BobinVirginia Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 I ran across a car I found interesting recently. A 1915 8-80 Battleship which is a unique car with its riveted body panels and pointed radiator. Do any still exist? Perhaps someone here knows something about them? 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 A new one for me. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod P Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 New to me, not much out there. 1909-1919. https://simeonemuseum.org/shop-talk/abbott-detroit/ But there 8-80 looks different, as roadster? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass is Best Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 That is a great photo of a Fire Department. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 (edited) I am curious about the vehicle at the far left, the one with the large bulge in the front hood side. It reminds me of a certain 1907 Chadwick car fitted with a blower device wherein a large bulge of similar design was necessary to cover the supercharger. Can anyone identify this vehicle and the reason for this bulge? Edited July 17 by AHa (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 2 minutes ago, AHa said: I am curious about the vehicle at the far left, the one with the large bulge in the front hood side. It reminds me of a certain car fitted with a blower device wherein a large bulge of similar design was necessary to cover the supercharger. Can anyone identify this vehicle and the reason for this bulge? I'm not aware of any cars with blowers that early? Which brings up an interesting question. I think the earliest blown cars were Mercedes in the early 20s? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 Lee Chadwick developed a three stage blower after witnessing the use of one at his local foundry and installed it on a 1907 car of his making. He won the 1908 Giants Hill Climb with it. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 (edited) 1907 Chadwick with blower bulge in hood. Edited July 17 by AHa (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 Bob, the car you posted is an Abbott Detroit; Battleship was the name Abbott Detroit gave this model. And, yes, there are a few Abbott Detroit cars around. Before you posted this picture, it was doubtful they ever actually produced any Battleship cars. Manufacturers routinely produced artwork to see how much interest a car might produce before production was started. This picture proves at least one example was produced. Fire departments during these years kept their eyes out for large displacement cars to convert to fire trucks once they were being sold as used cars. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAV8427 Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 6 minutes ago, AHa said: Bob, the car you posted is an Abbott Detroit; Battleship was the name Abbott Detroit gave this model. And, yes, there are a few Abbott Detroit cars around. Before you posted this picture, it was doubtful they ever actually produced any Battleship cars. Manufacturers routinely produced artwork to see how much interest a car might produce before production was started. This picture proves at least one example was produced. Fire departments during these years kept their eyes out for large displacement cars to convert to fire trucks once they were being sold as used cars. So with just minimal fire fighting equiptment on the Battleship, that could be the first'first responder'. At least one of the first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinVirginia Posted July 17 Author Share Posted July 17 I asked about a Battleship on the Period Image thread and @30DodgePanel shared the best pic of one I’ve seen! Apparently some were made but not many. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinVirginia Posted July 17 Author Share Posted July 17 If you zoom in and look at the details it’s a very neat car. The cowl air scoop on the side with the bulky rivets is one detail I like. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinVirginia Posted July 17 Author Share Posted July 17 I found a few more pics here https://www.imcdb.org/v585287.html That’s about all I’ve found. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 It would be called a fire chiefs car. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 The Battleship Roadster is called a 45-50, which means the car produced between 45 and 50 hp. Horsepower was measured differently in those days and a spread was many times how it was expressed. At low rpms it produced 45 horses and at higher it produced 50. This was important because most roads were unpaved and it was common place to get bogged down in sand or mud. You needed a high horsepower, or torque, at low rpms to pull out of these quagmires. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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