm starting to think this was a horse buggy made into a car buggy. Is that possible and could that be done?

[Peter Gariepy]

Replica's were popular in the 50s. I have one too, but a Curved Dash Olds model.

mine originally had a "clinton" engine but has been hotrodded with a B&S.

[CarlLaFong]

There seems, to me, to be a lot of very old parts on this thing. It certainly has been cobbled up a bit with the lawnmower engine and bicycle parts. The step plate with the star should offer up a clue to someone with knowledge of this old stuff

[kccomment]

I believe it's a Blue Ribbon Carriage made by Durant-Dort Carriage Co. converted to be a car when Durant took over Buick/Oldsmobile in 1904. It was then converted to be belt driven in the 1950's. The star on the step matches up real well with Star Motors, Incorporated star logo. The brass work in front has hooks for the hanging lamps. It actually looks a lot like a straight front Oldsmobile. The crank is in the right place, the single front and back spring is seen mostly on the Oldsmobile and horse drawn carriages, the hubs being large and sticking out matches, the front and back axles match up perfectly with a picture of the ones on a Blue Ribbon Carriage, although they were crudely altered in the 1950's. The 16 spoke wheels are mostly found on horse pulled carriages which makes me believe it's a mix of the many available horse carriages at that time and the up and coming "horseless carriage" technology. One of the 1950 changes had to have been shortening the wooden spokes and fitting them on to the aluminum bicycle rims or they were already short and put on the aluminum rims. The rough changes made in the 1950's can all be reversed in the hands of an experienced restorer. The main and important parts are still there including all the metalwork for a new retractable leather hood. I believe a strong case can be made for this car being authentic, but sadly poorly changed in the the 1950's for more power. Sadly that hole in the leather in the front for the jerryrigged steering lever is absolutely horrid. How can anyone miss that? That could really drag the price down.

[kccomment]

Well it's not what I thought it was. I'm not surprised! I'm learning as I'm going. Does anyone have any ideas where to look for a maker's mark that might not be in the usual places?

[Guest CutNChop]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kccomment</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I believe it's a Blue Ribbon Carriage made by Durant-Dort Carriage Co. converted to be a car when Durant took over Buick/Oldsmobile in 1904. It was then converted to be belt driven in the 1950's. The star on the step matches up real well with Star Motors, Incorporated star logo. The brass work in front has hooks for the hanging lamps. It actually looks a lot like a straight front Oldsmobile. The crank is in the right place, the single front and back spring is seen mostly on the Oldsmobile and horse drawn carriages, the hubs being large and sticking out matches, the front and back axles match up perfectly with a picture of the ones on a Blue Ribbon Carriage, although they were crudely altered in the 1950's. The 16 spoke wheels are mostly found on horse pulled carriages which makes me believe it's a mix of the many available horse carriages at that time and the up and coming "horseless carriage" technology. One of the 1950 changes had to have been shortening the wooden spokes and fitting them on to the aluminum bicycle rims or they were already short and put on the aluminum rims. The rough changes made in the 1950's can all be reversed in the hands of an experienced restorer. The main and important parts are still there including all the metalwork for a new retractable leather hood. I believe a strong case can be made for this car being authentic, but sadly poorly changed in the the 1950's for more power. Sadly that hole in the leather in the front for the jerryrigged steering lever is absolutely horrid. How can anyone miss that? That could really drag the price down. </div></div>

If these were common practices on the 1950's, wouldn't that just add to the interest and the natural progression of the car?

Thanks for the story and a likely history of the car. I like it just the way it is...warts and all.

[kccomment]

Thank you so much for the compliment! It made me feel so much better about this poor car. To see the comments made by Ebayers go here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ARTQ%3AUS%3A1&viewitem=&item=170128002021

It's been a wonderful journey so far and I hope to get it identified more sooner than later. Now I know why everyone loves these "Brass Era Cars" and now me too!