What is this 1904ish car? Leaving for Club meeting in 47 minutes...

[Chris Bamford]

This colourized postcard was mailed from Edmonton, Alberta in June 1906.

The car to the rear has pioneer motorist Joe Morris in the right rear seat of his 1903 Model A Ford.

The foreground car is still a mystery, although we know the gentleman in the front seat is landowner Malcolm Groat.

I'm taking this postcard to the monthly meeting of the Edmonton Antique Car Club for show and tell.

It would be great to tell what type of car Mr. Groat was tooling around in some 103 years ago and just a few miles away!

[Lozierman]

Just a guess, but I think it might be a 1903 Autocar.

[keiser31]

Possibly a Model N Ford??

[Chris Bamford]

Thanks for your suggestion keiser31, however, the Model N pictures I have also show a taller radiator and a crank coming through a U-slot in the radiator.

Lozierman, you may have nailed it. These two pictures from the Standard Catalog show 1904 and 1905 Autocars and there are really no details out of place. Fenders, brackets, lamps, steering column, springs, tonneau and wheels all appear to be the same. One distinctive feature appearing on the postcard and both Autocar pix is a raised vent panel on the top of the hood.

Thanks for your help. Any further comments of suggestions would be most welcome.

[keiser31]

I am glad to know what it is....I scanned all of my pertinent books and only came up with the Ford since it has the basic shaped radiator.

[1937hd45]

Yes, it is an Autocar. Note the two photos above show both styles of steering offered on them. The "Coffee Grinder" and common steering wheel. Actually the Autocar steering wheel was unique to the brand, it had spark and throttle controlls in the rim. Try to picture motorcycle grips in a wheel, must have made courning difficult, too much turning and you could increse your speed. I tried to but a twin to that car years ago, but lost out to someone in Floriad, I wonder if it ever got restored?