Period images to relieve some of the stress

[LCK81403]

Some photos just kind of makes the daily grind come to a stop.  This photo for instance.  While the headlights appear to not jive with the probable year of the car, the running light/parking light by the cowl appears to be a smaller version of the headlights.  While that is not a show stopper whatever the person is wearing on his/her head is a show stopper.  It looks like Easter Bunny ears.  What in the world is that, and why would he/she, 1) be seen in public with it (in those days), and 2) how well does it "ride" in a speedster?  One other quite curious thing is what are the two white marks on the road under the rear axle.  The day appears to be cloudy, no direct sunlight, yet underneath the car are two white-looking marks as if sunlight shines there.

[Larry Schramm]

On 7/4/2021 at 9:28 AM, HK500 said:

Here's a Cadillac Executive and a famous athlete in a Cadillac Convertible, in a photo taken by the GM photographic section.  Who are they?

 

Looking at the picture, I would bet that this picture was taken in the old GM Argonaut building behind the old GM Building on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit.  GM Photographic had studios there if my memory is correct.  I was there just a few times.  Their studios were if I remember correctly were on one of the upper floors in the GM complex.  Looking out the window, it would appear that the picture was not taken on a ground floor.

[1912Staver]

1 hour ago, LCK81403 said:

Some photos just kind of makes the daily grind come to a stop.  This photo for instance.  While the headlights appear to not jive with the probable year of the car, the running light/parking light by the cowl appears to be a smaller version of the headlights.  While that is not a show stopper whatever the person is wearing on his/her head is a show stopper.  It looks like Easter Bunny ears.  What in the world is that, and why would he/she, 1) be seen in public with it (in those days), and 2) how well does it "ride" in a speedster?  One other quite curious thing is what are the two white marks on the road under the rear axle.  The day appears to be cloudy, no direct sunlight, yet underneath the car are two white-looking marks as if sunlight shines there.

 

Never underestimate the power of fashion. I expect that at 60 MPH those ears produced quite a flutter.

[41 Su8]

9 hours ago, LCK81403 said:

  One other quite curious thing is what are the two white marks on the road under the rear axle.  The day appears to be cloudy, no direct sunlight, yet underneath the car are two white-looking marks as if sunlight shines there.

The picture is black and white. I suspect the two marks under the rear of the car are oil spots on the road.

[oldford]

On 7/3/2021 at 9:33 AM, HK500 said:

Extra Credit if you can find the Auburn Cabin Speedster without referring to the June, 1975 issue of "The Classic Car" magazine, the CCCA quarterly!

 

Just a guess, but it is the only car I could find without fenders or front bumper. It's the one sitting sideways behind the large roadster...

 

Frank

Edited July 10, 2021 by oldford (see edit history)

[HK500]

1 hour ago, E-116-YH said:

Hello Frank,

                    You were a little off but a good try.

 

[nzcarnerd]

A photo posted on a facebook page - source not quoted. What I think is an early Rapid truck - date before 1910?  I guess you would have had to stand up to steer it into corners?

 

I guess the extra crew were needed to shovel the load off?

 

[nzcarnerd]

Peace celebrations in Richmond, New Zealand, in 1919. I can't determine the month from the photo. From a quick look at local newspapers records it seem the peace celebrations for the whole of the British Empire were coordinated to occur on 4 August, the same date as war was declared in 1914. 

 

From the Pelorus Guardian 4 July 1919.

 

 

 

[dibarlaw]

8 minutes ago, nzcarnerd said:

Peace celebrations in Richmond, New Zealand, in 1919. I can't determine the month from the photo. From a quick look at local newspapers records it seem the peace celebrations for the whole of the British Empire were coordinated to occur on 4 August, the same date as war was declared in 1914. 

 

From the Pelorus Guardian 4 July 1919.

 

 

 

The front car is a 1918 Buick as is the 2nd behind the motorcycle

[ply33]

2 hours ago, nzcarnerd said:

A photo posted on a facebook page - source not quoted. What I think is an early Rapid truck - date before 1910?  I guess you would have had to stand up to steer it into corners?

 

I guess the extra crew were needed to shovel the load off?

 

Photo looks to be heavily retouched in the style of the era so I think a bunch of details that would explain the operation have been lost.

 

But it looks like there are some doors/openings on the side of the vehicle where coal could be unloaded. I see hinges and levers but the required gaps and seams are missing (retouched away?).

 

Before my time, but houses used to have coal chutes into the basements from the street. I imagine that a ramp or slide between those probable openings and the chutes in the house would allow the truck to unload while parked parallel to the curb.

 

With all that guessing, I have to admit I don’t see a way to hook a slide onto the side of the truck below those door/opening looking things. Maybe that is what the chains dangling on the side are for. . .

[nzcarnerd]

An interesting photo taken in the suburb of Fendalton in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1925.

 

I thought the wire wheeled touring car with suicide doors front and rear might be an Essex but even though the Essex - and Hudson - sedans characteristically have suicide doors front and rear I think the touring cars don't.

 

The last photo is the same intersection today. Rossall St has had a major realignment and most of the old houses are gone. The trams stopped running through there soon after WW2. 

 

 

[hook]

On 7/3/2021 at 6:54 PM, 8E45E said:

The replica in the ACD Museum.

 

Craig

A little more of the same

[LCK81403]

Great view of the Rapid Truck.  It certainly does appear to be vintage 1910 era.  The second attached photo of a Rapid freight truck is captioned as a 1910 model.  Third photo, a Rapid "panel" appears to be complete with a English bull dog.  Fourth, a photo of a pre-1910 Rapid (hauling bed springs) has the engine under the body and shows the same chain drive configuration as the newer 1910 model that has the engine front-mounted under a hood.

 

An article in "The Automobile", November 24, 1910, page 898, col. 1:

 

Four-Cylinder Rapid Truck Announced

 

Pontiac, Mich., Nov. 21 -- The Rapid Motor Vehicle company, of this city, has begun the construction of a new truck.  A sample truck, which is the design of Engineer F. C. Frank, has been in use on the streets here.  The new Rapid is of two-ton capacity and has the engine under a hood on the front of the car instead of under it. 

The engine is of the four-cylinder type.  The new model, after being thoroughly tested, will be exhibited at various automobile shows throughout the country.  It is planned to ultimately discontinue the manufacture of the old two-cylinder truck.

 

 

[Larry Schramm]

15 hours ago, nzcarnerd said:

A photo posted on a facebook page - source not quoted. What I think is an early Rapid truck - date before 1910?  I guess you would have had to stand up to steer it into corners?

 

I guess the extra crew were needed to shovel the load off?

 

 

13 hours ago, ply33 said:

But it looks like there are some doors/openings on the side of the vehicle where coal could be unloaded. I see hinges and levers but the required gaps and seams are missing (retouched away?).

 

Before my time, but houses used to have coal chutes into the basements from the street. I imagine that a ramp or slide between those probable openings and the chutes in the house would allow the truck to unload while parked parallel to the curb.

 

With all that guessing, I have to admit I don’t see a way to hook a slide onto the side of the truck below those door/opening looking things. Maybe that is what the chains dangling on the side are for. . .

 

The doors on side of the truck are the chutes for the coal to come out.  The doors hinge at the bottom and the chains allow the door to fold down and the chains keep  the door from dropping directly down.  The latches for the doors are at the upper corners of the doors.  When moved up, the door/chute open up.

 

I doubt the truck would unload at the curb.  It would probably pull up parallel to the house where most of the coal chutes to the basement I can remember were pointed to the driveway.

 

Just IMO.

[twin6]

[twin6]

Stretch Pierce?

[nzcarnerd]

2 hours ago, twin6 said:

Stretch Pierce?

 Interesting top set up with the fabric section clamped into the centre line - for a better view I guess - as long as the weather is suitable.

[nzcarnerd]

I note in the post above re Rapid trucks, the trucks in the second photo - presumable the new four cylinder model - has Northway Motor & Mnf. Company on the side. This would have been about the time that Billy Durant acquired both Rapid and Northway for GM. I see a mixed load on the truck, including tomato soup. There is a box marked ARGO amongst it. I wonder if it had anything to do with ARGO electric cars.

 

 

[nzcarnerd]

2 hours ago, twin6 said:

Stretch Pierce?

 

Interesting coincidence, this one was posted a short time ago on a facebook page. Not a very clear photo unfortunately.

 

I don't much about Pierce's commercial efforts. This one is dated at 1928 - photo or vehicle? Maybe both.

 

 

 

[1937hd45]

2 hours ago, MetroPetro said:

Looks like load is food products. ARGO is corn starch.

Box circa 1919, posted for educational purposes, not to offend any indigenous people.

Edited July 12, 2021 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[JFranklin]

Heck, they gave us corn and I'm thankful.

[LCK81403]

An article in "The Automobile", October 13, 1910, page 624 carried information about a two-cycle "wobble-gear" engine.  The article cited a previous article about it in the "Automotor Journal".  Did a wobble-gear engine ever appear in an automobile?

 

In those early days some novel things were tried, such as the three-cylinder and five-cylinder horizontal rotary engines in the Adams-Farwell.  The Adams-Farwell actually attained production status but thus far I have not found any automobile listing a wobble-gear engine.  The third photo shows a 1906 Adams-Farwell Model 6A horizontal rotary engine.  This type/configuration rotary engine was used in World War One fighter airplanes.  The shaft is stationary and the bank of cylinders revolve around to provide power; and a dangerous amount of torque that could be lethal to pilots.

[nzcarnerd]

Another interesting period photo posted on facebook.

 

Apparently that is the Kelly family of Rotterdam, New York.

 

The sedan looks to be from the 1917-20 era. Any thought what the make might be?

 

 

[1912Staver]

21 hours ago, LCK81403 said:

An article in "The Automobile", October 13, 1910, page 624 carried information about a two-cycle "wobble-gear" engine.  The article cited a previous article about it in the "Automotor Journal".  Did a wobble-gear engine ever appear in an automobile?

 

In those early days some novel things were tried, such as the three-cylinder and five-cylinder horizontal rotary engines in the Adams-Farwell.  The Adams-Farwell actually attained production status but thus far I have not found any automobile listing a wobble-gear engine.  The third photo shows a 1906 Adams-Farwell Model 6A horizontal rotary engine.  This type/configuration rotary engine was used in World War One fighter airplanes.  The shaft is stationary and the bank of cylinders revolve around to provide power; and a dangerous amount of torque that could be lethal to pilots.

 

The same basic principal as your wobble engine is sometimes used on hydraulic pumps and motors.

[8E45E]

11 minutes ago, 1912Staver said:

 

The same basic principal as your wobble engine is sometimes used on hydraulic pumps and motors.

As was the A/C compressor used in a number of GM cars around 1979-'80, most notably, the new X-cars that year.  

 

Craig

[58L-Y8]

On 7/11/2021 at 6:32 PM, nzcarnerd said:

 

Interesting coincidence, this one was posted a short time ago on a facebook page. Not a very clear photo unfortunately.

 

I don't much about Pierce's commercial efforts. This one is dated at 1928 - photo or vehicle? Maybe both.

 

 

 

From the book, Pierce-Arrow by Marc Ralston, page 205:

 

"The year 1924 saw the introduction of the new Z chassis that utilized the six-cylinder dual-valve engine of the Series 33 automobile.   This had a 4 inch x 5 1/2 inch bore and stroke and developed 38 horsepower.  It came in two wheelbases, 196-inch and 220-inch.   With is four-speed transmission, it had a top speed of 60 miles per hour.   The price was between $3,300 and $5,200.  Although primarily made for a bus body, this chassis was also used for other commercial vehicles, including a number of fire engines. Scanty information from Pierce-Arrow recension table would indicate that rather few (less than a thousand) Z chassis were assembled between 1924 and 1928. Two presently are known to exist. (1980)."

[John_Mereness]

On 7/11/2021 at 10:41 PM, K8096 said:

A happy owner with his new 1929 Stutz in San Francisco 

 

 

Notice, there is a Cord dealership next door 

[John_Mereness]

On 6/27/2021 at 3:29 PM, Dave Gelinas (XP-300) said:

1929 Cord L-29 Phaeton Prototype

There is some story with this photo as they probably could have gone anywhere but the mudhole they took this car to (my guess is some window from the factory or headquarters). 

[nzcarnerd]

19 hours ago, E-116-YH said:

My vote would go for it being a Winton.

 

Check the what is it page - Leif suggests Hupmobile, which looks about right.

[LCK81403]

A 1901 Oldsmobile had no complaints over a little mud.  The mud isn't quite up the hubs yet.

 

[nzcarnerd]

A nice clear photo shared from a facebook page. The owner of the photo looking for id.

 

From Alan young - 

 

"Okay, everyone. Looking for help in identifying this automobile. The picture is an original photo mounted on board, and the license plate on the car is a 1903 Massachusetts. My registration listing books only reference the owner by name and address, no make of automobile.  1903 Massachusetts license plate no. 2177 was registered to Harry C Bachelder, 23 Fourth Ave, Lowell. My 1904 book shows the same registrant with the car being 15 horsepower, but the make is only referenced with a question mark."

 

Not a Winton apparently.

 

[nzcarnerd]

Another interesting one from facebook. Posted by the grandson of the rider of the bike.

 

Interesting looking bike with a 90 degree V twin and wide belt drive. It is a Marsh-Metz - part of the 'complexity' of early American auto industry - connections to Waltham and Orient - Bike Of The Week – 1909 Marsh Metz – Motorcyclepedia Museum

 

 

[nzcarnerd]

One for the Packard experts. I guess a post WW2 photo.

 

Odd it only looks to have three vent doors on the hood. Info on the participants on the back of the photo.

 

Is that an early historical plate?

 

 

[K8096]

1930/31 Cadillac 8?

 

[K8096]

This has got to be the weirdest Model A I've ever seen.  

 

[K8096]

Needs a few more accessories.  Hupmobile I believe.   

 

Edited July 14, 2021 by K8096 (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

 

Looks a lot like this 1903 Pope-Hartford that is or was for sale recently. 

Bob 

Edited July 14, 2021 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[K8096]

3 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

 

Looks a lot like this 1903 Pope-Hartford that is or was for sale recently. 

Bob 

 

 

Looks like it lost 2 rows of radiator during restoration.   Hope it doesn't run hot now.   

[Johan Boltendal]

4 hours ago, K8096 said:

1930/31 Cadillac 8?

 

I'm pretty sure it's a LaSalle '30, taillights, splash aprons without doors, to name a few 

[wayne sheldon]

While there are a few interesting similarities? There are too many important differences for me to think they would be closely related. A significant difference in the fit of the firewall, and I think the venting(?) on the sides of the front cover (hood?) is different. The shape of the seats is very different, somewhat rounded on the Pope, very straight on the unknown. The suspension is different, full elliptic vs half elliptic. The biggest thing I think are all the controls. The locations of all the levers, the types of all the levers. The radiator mentioned already.

All the differences could be explained by a model or even one year difference between the cars. Maybe. Things were changing so very fast between 1900 and 1905. Most automobile manufacturers were copying others, and designs were changing on some cars almost monthly! A car like the Rambler would have several models being produced at the same time, often many of them not looking anything like the others. Other companies might only build one model at a time, and build only a few of them before some change would be made and the rest would be different. Pope built a lot of cars, under different city names with significant variations and similarities between them. It may be worthwhile to investigate some of Pope's other offerings.