Berkshire Auto-Car Company

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berkshire Motor Company
Berkshire Automobile Company
Berkshire Motor Car Company
Berkshire Auto-Car Company
legal form Company
founding 1903
resolution 1912
Reason for dissolution insolvency
Seat Pittsfield , Massachusetts , USA
Branch Automobiles

Berkshire Auto-Car Company , formerly Berkshire Motor Company , Berkshire Automobile Company, and Berkshire Motor Car Company , was an American manufacturer of automobiles .

Company history

Fred A. Cooley, Clarence P. Hollister, William J. Mercer, and Frank V. Whyland founded the Berkshire Motor Company in 1903 . The seat was in Pittsfield , Massachusetts . The development of automobiles began in 1903 and production of automobiles at the end of 1904. The brand name was Berkshire . In 1907 the company name changed to Berkshire Automobile Company and in 1908 to Berkshire Motor Car Company . At the end of 1907 production stopped because a patented power transmission caused considerable problems. From 1909 the company was called the Berkshire Auto-Car Company . Plans to move the headquarters to Hartford , Connecticut , were not implemented. In early 1912, the Belcher Engineering Company from Cambridge took over everything. Bankruptcy followed in October 1912 .

A total of around 150 vehicles were built. Of these, about 30 are in 1910 and 3 in 1912 under the direction of Belcher.

vehicles

All engines came from Herschell-Spillman .

In 1905 there were three different models. The Model A had a four-cylinder engine with 18 hp . The wheelbase was 218 cm. A tonneau with side access was the only body shape offered, as with all models of the year. The Model B also had a four-cylinder engine, but with 30 hp. The chassis had a wheelbase of 277 cm. In the Model D , the four-cylinder engine developed 50 hp. There was a choice of two wheelbases of 274 cm and 305 cm.

In 1906 the engine output of the Model A was increased to 20 hp and the wheelbase was lengthened to 249 cm. In Model B , only the wheelbase has been changed to 292 cm. Model C with a six-cylinder engine and 50 hp was new . Its wheelbase was 310 cm. The Model D was omitted. All bodies were touring cars , with five seats for the two smaller models and seven seats for the large model.

In 1907 there was only one Model D on offer. It had a four-cylinder engine with 35 hp, a wheelbase of 300 cm and a five-seater touring car body.

Model E appeared in 1910 . In terms of engine, it corresponded to its predecessor. As a two- and three-seater runabout , it had a wheelbase of 269 cm, while a four-seater toy tonneau and a five-seater touring car had a wheelbase of 302 cm.

1911 short wheelbase accounted for the Model E . Available were a five-seat touring car, six-seat landaulet , six-seat sedan , two- and four-seat roadster , four- and five-seat toy tonneau and a five-seat gunboat .

For 1912 the wheelbase of the Model E was extended to 315 cm. The superstructures were limited to runabouts, toy tonneau, torpedo and touring cars. The Model F completed the range as a touring car. It had a six-cylinder engine that was specified with 58 hp according to the SAE standard. The wheelbase was 340 cm.

Model overview

year model cylinder Power ( hp ) Wheelbase (cm) construction
1905 Model A 4th 18th 218 Side entrance tonneau
1905 Model B 4th 30th 277 Side entrance tonneau
1905 Model D 4th 50 274 and 305 Side entrance tonneau
1906 Model A 4th 20th 249 5-seater touring car
1906 Model B 4th 30th 292 5-seater touring car
1906 Model C 6th 50 310 7-seater touring car
1907 Model D 4th 35 300 5-seater touring car
1910 Model E. 4th 35 269 Runabout 2- and 3-seater
1910 Model E. 4th 35 302 Toy Tonneau 4-seater, touring car 5-seater
1911 Model E. 4th 35 302 5-seater touring car, 6-seater landaulet, 6-seater sedan, 2- and 4-seater roadster, 4- and 5-seater toy tonneau, 5-seater gunboat
1912 Model E. 4th 35 315 Runabout, Toy Tonneau, Torpedo, Touring Car
1912 Model F 6th 58 340 Touring car

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. 121-122 (English).
  • George Nick Georgano (Editor-in-Chief): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Volume 1: A – F. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 157-158. (English)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 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. 121-122 (English).
  2. ↑ George Nick Georgano (Editor-in-Chief): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 157-158. (English)