13 Bearcat article

[JohnBoyle]

<span style="color: #000099">The Nov 5, 2007 issue of <span style="font-style: italic">AutoWeek</span> features a piece on the 13 Bearcat in its "Escape Roads" feature.

The car shown and driven is the red and black one that is with the National Automobile Museum (ex-Harrah Collection).

It goes into some detail about how to start the car and some basic driving impressions.

One surprise I had never read...it says the 25 inch wire wheels were made by McCue.

I had never even heard of that brand. I knew that Stutz offered wires as an option, just that brand is new to me.

Can anyone provide more details on those wheels...how common were they as opposed to the better known (at least to me) brands?</span>

[Layden B]

Very rare brand offered by a few auto manufacturers for the 1913 model year only. Seen also on some race cars. During 1913 a certain Mr. Houk got together a group of investors, bought out McCue and with a product redesign came out for the 1914 model year with their popular product.

[JohnBoyle]

<span style="color: #000099">Layden,

Thanks for the information...I thought you'd probably know something about them.

John</span>

[Layden B]

So just what brands of wire wheels were available pre 1916 to the trade? Houk starting 1914, McCue for 1913 and Rudge starting 1905, the others such as Oldsmobile, Locomobile, Packard, Winton, etc. seem to have been exclusive to their makes and made up as heavy bicycle wheels, thus those brands changed to wood as the cars got heavier.