VintageLiterature Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 I recently acquired the vintage framed photo attached and hoping for some help identifying the car. It looks to be an early piece pre 1910 but I acquired it as-is without any information. Does anyone know the year / make / model of this vehicle? Thanks in advance! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intimeold Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 The car may be a Morris Cowley, bullnose I am working on the year now intimeold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude17 Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 46 minutes ago, intimeold said: The car may be a Morris Cowley, bullnose I am working on the year now intimeold Being chain drive I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 It is European, a "Good" car chain drive, set up to Sports Car use. Think it is a rebodied car from @ 1908-1910. Bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Wheel hubs are very unusual.......maybe a good place to start........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VintageLiterature Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 Thanks everyone for your suggestions so far! Very much appreciated. I acquired this photo from Germany so it does make sense that it would be a European vehicle (though always possible it could still be North American). I'll update here if I find anything concrete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Just now, VintageLiterature said: Thanks everyone for your suggestions so far! Very much appreciated. I acquired this photo from Germany so it does make sense that it would be a European vehicle (though always possible it could still be North American). I'll update here if I find anything concrete Post that on PreWarCar.com it is based in the Netherlands an read world wide. Bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 1912 Vauxhall 20 HP A type. The radiator is distinctive. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Didn't Vauxhall radiators always feature a pair of distinctive scallops in the top tank ? I know little about pre 30 - 98 models but even the "Prince Henry " models all seem to have them. I think you are on the right track with a British car, just not so sure about Vauxhall. Greg in Canada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Don't know if that style of radiator existed from day one or not. The Price Henry edition was really neat and was a special car from the day it was introduced. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) Here is one of the first conventional radiator, 4 cyl. Vauxhalls . Scallops are already present. Greg Edited January 5, 2020 by 1912Staver (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 (edited) Another possibility might be a Metallurgique from Belgium. About 1910 they have a considerable resemblance to the mystery car, but I am not sure about the chain drive. They had quite a bit of sales success in the U.K. so that might be a later re- body with a British flavor. Greg in Canada Edited January 6, 2020 by 1912Staver (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VintageLiterature Posted January 19, 2020 Author Share Posted January 19, 2020 Very interesting - thanks everyone for the suggestions! Some good possible direction but still nothing definite as to the make / model Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCK81403 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Well, Mike, since a number of people have sent in their guesses, I'll do the same with the attached photo suggestions. #1 is a '15 Scripps-Booth Rocket; the radiator is a good comparison. #2 is a '21 AGA Type A touring. #3 is a '18 Biddle roadster, and #4 is a '20 Biddle Rosemont Model 121 touring. #5, for what it is worth, is an ad for a Pathfinder touring that probably dates from 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 On 1/6/2020 at 7:23 AM, 1912Staver said: Another possibility might be a Metallurgique from Belgium. About 1910 they have a considerable resemblance to the mystery car, but I am not sure about the chain drive. They had quite a bit of sales success in the U.K. so that might be a later re- body with a British flavor. Greg in Canada Here is the Metallurgique in the ACD Museum. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 Had another guess suggested - possibly a Darracq - I've not found an exact match for the photo, but that radiator style appeared early on their racers. With many of these early cars being built individually, am wondering if our trying to match it to existing photos of passenger cars might be a problem. Looking at chassis details as best I can on the photo, I'm inclined to suggest it "could" be a Darracq. Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VintageLiterature Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Very interesting - thanks everyone for continuing to post suggestions. I'm starting to agree that this is likely a one-off body (or extremely low production) as this is the first time the AACA forum hasn't been able to provide a definitive identification for me. - Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Gould Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 The headlamps look like Rushmores which are from the U.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 Wonder if the car has a lost oil system with the tank on the side of the frame. First thought was it was for oiling the chain's but the lines seem to go toward the engine compartment. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude17 Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 The front and rear wheel hubs look long and quite a small diameter. Also the steering wheel rim looks flat and not rounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzcarnerd Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 The mystery car looks to be something quite early that has been updated. Clues to 'quite early' - what look to be plain bearing front hubs and the steering tie rod is at the front of the front axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BucketofBolts Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 The mystery car has some new brass polished headlights that are very appealing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 This photo has continued to haunt me! I am looking at this 1907 Minerva and can see the similar radiator, but there are still differences, and the photo in question is a chain-drive while the photo of this Minerva isn't. Still, knowing how early race cars might have been put together from various bits and pieces, I'm wondering if positively assigning a specific make of automobile to this might be an impossible task? I can say "Minerva based" race car but even that might be a stretch. Come on folks, let's not give up so easily. Any more thoughts? Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bush Mechanic Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 Metallurgique cars all had their signature V radiator from 1907, but the top tank was composed of flat planes, with just a small radius at the front below the filler cap. The subject car appears to have some roundness to the top tank. The radiator in the above photo looks close, but not the rest of the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 I have been fortunate enough to get very close to a Biddle. Had my hands on it quite a bit. worked on it a little bit (restored by very good friends of mine!), sat in it once. Although a bit similar, nothing about the OP car appears to be Biddle. I have also been up close and personal with a couple Scripps-Booth cars. They are tough ones. Their history is quite choppy, ownership and management changes, numerous distinctive models ranging from moderately large cars down to near cycle cars. I think most Scripps-Booth cars had a drive shaft to the rear end. Maybe one of the small model cycle-type cars had chain drive? Although the radiator on the OP car looks more like a Scripps-booth than anything else so longer mentioned? Nothing about the rest of the car looks like one to me. The license plate has an English or European look to it. That opens a lot of options for cars most of us on this side of the pond are not familiar with. ANd it could very well be an assemblage of pieces from a few cars. Whatever it was? I really like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bush Mechanic Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 Radiator and bonnet line on this 1914 Cowey look a lot like the OP car. But the pneumatic suspension is not in evidence. Wheels aren't too dissimilar, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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