Help Identyfying Frame 1910 to early 1920:s

[Leif Holmberg]

Last sommer I was visiting the noth of Sweden and was looking at this Frame with Buffalo wire wheels,I could`t identyfying what it was.Need your help Thanks Leif in Sweden.

[Layden B]

Wheels are Houk brand made by Wire Wheel Corporation of America Buffalo NY. The company also made the Buffalo brand of wire wheels as well as Rudge-Whitworth under license. The chassis is 1922-1923 Buick model 34-35-36-37 or 38, the small 4 cylinder car for those years. Probably a McLaughlin-Buick made in Canada as it is right hand drive.

[Leif Holmberg]

Hi Layden B.Thanks for your input but I belive you about the wheel and the makes,but the frame I think you are wrong.The rear axel looks similar to Buick, but it`s not 1922-1924.I have had a 1922 Buick Chassie 4 cyl and have just restored a 1923 4cyl Buick and I don`t think McLaugin-Buick was so different from USA made Buick:s.I don`t think Buick used Clincher Rims at that time.

Thanks for more input Leif in Sweden.

[Layden B]

I let the catalog lead me astray. It said Buicks carry 30 x 3 1/2 size wheels and I assumed clincher, too many years of being around Model T Fords! The Buick does have 30 x 3 1/2 wheels but they are straight side lock ring type rims and the Buick factory probably mounted 31 x 4 tires, a proper fit on such wheels. Further research in the Houk catalog shows the clincher wheels marked P.C. for plain clincher. This catalog shows 1919-23 cars ( perhaps not all inclusive) but lists only 2 as carrying #4 Houk 66 spoke plain clinchers. They are; Dort 1919-21 models 15-15S-10-10C AND Maxwell 1919-22. An earlier catalog shows 1918 and earlier cars several of which have 30 x 3 1/2 plain clinchers but all are 60 spoke leading me to guess that 66 spoke ones came out about 1919.

A 1918 Maxwell catalog shows a worm gear steering but they may have changed to the Jacox. By the way, a Jacox steering is a natural for any company doing foreign sales as it can be switched from left to right hand drive simply by disassembly and exchanging location of 2 pieces.

Hope this helps.

[Leif Holmberg]

Layden B.Thanks for all this info,I will tell the man in noth of Sweden.I`l show you a photo of a 1922 4cyl Buick chassi I owned years ago.As you can see the frame are straight over rear axle,that`s the different between 1922 and 1923.The frame above ,the black one is 1923 I forgot to write that.

Many Thanks from Leif in Sweden.

[Guest fordy]

The frame is Hupmobile Series R of around 1923 - prior to this they were slightly different and after that they went to Ross steering. Photo of a frame undergoing restoration can be found at www.vsccsa.org.au on the restoration topics link for a comparison to be made. The give away is the shape of the gearbox crossmember, the differential housing and spare wheel bracket plus the use of Houk wheels. If a detailed look is made of some of the castings that remain I am sure you would find a H inside a circle to confirm its identity. If the fromt beam axle is still there this should have a serial number on it beginning with R.

By the way, the spare wheel carrier is much sought after in Australia as most were discarded when the cars were more often than not converted to farm pickups when they became obsolete for road use.

Edited April 3, 2012 by fordy (see edit history)

[Leif Holmberg]

The first and second cross member looks very different on the Huppmobile 1923 comparing to the unknown frame I think.

Leif in Sweden.

[Guest fordy]

Lief - the frame is upside down on the original photo posted if you invert what you see and then compare it to the frame in the link you will find it matches. I have uploaded a recent picture of the chassis under restoration to 1923 Hupmobile restoration 2 that shows it a little clearer. but not as clear as this one

Edited April 3, 2012 by fordy
trying to attach image (see edit history)

[Leif Holmberg]

Thanks for this picture that one looks right.I´l tell the owner of this chassie what it`s. Thanks.

Leif in Sweden.