Gray Motor Corporation

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Gray Motor Corporation
legal form Corporation
founding 1920
resolution 1926
Seat Detroit , Michigan , USA
Branch Automobiles

Gray from 1925

Gray Motor Corporation was an American manufacturer of automobiles .

Company history

The company was founded in Detroit , Michigan in early 1920 . It took over the factory of the engine manufacturer Gray Motor Company . Frank F. Beall, previously with Packard , and William H. Blackburn, previously with Cadillac , ran it. After a year, Frank L. Klingensmith from Ford joined the company and became President. They started producing automobiles in November 1921. The brand name was Gray . Sales expectations amounted to 250,000 vehicles annually. In fact, far fewer were created. Depending on the source, 1,772 or 14,772 vehicles have survived until June 1923. Part of the production was exported to New Zealand , where Todd Motors' vehicles were sold. Klingensmith withdrew in January 1925. Production ended in 1926.

There was no association with the Andermat Machine Company and the Gray Light Car Corporation , which previously used the same brand name.

vehicles

The first model in the years 1922-1923 should be directly against the Ford Model T to compete. The four-cylinder engine with a capacity of 2805 cm³ and an output of 20 hp had side valves. It drove the rear axle via a three-speed gearbox. The chassis had a wheelbase of 254 cm . There was a choice of five-seat touring car , two-seat roadster , five-seat coach , two-seat coupé and five-seat sedan . The new prices were around 25% above the prices of the Ford T.

In 1924 there were some changes in the superstructure. The coach only had four seats. A sporty touring car with five seats was added.

In 1925 the wheelbase was lengthened to 264 cm. At the same time, prices were increased. The coach, the roadster and the sporty touring car were omitted. The coupe now had either two or three seats. A sporty sedan with five seats was new.

In 1926, the engine output was increased to 21 hp and the wheelbase was lengthened to 267 cm. The prices, however, were lowered. The range only included touring cars and limousines, both with five seats. The vehicles now also had front wheel brakes.

Model overview

year model cylinder Power ( hp ) Wheelbase (cm) construction
1922-1923 20 HP 4th 20th 254 5-seater touring car, 2-seater roadster, 5-seater coach, 2-seater coupé, 5-seater sedan
1924 20 HP 4th 20th 254 Roadster 2-seater, touring car 5-seater, sports touring car 5-seater, coupé 2-seater, coach 4-seater, sedan 5-seater
1925 20 HP 4th 20th 264 5-seater touring car, 2-seater and 3-seater coupé, 5-seater sedan, 5-seater sports sedan
1926 21 HP 4th 21st 267 5-seater touring car, 5-seater sedan

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. 655 (English).
  • George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . Volume 2: G-O . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 646 (English).

Web links

Commons : Gray Motor Corporation  - Collection of images, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 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. 655 (English).
  2. ↑ George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . Volume 2: G-O . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 646 (English).
  3. ↑ Beverly Rae Kimes, Henry Austin Clark Jr .: Standard catalog of American Cars. 1805-1942. 2nd Edition. Krause Publications, Iola 1989, ISBN 0-87341-111-0 , p. 626 (English).