Interesting car 1904? any guesses?

[Graham Man]

Caption was "Detroit 1904" ( my gut feel is that is a little early?) those are some hardy people, notice the chains on the back wheels and snow on the running boards, looks like fun.

 

Any idea on the car?  I have to start learning the early cars.  The octagonal radiator and the front fenders should give it away?

looks more 1910-12?

 

[drwatson]

It looks like a 1911 Packard.

[Graham Man]

Looks Correct; 1911 Packard, what a great looking car...wonder if it is the same car, if they could only talk

 

[46 woodie]

I can see the snow chains on the rear tires, but I can't imagine driving in the snow with those skinny tires!

[Spinneyhill]

I think skinny tires might be quite good in snow. High ground pressure pushes through the snow. I have seen a model A go through a high country road closed by deep snow. Low power helps too; the wheels have less tendency to spin.

Edited October 17, 2018 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[DLynskey]

This Model T on you tube does pretty well in the snow....well, it does have 4-wheel drive.

 

For some reason this video seems to start in the middle. You can scroll back to the beginning.

 

 

Don

 

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by DLynskey (see edit history)

[Brass is Best]

Probably out for a drive on Belle Isle. What a great machine. As for snow, these cars do very well in it.

[8E45E]

Now wouldn`t that be REALLY COOL if the car in both #1 and #3 were the exact same car!!

 

Craig

[vermontboy]

No problem in snow - remember they didn't used to plow roads like they do now. I used a Model "A" Ford as a daily driver for one whole winter in Utica NY when going to college and commuting back to Rochester for weekends....cold yes, but no problem with snow.

[1937hd45]

If you were driving New York to Paris in 1908 it slowed you down a bit. 

 

 

Bob 

Edited October 18, 2018 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Akstraw]

Love the picture, Bob.  This must be the upstate NY part!

[Spinneyhill]

31 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

driving New York to Paris in 1908 is slowed you down a bit.

Thank you for that. I didn't know about it. Are there more than six cars in the line shown? Looks like there were some along for the ride for a while.

[1937hd45]

1 hour ago, Spinneyhill said:

Thank you for that. I didn't know about it. Are there more than six cars in the line shown? Looks like there were some along for the ride for a while.

I typed Thomas Flyer 1908 in the snow in a Google search and that one came up, I think the car with the tall cowl is the Italia. Bob 

Edited October 18, 2018 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[8E45E]

That second car, the Italian 1906 Zust, still survives:  https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-the-first-viewing-at-the-public-unveiling-of-the-newly-restored-1906-17009183.html

 

Craig

[Brass is Best]

The car in photo #1 is a 1911 Packard Model 30 Touring. There are other photos from the same photo shoot in several Packard history books. The Photos were taken on Belle Isle. Which was a popular place for Packard to photograph cars at this time. Many early photos show the Detroit Yacht Club in the background.

[8E45E]

3 minutes ago, Brass is Best said:

The car in photo #1 is a 1911 Packard Model 30 Touring. There are other photos from the same photo shoot in several Packard history books. The Photos were taken on Belle Isle. Which was a popular place for Packard to photograph cars at this time. Many early photos show the Detroit Yacht Club in the background.

I have no doubt in my mind it IS a publicity photo. 

 

People going out for a 'cruise' in four inches of snow would NOT have the top neatly lowered as seen in the photo, and the car appears to have been backed into position nearer the curb as there are no tire tracks in the snow immediately behind the rear tires.

 

Craig

[Brass is Best]

1 minute ago, 8E45E said:

I have no doubt in my mind it IS a publicity photo. 

 

People going out for a 'cruise' in four inches of snow would NOT have the top neatly lowered as seen in the photo, and the car appears to have been backed into position nearer the curb as there are no tire tracks in the snow immediately behind the rear tires.

 

Craig

 

The car is also wearing a Michigan "M" manufacturer plate.

[Graham Man]

I think the Belle Isle Park location is correct.  Graham-Paige used Belle Isle Park for lots of there advertising photos, unfortunately it looks like this Belle Isle canal bridge is gone.

 

[8E45E]

I cannot make out anything on the front plate of the Packard, as there is not enough resolution from the scan.  I guess if you have the original photo, it can be seen.

 

Craig

[John_S_in_Penna]

20 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

I think skinny tires might be quite good in snow. High ground pressure pushes through the snow.

 

I've heard similar things, Mr. Spinney.

I read that narrow tires cut right through mud

and penetrate down to the solid ground.

 

Knowledge like this should be preserved!

If we asked someone who lived during that time,

he'd have had experiences that we've only read about.

He'd be able to tell us what operating the car was like

under all sorts of conditions.

Edited October 18, 2018 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[oily rag]

I had a 41 Dodge with 6X16s, without chains it did fairly well in snow  as long as the snow was not over the  bumpers.

[lump]

23 hours ago, 46 woodie said:

I can see the snow chains on the rear tires, but I can't imagine driving in the snow with those skinny tires!

 

Quoting something I wrote in a post a few years back about the 1928 pickup my dad drove to work each day when I was in high school in the early 70's: 

 

I was amazed at how well that old Model A did in the snow. One night after a big snowfall, me and some other teens were hanging out on an uphill street, waiting to help push cars that couldn't get enough traction to make it up the hill. There must have been about 10 of us, enjoying the adventure. Just then I heard my Dad's Model A coming around the corner, and I ASSUMED that he would really need our help, with those skinny tires. But Dad came around the corner, drove right up to where I was standing behind a car we were trying to push, rolled down his window and warned me to be careful. Then, starting out right in the middle of the hill, he simply drove right up to our house. I was amazed. 

 

Later, he told me that those "skinny tires" I was worried about were actually a help, not a hindrance, because they tended to cut through the soft snow down to the pavement, instead of floating on top of it. I was beginning to see that my old man wasn't so "dumb" after all. Maybe "old guys" knew a thing or two that I didn't. Hmmmm....

 

[Guest]

I drove my Pontiac daily for 25 Manitoba and BC winters.  Never got stuck, and never needed to shovel.  On a road that had been traveled on I always drove in the undisturbed snow if possible.

In the seventies in the Okanagan my wife owned a Pinto station wagon.  It had wide mag wheels with low profile tires.  As soon as the first snow arrived we changed to the original narrow wheels and tires and had no problems all winter.

In both cases the same weight on narrow tires rather than wide tires means more traction per square inch.  As well the narrow tires cut down through the snow rather than packing it down.