Elcar Motor Company

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Elkhart Carriage & Motor Car Company
Elcar Motor Company
legal form Company
founding 1915
resolution 1936
Reason for dissolution liquidation
Seat Elkhart , Indiana , USA
Branch Automobiles

Elcar from 1930

Elcar Motor Company , previously Elkhart Carriage & Motor Car Company , was an American manufacturer of automobiles .

prehistory

The brothers William B. and George B. Pratt had operated the Elkhart Carriage & Harness Manufacturing Company in Elkhart , Indiana , since 1871 . They initially produced carriages and from 1909 automobiles. The brand name was Pratt-Elkhart until 1915 . In 1915 the company name changed to Pratt Motor Car Company and the brand name to Pratt .

Company history

Late in 1915 the brothers undertook a reorganization. This is how the Elkhart Carriage & Motor Car Company came into being in the same city. Starting in 1916, they started producing automobiles again, which were now marketed as Elcar .

In July 1921, the brothers sold the company to former Auburn managers GW Bundy, WH Denison, AM Graffis and FB Sears. With them, 50 employees moved from Auburn to Elkhart, a bloodletting that caused serious problems at Auburn.

The company name then changed to Elcar Motor Company . Sears was President and Graffis Chief Engineer. The contract for the delivery of army ambulances made the start of the new management team easier. From 1922 taxis were also built . Elcar manufactured solid vehicles of the American middle class and upper middle class . The company's best period was in the mid-1920s. In 1930 bankruptcy could still be averted. The bankruptcy began in 1931. That was also the end of the Elcar brand .

During the attempts to rescue it, there were contacts with Alvah Powell, who had developed the lever motor, and with Harry Wahl, who wanted to re-launch a Mercer vehicle . Only prototypes were made of both models .

Vehicle production finally ended in 1933 or 1934. A total of around 20,000 vehicles were built.

On May 5, 1936, the company was liquidated and auctioned.

The Allied Cab Manufacturing Company used part of the plant between 1932 and 1935.

vehicles

Brand name Elcar

All vehicles had bought-in engines. They were each available with several different bodies, as can be seen in the overview below.

The model 1916 had a four-cylinder engine from Lycoming with 35 hp power. The chassis had a wheelbase of 290 cm .

In 1917 the wheelbase was lengthened to 292 cm and the range of bodies expanded.

The name Model E-Four has been handed down for 1918 . The engine output was now 37.5 hp and the wheelbase was 295 cm. The D-Six model was added. The six-cylinder engine came from the Continental Motors Company and developed 40 hp. The wheelbase corresponded to the four-cylinder model.

In 1919 the H-Four model replaced the previous four-cylinder model with the same data. The six-cylinder model remained unchanged.

In 1920 the special model names were dropped. The four-cylinder model remained unchanged. In the six-cylinder model, the engine output was increased to 55 hp.

In 1921 both model series got a wheelbase of 297 cm.

In 1922 the wheelbase was extended to 300 cm. The names were now Model 22-K-4 and Model 22-7-R .

In 1923 the range consisted of the Model 4-40 and Model 6-60 . The four-cylinder engine now developed 40 hp, the six-cylinder engine still 55 hp. The wheelbase remained unchanged at 300 cm.

In 1924, the engine output of the Model 4-40 was increased to 42 hp and at the same time the wheelbase was shortened to 284 cm. The new Model 6-50 had the same wheelbase and the same superstructures. Its six-cylinder engine developed 50 hp. The Model 6-60 remained unchanged.

In 1925, the four-cylinder model and the large six-cylinder model remained unchanged. In Model 6-50 the wheelbase has been extended to 295 cm. The new Model 8-80 had an eight-cylinder in - line Lycoming engine . Its engine output was given as 65 hp. The wheelbase was 323 cm.

1926 was the last year for a four-cylinder model. The Model 4-55 had an engine with 46 hp and a wheelbase of 295 cm. The Model 6-65 replaced the two previous six-cylinder models . Its engine developed 55 hp. The wheelbase was also 295 cm. The eight-cylinder model had been developed into the Model 8-81 . The engine now made 82 cm. The wheelbase of 335 cm made larger bodies possible.

In 1927, the range consisted of the six-cylinder model Model 6-70 with 70 hp and 297 cm wheelbase, the small eight-cylinder model 8-82 with 62 hp and 312 cm wheelbase, and the large eight-cylinder model 8-90 with 82 hp and 335 cm wheelbase. The latter model was also available as a seven-seater sedan with a 340 cm wheelbase.

In 1928 the Model 6-70 remained unchanged. The Model 8-78 corresponded to the previous Model 8-82 . A new Model 8-82 had a 70 hp engine and a 312 cm wheelbase. In the 8-91 model , the engine developed 84 hp. The wheelbase was 323 cm. The Model 8-92 had the same engine but a 340 cm wheelbase. The Model 8-120 had an improved Lycoming engine with 115 horsepower. The wheelbase was also 340 cm.

In 1929 the six-cylinder model was named Model 75 . The engine now made 61 hp. Model 95 and Model 96 had identical 90 hp engine power and 312 cm wheelbase. The 120 model with 115 hp and 340 cm wheelbase ranked above this .

In 1930 the six-cylinder model was renamed Model 75 A. Model 95 , Model 96 and Model 120 remained unchanged. The new model 130 had 140 hp engine power and 330 cm wheelbase. Two sedans and a convertible sedan were created from the Model 140 , which was to serve as the basis for the new Mercer . There were also test cars with the lever engine.

In 1931 the six-cylinder model was named Model 86 . The Model 100 replaced the previous Model 95 and Model 96 . The Model 130 remained unchanged.

Brand name Diamond

Elcar becomes the fleet supplier for the Diamond Taxicab Company in Chicago. Elcar advert from 1921.

A fleet customer for the Elcar taxi was the Diamond Taxicab Company in Chicago. Nat D. Jacoby , who already controlled the local Black & White Cab Company taxi company, organized its New York branch . He wanted to use a specially developed taxi for his Diamond Taxicab , which was to be built by the Diamond Taxicab Company founded in Ypsilanti (Michigan) . This new manufacturer was designed as a joint venture between various companies, in which the car manufacturer Gray Motor Corporation and Apex Motor Corporation ( Gray and Ace passenger cars) played a larger role. It was very well capitalized at US $ 10 million. Elcar chief engineer AM Graffis apparently made the plans for the taxi on behalf of the company. A prototype was built by Apex Motor in 1922 and acquired by Jacoby, including the plans. Possibly under the impression of the foreseeable financial difficulties at Apex Motor - the company had to close in early 1923 - Jacoby changed his mind and had a new design made at the Driggs-Seabury Ordnance Corporation in New Haven, Connecticut . The new Diamond taxi was designed to be particularly light, easy to maintain and economical. It ultimately failed, not least because its construction could not be brought into compliance with the new taxi regulations of the city of New York. Also Driggs-Seabury came in November 1923 in financial difficulties, but could even save himself yet.

This led to a third and final version of the taxi that Elcar has now created. This is likely to have been the aforementioned Elcar taxi with customer-specific equipment. At least 1,000 Diamond taxis were built. Most of them seem to have been created by Elcar. The Diamond Taxicab Company passed an initial order for 250 units on to Elcar in 1922 because its own production facilities in Ypsilanti (Michigan) were not ready.

Brand names Martel and Royal Martel

Around 200 taxis of these two brands were built between May 1925 and 1927. Plans totaled 5,000 vehicles annually. The buyer was Jules Martin and his Royal Martel Taxi Corporation from New York City . The Royal Martel was arguably better equipped than the Martel and had bumpers and shock absorbers . The engine came from Lycoming. Another source gives the construction period from 1925 to 1926.

Brand name El-Fay

These were taxis too. The customer was Larry Fay. One source indicates the construction period from 1929 to 1932. Another source suggests that this brand name was not used until 1931. This source states that production ran until early 1935. But there are also indications that it ended with the death of Larry Fay on New Years Day in 1933 or with the bankruptcy of Elcar in 1933. The chassis of the Elcar models 70, 75, 75 A and 86 formed the basis of the vehicles.

Elcar model overview

year model cylinder Power ( hp ) Wheelbase (cm) construction
1916 35 HP 4th 35 290 5-seater touring car , 2-seater runabout
1917 35 HP 4th 35 292 5-seater touring car, 4-seater Cloverleaf Roadster , 2-seater roadster, 5-seater sedan
1918 Model D-Six 6th 40 295 5-seater touring car, 5-seater sedan, 4-seater roadster
1918 Model E-Four 4th 37.5 295 5-seater touring car, 4-seater roadster, 5-seater sedan
1919 Model D-Six 6th 40 295 5-seater touring car, 4-seater touring roadster, 5-seater sedan, 4-seater Sportster
1919 Model H-Four 4th 37.5 295 4-seater and 5-seater touring cars, 5-seater sedan
1920 37.5 HP 4th 37.5 295 5-seater touring car, 4-seater Sportster, 5-seater sedan, 3-seater coupé
1920 55 HP 6th 55 295 5-seater touring car, 4-seater Sportster, 5-seater sedan, 3-seater coupé
1921 37.5 HP 4th 37.5 297 Roadster 3-seater, touring car 5-seater, Sportster 4-seater, Coupé 3-seater, sedan 5-seater
1921 55 HP 6th 55 297 5-seater touring car, 3-seater roadster, 4-seater Sportster, 3-seater coupé
1922 Model 22-K-4 4th 37.5 300 5-seater touring car, 4-seater sport, 3-seater roadster, 4-seater coupé, 5-seater sedan
1922 Model 22-7-R 6th 55 300 5-seater touring car, 4-seater sport, 3-seater roadster, 4-seater coupé, 5-seater sedan, 5-seater suburban
1923 Model 4-40 4th 40 300 5-seater touring car, 4-seater sport, 3-seater roadster, 4-seater coupé, 5-seater sedan
1923 Model 6-60 6th 55 300 Touring car 5-seater, Sport 4-seater, Roadster 3-seater, Coupé 4-seater, Brougham 5-seater, Sedan 5-seater
1924 Model 4-40 4th 42 284 Phaeton 5-seat, Demi Sport 5-seat, Speedway Sport, Standard Brougham 5-seat, Sport Brougham, Limousine, Sport Limousine
1924 Model 6-50 6th 50 284 Phaeton 5-seat, Demi Sport 5-seat, Speedway Sport, Standard Brougham 5-seat, Sport Brougham, Limousine, Sport Limousine
1924 Model 6-60 6th 55 300 Phaeton 5-seat, Sport 5-seat, Brougham 4-seat, Brougham Limousine 5-seat
1925 Model 4-40 4th 42 284 Touring car 5-seat, Demi Sport 5-seat, Sport 5-seat, Brougham 5-seat, Sport Brougham 5-seat, Limousine 5-seat, Sport Limousine 5-seat
1925 Model 6-50 6th 50 295 Demi Sport 5-seat, Sport 5-seat, Brougham 5-seat, Sport Brougham 5-seat, Standard sedan 5-seat, Sport sedan 5-seat
1925 Model 6-60 6th 55 300
1925 Model 8-80 8th 65 323 5-seater and 7-seater touring car, 3-seater roadster, 5-seater Brougham
1926 Model 4-55 4th 46 295 Phaeton 5-seat, Coach 5-seat, Limousine 5-seat
1926 Model 6-65 6th 55 295 Phaeton 5-seat, Coach 5-seat, Limousine 5-seat
1926 Model 8-81 8th 82 335 Phaeton 5-seat and 7-seat, Roadster 4-seat, Coupé 3-seat, Limousine 5-seat and 7-seat, Brougham 5-seat
1927 Model 6-70 6th 60 297 Brougham 5-seat, sedan 5-seat, Landaulet Roadster 4-seat
1927 Model 8-82 8th 62 312 Brougham 5-seat, sedan 5-seat, Landaulet Roadster 4-seat
1927 Model 8-90 8th 82 335 Brougham 5-seat, Landaulet Roadster 4-seat, Sedan 5-seat
1927 Model 8-90 8th 82 340 7-seater sedan
1928 Model 6-70 6th 60 297 Brougham 5-seat, sedan 5-seat
1928 Model 8-78 8th 62 312 Standard Roadster 4-seater, Royal Roadster 4-seater, Standard Saloon 5-seater, Standard Coupé 4-seater, Royal Saloon 5-seater, Royal Coupé 4-seater
1928 Model 8-82 8th 70 312 Roadster 4-seater, Coupé 4-seater, sedan 5-seat, Princess sedan 5-seat
1928 Model 8-91 8th 84 323 Roadster 4-seater, Prince Limousine 5-seater, Prince Brougham 5-seater, Coupé 4-seater, Saloon 5-seater and 7-seater
1928 Model 8-92 8th 84 340
1928 Model 8-120 8th 115 340
1929 Model 75 6th 61 297 Roadster 2-seat and 4-seat, touring car 5-seat, Club Limousine 5-seat, Convertible Coupé 4-seat, Coupé 4-seat, Sedan 5-seat
1929 Model 95 8th 90 312 Roadster 2-seat and 4-seat, touring car 5-seat, Club Limousine 5-seat, Convertible Coupé 4-seat, Coupé 4-seat, Sedan 5-seat
1929 Model 96 8th 90 312 Roadster 4-seater, Convertible Coupé 4-seater, Coupé 4-seater, Sedan 5-seater
1929 Model 120 8th 115 340 Roadster 4-seater, touring car 5-seater, Convertible Coupé 4-seater, Coupé 4-seater, Sedan 5-seater and 7-seater
1930 Model 75 A 6th 61 297 5-seater saloon, 5-seater club saloon, 5-seater and 7-seater touring cars, 4-seater convertible coupé, 4-seater coupé, 2-seater and 4-seater roadster
1930 Model 95 8th 90 312 5-seater and 7-seater limousine, Club Limousine, Convertible Landau, 4-seater coupé, 5-seater and 7-seater touring car, 2-seater and 4-seater roadster
1930 Model 96 8th 90 312 Fleetwing Limousine 5-seater and 7-seater, Princess Limousine 5-seater, Coupé 4-seater, Roadster 4-seater, Convertible Coupé 4-seater
1930 Model 120 8th 115 340
1930 Model 130 8th 140 330 4-seat coupé, 5-seat and 7-seat limousine, business coupé, club limousine, convertible Landau, touring car 5-seat and 7-seat, roadster 4-seat
1930 Model 140 343 Limousine, convertible sedan
1931 Model 86 6th 61 297 Roadster 2-seat and 4-seat, Coupé 2-seat and 4-seat, Club Limousine, Convertible Landaulet, Limousine
1931 Model 100 8th 90 312 Roadster 4-seater, Coupé 2-seater and 4-seater, Convertible Landaulet, Club Limousine, Fleet Limousine, Princess Limousine
1931 Model 130 8th 140 330 Roadster 4-seater, Coupé 2-seater and 4-seater, Convertible Landaulet, Club Limousine, Limousine 5-seater and 7-seater

Elcar production figures

year Production number
1916 415
1917 1,090
1918 936
1919 943
1920 1,536
1921 1,338
1922 1,338
1923 1,710
1924 1,836
1925 1,891
1926 1,336
1927 1,483
1928 1.312
1929 1,206
1930 873
1931 138
total 19,381

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. 520-523 and p. 526 (English).
  • George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . Volume 1: A-F . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 487-488 (English).

Web links

Commons : Elcar Motor Company  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c d William S. Locke: Elcar and Pratt Automobiles. The Complete Story. (English, accessed January 20, 2018)
  2. ↑ a b 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. 520-523 (English).
  3. ↑ a b George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . Volume 1: A-F . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 487-488 (English).
  4. ^ Beverly Rae Kimes: Pioneers, Engineers, and Scoundrels: The Dawn of the Automobile in America. Ed. SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Permissions, Warrendale PA, 2005; ISBN 0-7680-1431-X ; Pp. 443-444
  5. ↑ coachbuilt.com: Pratt, Elkhart, Elcar.
  6. ↑ Harald H. Linz, Halwart Schrader : The International Automobile Encyclopedia . United Soft Media Verlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-8032-9876-8 , chapter Elcar (I).
  7. ↑ 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. 453 (English).
  8. ↑ a b 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. 493 (English).
  9. ↑ a b coachbuilt.com: Driggs Ordnance & Manufacturing Corp.
  10. ↑ a b 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. 932 (English).
  11. ↑ a b c 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. 1312 (English).
  12. ↑ a b c 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. 526 (English).
  13. ↑ Article about Larry Fay (accessed January 20, 2018)