Owen Magnetic

[alsancle]

Ok,  so who here has ever driven in an Owen Magnetic?    There are around a dozen known cars, most in museums.  Jay Leno owns one,  so does Randy Ema.   Who do you think of along with those guys?  Me!   But this was sold within 24 hours of being on the HCCA website.  So I was out of luck.   I bet we would all be surprised by how much it brought.

 

Everybody knows the basics?    There is a gasoline engine powering an electromagnetic transmission.   It is used for braking by reversing the polarity.

 

1916 Owen Magnetic O-36

Click photo to enlarge

• Original car with 985 Miles
• Long history back to the Museum of Science and History, Chicago
• Runs and drives well
• 7 passenger touring Summer body, by Rauch & Lang. Winter body gone in History
• Top of the line model with 135" W.B.

Contact me for more details and to make this 1916 Owen Magnetic O-36 yours

[motoringicons]

What a fabulous car. I saw it listed and not surprised it sold instantly.

 

I don't know of anyone actively using an Owen  Magnetic.

The car that sold at the Bonham's Tupelo Museum is in another museum and will not likely get sorted out or used.

 

The Henry Ford Museum has a 1915 that was acquired in 1930 (yes, 1930). It has been in their warehouse for decades. See picture below.

 

I wonder how many exist? Wouldn't it be a fascinating car to sort out and drive?

 

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by motoringicons (see edit history)

[edinmass]

There was one in Enfield Connecticut for decades parked in a warehouse next to a bunch of other cool stuff. I distinctly remember a Floyd Durham Loco, a Hispano body on an L29 chassis that Hyman sold a few years ago, a PII, and a bunch of other insane stuff. It was owned by a collector from England.

[1937hd45]

I had a radiator from one, sold it at Hershey. It was destined to be wall art in a bar somewhere. I like the look of the early ones with the tall wheels. Bob 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[alsancle]

This brochure cover does a good job of describing the steering wheel control.  

[motoringicons]

 

 

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-owen-magnetic-transmission-electric.html

[alsancle]

The steering wheel.

[alsancle]

27 minutes ago, motoringicons said:

I don't know of anyone actively using an Owen  Magnetic.

The car that sold at the Bonham's Tupelo Museum is in another museum and will not likely get sorted out or used.

 

Thank you for reminding me of that one.  There was some cool stuff in that auction.  This car went for almost 130k all in,  non-running.  It gives you an idea of the market.

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25593/lot/429/

[58L-Y8]

I recall encountering an Owen Magnetic in the Hershey Car Corral when it was way out on the far east end of the White Field, maybe 1988 or 1989.   Anyone else remember that?    

[1937-44]

The Crawford Automobile Museum in Cleveland has this one;

[John Bloom]

I had only seen them mentioned previously in books I've read.  I have never seen one in the flesh.  What was their engine set up over the production years?  Did they manufacture their own, or source them from outside?

[Ozstatman]

The Nethercutt have about One and a Half Owen Magnetics.

[Frank DuVal]

I read about them in the engineering library at UVa back in the early 70s. Always wanted one. An electrician friend told me he knew where two were! He saw them while on a job.

 

Not a joke. Last run in the 50s. Stored indoors. But not in great condition. Family was not interested in having a visitor see them, nor sell them. Fast forward to last year. Heard they still existed, just moved a few buildings away from where they were in the 70s, as road work tore the building down in the 80s. Now they were sold within the family to new owners. Will be interesting to see if they get restored or at least made to run as is. I still want one. But chance seems slim at my net worth!😆

[hidden_hunter]

Would be really cool to see Leno do a video on his car given how rare they are 

[alsancle]

4 hours ago, hidden_hunter said:

Would be really cool to see Leno do a video on his car given how rare they are 

 

I'm thinking this may be my only hope of seeing one run.

[alsancle]

9 hours ago, Ozstatman said:

The Nethercutt have about One and a Half Owen Magnetics.

 

 

That looks like a later Wilks-Barre build car.   I won't be greedy and would take an earlier car too,  but that is REALLY attractive.

 

[TerryB]

The Wilks-Barre cars were built in the old Matheson automobile factory in Forty-Fort in the Wilks-Barre area.

[Flivverking]

These are wonderfull  cars.

I wish Jay L. would stop calling them the Owens or Owen’s Magnetic. 

[Terry Bond]

11 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

I read about them in the engineering library at UVa back in the early 70s. Always wanted one. An electrician friend told me he knew where two were! He saw them while on a job.

 

Not a joke. Last run in the 50s. Stored indoors. But not in great condition. Family was not interested in having a visitor see them, nor sell them. Fast forward to last year. Heard they still existed, just moved a few buildings away from where they were in the 70s, as road work tore the building down in the 80s. Now they were sold within the family to new owners. Will be interesting to see if they get restored or at least made to run as is. I still want one. But chance seems slim at my net worth!😆

I was hopeful someone would mention those cars.  I knew someone who reportedly had seen them years ago and tried to get me in to take some photos-but the family was not willing.  I personally never saw them.  I don't know what became of them but I do know the cars were stored in less than desirable conditions in the basement of an old building.  Hopefully we will learn their fate.

Terry

[md murray]

20 hours ago, alsancle said:

Ok,  so who here has ever driven in an Owen Magnetic?    There are around a dozen known cars, most in museums.  Jay Leno owns one,  so does Randy Ema.   Who do you think of along with those guys?  Me!   But this was sold within 24 hours of being on the HCCA website.  So I was out of luck.   I bet we would all be surprised by how much it brought.

 

Everybody knows the basics?    There is a gasoline engine powering an electromagnetic transmission.   It is used for braking by reversing the polarity.

 

1916 Owen Magnetic O-36

Click photo to enlarge

• Original car with 985 Miles
• Long history back to the Museum of Science and History, Chicago
• Runs and drives well
• 7 passenger touring Summer body, by Rauch & Lang. Winter body gone in History
• Top of the line model with 135" W.B.

Contact me for more details and to make this 1916 Owen Magnetic O-36 yours

I recognized this car and it's white pin-stripe immediately. It lived in a very nice barn in Gallupville, NY for decades and was the center piece of the annual steam powered 'Gas Up' show they would host on Ronnie Rolf's farm each year. He was a great guy and a master mechanic anybody remember him? His annual weekend show drew people from far and wide and featured some great cars and all sorts of wonderful steam tractors.  I last attended the show about 10 yrs ago and at that time the car had disappeared from the main barn but I never forgot it.  

[John_S_in_Penna]

21 hours ago, alsancle said:

Who do you think of along with those guys?  Me! 

But this was sold within 24 hours of being on the HCCA website.  So I was out of luck.... 

 

 

Al, I don't quite follow your account.  You say you

missed getting an Owen that was for sale on the

HCCA website, yet you own one.  Are you saying

you got that one by some other route, and now you

decided to sell it instead?

[md murray]

I'm dying to know if it runs? 985 miles on it? Again, this car was owned for a long while by a very capable mechanic and it was definitely always a static display, I never saw it move an inch over all those years. Did anyone happen to get any history on it from the seller? The ad mentions some sort of Chicago Museum of Science provenance. I wonder how it ended up in a humble little farm collection in the middle of nowhere? 

[alsancle]

26 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

 

Al, I don't quite follow your account.  You say you

missed getting an Owen that was for sale on the

HCCA website, yet you own one.  Are you saying

you got that one by some other route, and now you

decided to sell it instead?

 

I was trying to say that I've always wanted one,  this one popped up on the HCCA website but by the time I called 24 hours later it was sold.     The Jay Leno, Randy Ema reference was a joke.

[alsancle]

12 minutes ago, md murray said:

I'm dying to know if it runs? 985 miles on it? Again, this car was owned for a long while by a very capable mechanic and it was definitely always a static display, I never saw it move an inch over all those years. Did anyone happen to get any history on it from the seller? The ad mentions some sort of Chicago Museum of Science provenance. I wonder how it ended up in a humble little farm collection in the middle of nowhere? 

 

Seller drove it couple dozen miles prior to sale and it all works.   It was donated to Museum of Science very early,  maybe 1920s.   Has only had 3 or 4 owners from new.

[edinmass]

I’m glad you missed it.........I’m getting tired of fixing electrical nightmares...........you taste is getting very weird.......and I understand it matches your personality...........but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Where is my 40hp White Steamer or the Doble you promised me? You need to focus on interesting, fun stuff. That early Tesla nightmare that is the subject of this thread does NOT meet my approval!

[intimeold]

9 hours ago, TerryB said:

The Wilks-Barre cars were built in the old Matheson automobile factory in Forty-Fort in the Wilks-Barre area.

I am from PA; and this manufacturer has escaped me.  I thought I knew all PA automobiles and motorcycle's;  but I learn something everyday.

[Ozstatman]

9 hours ago, alsancle said:

That looks like a later Wilks-Barre build car.

Per the information board with the car: Wilkes-Barre.

[alsancle]

42 minutes ago, Ozstatman said:

Per the information board with the car: Wilkes-Barre.

 

I like the 5800 dollar price.  Expensive car.

[alsancle]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

I’m glad you missed it.........I’m getting tired of fixing electrical nightmares...........you taste is getting very weird.......and I understand it matches your personality...........but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Where is my 40hp White Steamer or the Doble you promised me? You need to focus on interesting, fun stuff. That early Tesla nightmare that is the subject of this thread does NOT meet my approval!

 

My taste in friends is weird for sure.  I think you would be out voted on how cool an Owen is.  Especially the later cars.

 

[1937hd45]

Some of us draw the line on electrical repairs at changing light bulbs. With that in mind, just what does the Owen Magnetic do that other cars of that time couldn't? How common were the fires? 

 

Bob 

[alsancle]

38 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Some of us draw the line on electrical repairs at changing light bulbs. With that in mind, just what does the Owen Magnetic do that other cars of that time couldn't? How common were the fires? 

 

Bob 

 

Bob,  if it was just about efficient transportation,  all we would collect is the  Model T.

 

It is interesting engineering,  just like the Doble, Woods Dual Power, Detroit, etc.  

[edinmass]

I just checked YouTube, there is no video of a Owens running or driving, in fifty years of car show, tours, museums, and collections I have never seen one run or move. Maybe it’s the ultimate in garage art.

Edited January 21, 2021 by edinmass (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

If nobody can explain what it does  why should I or anyone else care about a dead lump on four old tires? 

[alsancle]

Just now, 1937hd45 said:

If nobody can explain what it does  why should I or anyone else care about a dead lump on four old tires? 

 

The transmission is electromagnetic,  which is basically like a diesel electric locomotive.    It worked sort of like an automatic transmission, except you moved the lever on the wheel between the 5 or 6 speeds and then engine speed would provide variation between.

[Terry Bond]

1 hour ago, 1937hd45 said:

Some of us draw the line on electrical repairs at changing light bulbs. With that in mind, just what does the Owen Magnetic do that other cars of that time couldn't? How common were the fires? 

 

Bob 

I'm with you on the electrics Bob.  I'll stick with my Model T.  All the wire stretched end-to-end  is less than 6 feet.

Terry

[1937hd45]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

 

The transmission is electromagnetic,  which is basically like a diesel electric locomotive.    It worked sort of like an automatic transmission, except you moved the lever on the wheel between the 5 or 6 speeds and then engine speed would provide variation between.

 

Thanks for trying, NO IDEA what you are trying to say. LIONEL set has been broken since 1965. Bob 

[Larry Schramm]

12 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

 

Thanks for trying, NO IDEA what you are trying to say. LIONEL set has been broken since 1965. Bob 

 

That is too bad on the Lionel train set.  I am still running my '50's train set with my two grandsons along with a whole lot more trains that I have collected over the years.  Being a grandparent is the best!!!!🙂

[Frank DuVal]

5 hours ago, edinmass said:

That early Tesla nightmare that is the subject of this thread does NOT meet my approval!

 

Nightmare? Most every locomotive running today has a similar drivetrain!

Engine drives electric generator. Generator electric power drives electric motor. Electric motor drives driveshaft/rear axle/rear wheels just like the cars you like. No Tesla battery bank. You make as much electricity as you need to motor on.

Easy Peasy.

That's what caught my attention about the car back in engineering school.

 

Glad I DON"T need your approval to get an interesting car!😁

 

[1937hd45]

1 hour ago, Larry Schramm said:

 

That is too bad on the Lionel train set.  I am still running my '50's train set with my two grandsons along with a whole lot more trains that I have collected over the years.  Being a grandparent is the best!!!!🙂

I still remember the smell of early electrical problems, something the grandkids miss with !phones. 

 

Bob 

[edinmass]

3 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

 

Nightmare? Most every locomotive running today has a similar drivetrain!

Engine drives electric generator. Generator electric power drives electric motor. Electric motor drives driveshaft/rear axle/rear wheels just like the cars you like. No Tesla battery bank. You make as much electricity as you need to motor on.

Easy Peasy.

That's what caught my attention about the car back in engineering school.

 

Glad I DON"T need your approval to get an interesting car!😁

 

Have you seen the wiring harness on an Owens? I have, and 100 year old cloth wiring that’s dry rotted doesn’t appeal to me. The selector box on the steering column is enough to make you want to walk where ever you go.