1911 - 1927 Locomobile 48 & 38 Gathering Place

[Ittenbacher Frank]

42 minutes ago, alsfarms said:

Hello Frank,

That is most interesting.  I would have thought that the doors and ignition would have been the same and maybe the auxiliary locks would have been another key.  When I get a bit further into it, I would get a key for the auxiliary locks first and see if works all around.  I will then test the door locks.  Do your keys all appear to be original or re-cut at a later date?  What can other late series 48 owners have to say?

Regards,

Alan

Dear Al, I have two sets of keys for each car. For most of the keys I don't know how old they are. I had one spare set made last year, the others seem to be from various sources. I took the photo of the oldest one, but I doubt this was made 100 years ago? I like to see keys from other cars as well.

[alsfarms]

Would those of you that have keys for door and hood and ignition locks please consider posting pictures so we can see and maybe determine which keys were likely factory issue?

Al

[alsfarms]

Does anyone know where this 1924 Locomobile lives now?  It was sold by Hyman a while back.

Al

[prewarnut]

...nice to see a restoration in appropriate colors. On another note, for a company who's clients were the urban elite and with relatively decent roads I wonder why Locomobile felt it important to have two spares hanging out in rear? Perhaps a marketing standpoint? Does any contemporary literature mention this?

[jcrow]

At least on the early cars, the front and rear tires were different

size (generally with the front tires being narrower) thus requiring

two spares. This was especially true on larger, heavier cars.

 

Johnny

[alsfarms]

Johnny,

I agree with you.  The 1925 Demarest Limousine, I purchased a while back, is no different than what you suggested, when it comes to tire size.  The Limousine uses 35 x 5 (25") on the fronts and 36 x6 (24") on the rears.

Al

[edinmass]

Big early cars were often keyed so that the owner could take his keys with him away from the chauffeur. The chauffeur then could go park the car and kill the ignition, but then he had no way of restarting the car. At a movie theatre or show house, the keys would be left at the ticket box, and fifteen minutes before the end, the key could be picked up. Cadillac used the push in key cylinder, but there were many ways to do it. The reason a radio had a key pre 1935? Two reasons...........number one is that young children would turn on the ball game and listen next to the car......it was the depression and it was a fantastic entertainment opportunity.......till the battery went dead and you car wouldn’t start. The other was to keep the help from listening.........no free lunch back in the day......or free radio while on the clock.

[prewarnut]

I see the hood is keyed on many of these as well...I suppose to prevent unauthorized starting.

[alsfarms]

I wonder who would have access to the engine compartment, the trusted Chauffeur or the owner?  I would guess that the Chauffeur as he would be charged to keep the Locomobile running and at peak performance either himself or a trusted repair shop, Locomobile or other.

Al

[edinmass]

For all you guys who are Loco in the head.........

 

 

[alsfarms]

Ok Ed, don't just bait us.   Share more story! Nice looking Locomobile I must say!

Al

Edited November 12, 2021 by alsfarms
clarity (see edit history)

[edinmass]

Just a photo I came across while hunting a car..........don’t know anything else about it, but thought you would like to see it posted here.

[Ittenbacher Frank]

On 11/12/2021 at 1:52 AM, edinmass said:

For all you guys who are Loco in the head.........

 

 

This beautiful Sportif is in Germany, I got to know the owner already and saw the car. It was in Spain before.

[Ittenbacher Frank]

On 11/11/2021 at 12:09 PM, prewarnut said:

I see the hood is keyed on many of these as well...I suppose to prevent unauthorized starting.

I wish the hood locks on my 1921 Sedan would have been used as intended every time when the car was in storage during the last 100 years. Then I would't have to search for the stolen parts! The oil can (rather normal) and the Klaxon horn (with bracket, and the cable simply cut) were gone. I found one oil can in the north of Germany and one horn in austria, thanks to ebay.

[alsfarms]

Here is another Ebay listing depicting a 1924 Locomobile 48 custom boat tail roadster.  Does anyone here know or have information if this depicted Locomobile sketch ever made it into reality and was produced?

Al

[George K]

45 minutes ago, alsfarms said:

Here is another Ebay listing depicting a 1924 Locomobile 48 custom boat tail roadster.  Does anyone here know or have information if this depicted Locomobile sketch ever made it into reality and was produced?

Al

Here are two. One was Jack Passey’s.

[alsfarms]

Thanks George, I was not sure that the Passey Locomobile was the same custom design.  Do you know if the other Locomobile still exists?  Lastly, do you know if the wire wheels shown on the second Locomobile are Rudge or Buffalo?  These are certainly the "Sports" model for the Locomobile line up.

Al

[George K]

Al,

 I have never heard of nor seen the wire wheeled roadster. As to wire wheels I know that from 1913 on Rudge was the wheel to have. Locomobile listed Rudge in there 1915 parts book.

 

George.

[alsancle]

Does anyone know how many cars had the outside exhaust?

[Ittenbacher Frank]

I found another Locomobile with outside exhaust here:

 

[Ittenbacher Frank]

Here is another photo of one Loco with external exhaus pipes, shown in a 1977 magazine.

[alsfarms]

I get thinking of Locomobile as one of the significant leaders when it come to huge and dignified designs and body styles.  I had not thought much the fact that Locomobile had also created the high water mark of big sports vehicles with the special roadster and low cut Sportif designs with external exhaust porting.  I would like to one of the sports models up close and personal.

Al

 

Edited November 13, 2021 by alsfarms
clarity (see edit history)

[George K]

Here’s another picture of a Passey’s special roadster. 

[alsfarms]

What provision did Locomobile make to access the right hand side of the engine?  I would like to see what the exhaust header looks like on the Passey roadster.

Al

[George K]

1 hour ago, alsfarms said:

What provision did Locomobile make to access the right hand side of the engine?  I would like to see what the exhaust header looks like on the Passey roadster.

Al

Only other picture I could find. Believe the car is at the Ironstone meet.

[alsfarms]

What a piece of rolling green art! If anyone has close up pictures of the righthand side of the hood or of the exhaust manifold, I would very much like to see how it was designed.  Especially given the fact that these later Locomobile 48's are dual exhaust ported.  It must be a 2 to 1 manifold as there is but 3 exhaust pipes  coming out of the hood.

Al

[alsfarms]

Here is a picture of another of the Passey Locomobile's that has just been sold per announcement on another website.  Does anyone know this Locomobile or it's history.  This is a very low mileage original Locomobile.

Al

[edinmass]

More photos.........wonder if Steve B bought it?

 

 

[alsfarms]

Much can be learned from inspecting a good well seasoned original like this or Frank's Locomobile.  As I get further along with the Demarest Limousine, I should see if a visit is possible. Pictures of the front and rear straight on would be good.

Al

[alsfarms]

Maybe the new owner will speak up.  I hope the new owner is aware of this Locomobile chat forum or is made aware.

Al

[edinmass]

Car is on an open trailer.....maybe it went local to Watsonville.......that would probably mean it’s going to PalomAlto/Mountain View...........

[Ittenbacher Frank]

On 11/9/2021 at 11:07 PM, alsfarms said:

Would those of you that have keys for door and hood and ignition locks please consider posting pictures so we can see and maybe determine which keys were likely factory issue?

Al

Dear Al, one more hint: the key blank for the ignition is blank-number Y-6. The one for the doors is 515L. Hope this will help.

[jrbartlett]

Regarding keys, my 1919 Sportif has 8 locks -- on the two hood sides, the four tool box doors, the ignitiion switch and the spare tire rack's Yale lock

Are all coded to the same key. The locks and a couple of keys are all original. 

 

 

[alsfarms]

Hello James,

Could you post a picture of a key that you think are original?

Al

[jrbartlett]

Locomobile on Trailer

 

This appears to be the car that Jack Passey bought out of Buffalo, NY. See this youtube link for a video of the purchase and transport. Those were the good old days.

 

[alsfarms]

That movie clip is sure nostalgic.  Did Jack Passey use this Locomobile much during his tenure as owner?

Al

[alsfarms]

I have a bit of a problem.  I will get a resolution somehow, just frustrated for a minute.  When I purchased the Demarest Limousine, I got no keys with it.  Frank suggested that the key blank was "Y-6".  A friend locksmith gave me a blank "Y-6" key blank and BINGO the key slipped into one of the storage box locks.  Sadly, the storage box had been locked way back in the past.  I have not had the storage boxes open and am very interested to learn what treasures may have been stored under lock and key back in the day.  I am going to assume that the hood locks are also the same flavor as the storage box locks.  The plan is to remove one of the hood locks to be pulled apart and a new key cut to fit that lock.  From that point I will be able to verify that all the auxiliary locks are in fact keyed the same.  He is a question for the locksmiths among us, I need to locate and purchase a new lock for one of the storage box doors, where is the best place to look for replacement locks?

Al

Edited November 17, 2021 by alsfarms
Spelling (see edit history)

[edinmass]

If you find the key number, my next-door neighbor can cut you the key. We did one for a 1927 Chrysler last month. Take a closer look. It’s probably marked on the locks. 

[alsfarms]

Ed, Thanks for your offer.  I will take you up on the new key offer! I will dig deeper and see if I can find the key number on the inside of one of the hoods looks, (easiest to get to) and let you know what I learn.

Al

[AHa]

Ed,

Is that offer good for us other than Locomobile owners? My 1932 Graham needs an ignition key. There is a three digit number on the front of the lock. I'm not sure if that is the code for the key or not. If I had the contact number for your locksmith I could contact him directly and save you the time. Whaddaya think?