Auto Bug Company

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The Auto-Bug Company is a former, short-lived American automobile manufacturer . From the company emerged the more stable Norwalk Motor Car Company , which was active until 1922.

description

The founder, Arthur E. Skadden († 1919), was previously plant manager at the hardware manufacturer Pressed Radiator Company in New Castle (Pennsylvania) . In March 1909, he founded the Auto-Bug Company in Norwalk, Ohio , to build a highwheeler he had developed . The vehicle was offered as a car bug in different versions with identical technology. The name contains a play on words, because in English "bug" means beetle , which can refer to the wheels. But it can also be the short form of "buggy". Motor buggy was a common name for such cars.

technology

The car's bow had the large wooden spoked wheels typical of high-wheelers from the carriage building industry. A two-cylinder engine with 22 hp according to the NACC standard (NACC: National Automobile Chamber of Commerce , predecessor of SAE ) served as the drive . It was blocked with the unsprung rear axle.

Models

Successful, but short-lived

Although this simple vehicle was quite successful, production was discontinued in late 1910. Skadden recognized that the future belonged to more elaborately designed, "real" vehicles. In April 1910, Skadden renamed the company to Norwalk Motor Car Company and manufactured corresponding vehicles. Although he saved the fate of most other highwheelers from the auto bug , the Norwalk Motor Car Company initially failed.

literature

  • Beverly Rae Kimes, Henry Austin Clark Jr .: Standard catalog of American Cars. 1805-1942. Digital edition . 3. Edition. Krause Publications, Iola 2013, ISBN 978-1-4402-3778-2 , pp. 83 (English).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Beverly Rae Kimes, Henry Austin Clark Jr .: Standard catalog of American Cars. 1805-1942. Digital edition . 3. Edition. Krause Publications, Iola 2013, ISBN 978-1-4402-3778-2 , pp. 83 (English).