Galen Handy - Milburn by the numbers

[pughs]

In the Antique Electric Vehicles Newsletter (#19 - September 2006), Galen Handy has provided a very interesting and very plausible explanation of the Milburn serial numbers. My only question about the list are the years that are assigned to the various vehicles. Are the years based on any particular documentation? I ask only because there is quite a divergence from the years shown in the Milburn registry and I am trying to figure out what year my Milburn was built. It was sold to me as a 1915 model, but based on serial numbers and features, it is obviously a later model. Thank you.

Steve Pugh

[johnworden1]

Steve, If it's of any help may I suggest that a typo or human error may be why the seller thought your Milburn was a 1915. If the title shows 1915 these two reasons may also apply. As far as dating your car I would look at the available photos of existing Milburns and to a lesser extent the factory ads to see which year Milburn shares the various parts such as headlight placement, wire or wood spoke wheels, bumpers, type of front leaf springs etc. with yours. Correctly dated cars with the same features as yours would, in my mind at least, indicate the year yours was built. The car number should fit in there also. John Worden

[pughs]

John,

Thank you for the suggestions. I know that my Milburn is either a 1920 or 1921 depending on whether you use the Milburn registry list (1921) or Galen Handy's list (1920) based on the serial numbers. I'm just trying to figure out which one is correct so I don't perpetuate the incorrect information provided by a long deceased previous owner.

Steve