tom_in_nh Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Please see attached photos. Similar to a Locomobile.Advance thanks to all that respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olcarherb Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 What a nice survivor! Hope the owner (you?) isn't planning on a FULL restoration.....a mechanical one, yes, absolutely, so it runs like (or better than) new. But I'd recommend a sympathetic restoration, leaving the body as original (keep the original paint if it is original - and upholstery, if useable) as possible (it's only original once!). OK, on to your question. I'm certainly no steam expert (I'll admit to not being smart enough to operate a steamer!), especially on the early ones. But I'd venture two guesses, one more likely in my opinion than the other, but both probably inaccurate. 1st guess is a Grout. 2nd is an early White. But there were literally dozens of pioneers (blacksmiths, railroad or other mechanical/practical engineers, "backyard" mechanics - like Henry Ford, etc.) who were trying to produce a practical/saleable (not always the same!) steam car in the period from 1890 through 1905 (undoubtedly the period of this vehicle, though I'd estimate 1899-1903 as most likely), who may have produced a single prototype, which this could be. Though one thing speaking for this as a factory (such as it may have been - perhaps not much more than a small "garage" in actuality) built example is the stylish dash, designed for saleabilty more than practicality/ease of building, as might be suggestive of a prototype. Hope this at least stimulates someone more knowledgeable than I to knowingly comment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olcarherb Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 And btw, Grouts were built in Massachusetts and Whites in Cleveland, Ohio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Laferriere Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Looks like a Reading Steamer. I have seen this car in person in Rhode Island. See attachement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Nice car, but I don't know what it is, it does have some interesting features. Most steam cars of that era had wire wheels, and the single transverse front spring is unique. If you have a copy of the Standard Catalog of American Cars go to the back index that lists every steamer built in the USA. May take a few hours but you can view the photos of the cars listed on two page list. I checked the above mentioned guesses and they don't match any of the photos. Steam's the Stuff.........get it running! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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