Barry Wolk Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 That's as good as any guess so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I am going with the 1910-15 90hp Mercedes too many matches in build. Apparently they liked taking pictures of kids dressed as adults, check out this early 1911 Audi, another huge car... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 This quest is now all over the internet.https://www.google.com/search?tbs=sbi%3AAMhZZit-n022ioS7GbfyT4SXsPl1qYrrA47ETR54AuWyVujEroG3u4zNE606r4Z9n-JN3X1Ui8CQWsb_1zcqLEGvRwn-hyUo-FumsX1cjLb0IHq067NbXxu-BwXnKvTaNndKlPG1bKf0gb580RuAQJHiS6RLAEend9XruESyUKsiLDUQT1fHsyWPj2fEFfdC8hewwfv1zvVQRSrWx4zrQLJC8P3IbbTlTTtTW_1hKNKrs-bKXFRBdPlCv0llgOKlazixA8qYeS4y7Q98mMnyOk6lI9QXGpAKmzZrWLHsv848xPdADXi0L70DaKEuF3qnZ8q2uyojEG_1W7IrbRwpEC8Aw-f9shkYJARIDDnPxMPNslL-wLx4FvDsRjpIxrN7PvjCNuqeqdpZKP1qhEqy1CnSeooBPaSq2BjRd9am4aIpgETnC2dUQztOUSCM9viWv9C9kLyRflX_1t1AhHNMsW0bA6BCU8SvtCNQBPSUmfnzqGkAUV2Bqhr1TRqCb-gAjUsUW13jVw3rNfHqtXfytjSmpCuc8QRFEwF4qKKS1TZW1MOq85lEL1jxsGT2tSoA7ZAGl9PxsC3FJ5ZtX9X0w-U7mzia2cjDIIiYPYZ47VmZSVV6c0q2wqWIhiWL2CLvKpOmfmIaMChj9zUvla0fA3NO-FM_1kQm--YlJHfrUv-cErowj0GqvfN5yr2eWWys6WWI2J9Nsm7p6NhSj1rswEW4yTinGhVDPmcl6LvpXeC_1ptshIXJ0167clJG9Niiw4GPGQs8ZeSTcvILj-5lljyvo1Tz6psjTBxY0iQJEGZ9VgowKS8aSBPgtCrdyDk0VcQs-R4eGjNNIo3ialxUPIKMWKAcB51ox3SSVDTiOB3_1r7PeZXQqw_1gDisBCCEJHiAKetkSpSfhmuzJZR3HCFBEyBSGjrSqmrAiquPG_1v4rDHAtXGLiHwXcL-JAOGzcV-GViRaLUCq5Mx2aItNnTpZkGeL6rDh7QmMQpS9-BhDjbul30HyEIrn56MXXLk3xnmty6kh1WpmlqFInw7lARqf7GppjtBDDvjv45veeTQIlB6VMK0cZs63_1bSz534X2pgGi5yWedEqEIqB3HDUYCBkZJMknRUwMXTFcudayADzGGCLKSVXkjpP5bjR7X2gC2qQWOWwmxwBMKcttLnCnJ8w9CBT3izXWKt4H-SWFJVNUp00zzKdKxR7KytxRX4g4odyHt27NT9t3f4sqzm0oEQOLTzHCBxuZXg8Ae1KtQJyFrqoQmJ2iEAY74Tt_19X9E714NWWg1v-86BDAVwgzdja8JHGBrQGcu9JdqlNYZjMHcXK8Kn1dxYbS7dOvPS0&num=10&hl=en&bih=785&biw=1440r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest South_paw Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) Size, wheels and chassis look about right with this car. The body is obviously not right. This picture is from Hollywood 1916, the woman is Mabel Normand. Not good enough with pre war automobiles to ID the make. Edited January 7, 2012 by South_paw (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 No one believes it's a Mercedes as their cars all has stars emblazoned on their radiator housing and their filler neck was at the front of their radiators. That V grill was popular on about 20 manufacturers in Europe at the time.Compare the factory photo of a 90 hp Mercedes on page 61 of WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING....same radiator shape, no star emblem, crank thru the bottom ot the radiator, same wheels and hubs. Admittedly the rad ornament appears to be further front than the one on the car in question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest T-Head Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 This car does not appear to be either a Mercedes or a Benz. If you really study all of the clues of the chassis of the unknown (really the only clues) they are not the same.The front frame horns are shaped differently also.This car does not have chain boxes at the back of the splash aprons so it probably is not chain-drive.Mercedes did make a shaft drive also but it's details do not match either. I think it a shaft-drive six-cylinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 The car does have chain boxes at the back of the splash aprons, clearly visible in the photo with the people in the front seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest T-Head Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) The car does have chain boxes at the back of the splash aprons, clearly visible in the photo with the people in the front seat.Chain boxes usually have a large door for access to work on the chain or to change sprockets. The unknown car has bulges like what would appear over a brake cross shaft or the front of a spring or both. Unfortunately the photo is not clear enough to see these in good detail. If this car was chain drive, to change a front sprocket which would most likely be bigger than the bulge you would have to possibly remove the bulge and the splash apron and possibly the fender. The rear fender, these bulges, the splash apron and the running board all look like factory products so we don't they would not have done this on a chain drive car because of service requirements.Compare the front frame horns of the 90 h.p. Mercedes (first two photos) with the unknown, they are of a totally different shape. The radiator is also different and Mercedes radiator cores (photo four) have a clear pattern of squares which are not seen on this car.As I mentioned earlier we think it maybe a six cylinder (based on the length of the hood) shaft-drive car. You can also read the comments at The Old Motor.The hubs and caps on this car are also different and have twice the number of bolts as either the Mercedes or the BenzThe fifth photo shows a Benz front end and you can see the radiators are clearly different and the vee is not as deep, even allowing for the angle that the photo is taken from.The fifth photo clearly shows the front frame horns and layout of the rivets on another Benz and the hubs which can be seen are also clearly different.The last photo shows a Benz racer with a flat radiator and you can see the frame horns have a much sharper curve and are lighter in sectionThe closest car with the same chassis details to matching the unknown so far, has been a 1912 and newer Fiat six, but we have not been able to find a clear photo of the side of a front frame horn to determine the rivet placing and also the shape. Edited January 7, 2012 by T-Head (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif Holmberg Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Here is a similar but smaller car, looks to be the same make ,we are trying to identifie this smaller one here in Sweden too,and we think it can be a Mercedes ,but it`s hard to find pictures on it on internet. Leif in Sweden.Automobilhistoriska Klubben Mässing & Nickel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TG57Roadmaster Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 There appear to be some similarities in the front springs and chain (?) cover between this Benz taxi in Turku that Juha posted and the mystery car. Juha's Benz a smaller series, though, which may account for the different wheel pattern.And the spring supports from this one that T-Head posted...The front fenders' downward curve on the leading edges could have been easily flattened to accommodate the running lights and their housings. Maybe a more complete image of the one above would help?TG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest T-Head Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 We have have not had any more luck with finding any more information about this car. We have connections with license plate collectors and historians that have helped us ID cars in the past. We have tried to get the registration info on this car as that may have helped.The records exist, but just as I was told before trying, they are not accessible so that avenue will not work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif Holmberg Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 T-Head,how to do to search for a specific car make or year,it`s hard to went thru all 4000. Leif in Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest T-Head Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 T-Head,how to do to search for a specific car make or year,it`s hard to went thru all 4000. Leif in Sweden.Leif, there are two search boxes on our site, one just under the Facebook ad in the right column and another under the Categories index just below it.Type in what you are looking for with " " marks on each side and if it is on the site it should come up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cben09 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I believe import duty about this time was about 85%,,hence the local products fitted,,Cheers,,Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif Holmberg Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 T-Head,thanks I was just looking at the top of your home page.Beautiful pictures on you site. Leif in Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 You like big? here's one from LowKat on HAMB. 1932 M.Strapp homemade car Daytona Beach,Fla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Rocket powered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Looks like somebody watched too many Buster Crabbe "Flash Gordon" or "Buck Rogers" serials in the theater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Hannibal Lecter driving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwight Romberger Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 (edited) I want to see what happens when he tries to make a right turn! Edited January 14, 2012 by Dwight Romberger can't type and spell at the same time (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Hannibal Lecter drivingThat's funny, but I think that is the rear view mirror in front of the guy's face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest my3buicks Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Bet he has a hatch on the other side as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest De Soto Frank Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Lots of blind spots, trying to drive that torpedo.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 I don't know what this is, but it certainly shows a similarly sized car, unless you're amongst the tin-hat crowd that thinks that this is a child dressed up as an adult, just to fool us 100 years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzcarnerd Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 As I think I wrote earlier there were several makes of American car in the 1910 to 1915 period that has wheelbases of 140 inches or more, which could be the basis for the 'huge vehicle'. I am not entirely certain, but going from the hood louvres I think the car above is a 1914 Chalmers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cben09 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Hmmm,,,Clincher rims,,Chain driveGerman style front fenders,,Willocq-Bottin lamp Belguim on front??Need to look at the really big ones,,Martini,,Pic-picHotchkissDurracq PipeAll common names once,,,Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrbartlett Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 The giant unknown car pictured above could be an ultra-rare 72-horsepower Thomas, with 786-cubic-inch six-cylinder engine. There are many similarities, and only a few non-similarities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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