Apperson Brothers Automobile Company

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Apperson Jack Rabbit touring car (1916)
Apperson Chummy Roadster

The Apperson Brothers Automobile Company was an American automobile manufacturer that was based in Kokomo (Indiana) from 1902 to 1926 .

Company history

The company was founded by the brothers Edgar and Elmer Apperson shortly after they left the Haynes-Apperson Company . For some time they used the two-cylinder boxer engine, then they switched to the in-line four-cylinder engine.

Apperson automobiles

In 1904 Apperson offered two models of four-cylinder in-line engines. The Apperson Touring Car was a touring car that was equipped with a tonneau for 6 people and cost US $ 6,000. The engine was installed in the front and developed 40 bhp (29 kW) power. The engine power was transmitted to the rear wheels via a four-speed gearbox. The car had a steel frame and weighed 1,270 kg. It offered electric lighting - a novelty at the time - and a cell cooler. The 25 bhp (18.2 kW) version weighed 816 kg and cost US $ 3500.

In 1906 the company offered a car with a 95 bhp (70 kW) four-cylinder engine for US $ 10,500. The following year, the first of the famous Jackrabbit speedsters left the production line. It had 60 bhp (44 kW) and cost US $ 5,000. For a time the entire model range was sold under the name Jack Rabbit ; In 1913 there was a four-cylinder with 32.4 bhp (23.8 kW) and a six-cylinder with 33.7 bhp (24.8 kW) and in 1914 a 5.5-liter V8 with 33.8 bhp (24.9 kW).

Roadplane and Silver Apperson models

In 1916 the company announced the production of roadplane six and eight cylinder models. The name roadplane did not refer to a specific model, but was a marketing concept by Elmer Apperson that was applied to the Chummy Roadster and the Touring . Amazingly, Elmer Apperson had the design of the Chummy Roadster patented.

The Silver Apperson , designed by Canover T. Silver , came out in 1917; the models were called Anniversary after 1919 . A 3.2-liter R6 engine (3,243 cm³ displacement) appeared in 1923 and a V8 from Lycoming in 1924.

End of production

In the mid-1920s, sales of both Apperson and Haynes fell and rumors were heard that the two companies would merge again. But in 1926 Apperson had to close its doors, even though models with four-wheel brakes had been introduced that year.

Model overview

model Construction period cylinder power wheelbase
A. 1902-1903 2 boxers 16-25 bhp (11.8-18.4 kW) 2590 mm
B. 1903 2 boxers 20 bhp (14.7 kW) 2590 mm
A. 1904-1905 4 row 40 bhp (29 kW) 2743-2896 mm
B. 1904-1905 4 row 24 bhp (17.6 kW) 2590 mm
Special 1905 4 row 50 bhp (37 kW) 2896 mm
A. 1906-1907 4 row 55 bhp (40 kW) 2921-2946 mm
B. 1906-1907 4 row 45 bhp (33 kW) 2845-2896 mm
C. 1906 4 row 35 bhp (26 kW) 2642 mm
Special 1907 4 row 96 bhp (71 kW) 2794 mm
K Jack Rabbit 1908-1909 4 row 55 bhp (40 kW) 2896 mm
M. 1908-1909 4 row 35–40 bhp (26–29 kW) 2705-3023 mm
S. 1908 4 row 55 bhp (40 kW) 2896 mm
I. 1909 4 row 40 bhp (29 kW) 3251 mm
O 1909 4 row 30 bhp (22 kW) 3023 mm
4-30 1910-1911 4 row 30–32.4 bhp (22–23.8 kW) 2896-3023 mm
4-40 1910-1911 4 row 40 bhp (29 kW) 3099 mm
4-50 1910-1911 4 row 50 bhp (37 kW) 3251 mm
Jack Rabbit 1910 4 row 50 bhp (37 kW) 2946 mm
4-45 1912-1915 4 row 32–45 bhp (23.5–33 kW) 2896-3048 mm
4-55 1912-1913 4 row 55 bhp (40 kW) 2997 mm
4-65 1912 4 row 65 bhp (48 kW) 3251 mm
Light 4-45 1914 4 row 32 bhp (23.5 kW) 2946 mm
6-45 1914-1915 6 row 29–38 bhp (21.3–28 kW) 3099-3251 mm
6-55 1914 6 row 43 bhp (31.6 kW) 3251 mm
6-48 1915 6 row 29 bhp (21.3 kW) 3200 mm
6-16 1916 6 row 29 bhp (21.3 kW) 3251 mm
8-16 1916 8 V 31 bhp (23 kW) 3251 mm
6-17 / 6-18 1917-1918 6 row 29.4 bhp (21.6 kW) 3302 mm
8-17 / 8-18 / 8-19 1917-1919 8 V 31–33.8 bhp (23–25 kW) 3302 mm
Anniversary / 8-20 1920 8 V 60 bhp (44 kW) 3302 mm
8-21 / Beverly 1921-1922 8 V 70 bhp (51 kW) 3302 mm
6-23 / 6-24 / 6-25 / 6-26 1923-1926 6 row 46 bhp (34 kW) 3048 mm
8-23 / 8-24 / V-Type Eight 1923-1925 8 V 60–70 bhp (44–51 kW) 3302 mm
Straightaway Eight / Eight 1925-1926 8 row 60–65 bhp (44–48 kW) 3048-3302 mm

literature

  • Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly (January 1904)
  • Madden, WC: Haynes-Apperson and America's first practical automobile: a history , Jefferson, NC, McFarland & Co., London (2003), ISBN 0-7864-1397-2
  • Kimes, Beverly Ray & Clark Jr. Henry Austin: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 , Krause Publications, Iola WI (1985), ISBN 0-87341-045-9

Web links

Commons : Apperson  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ US Patent 48359