Lexington Motor Company

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Lexington Model R-19 Minute Man Six Touring (1919)
Two racing cars on the Lexington Motor Company site in Connersville, Indiana in 1920

The Lexington Motor Company was an automobile manufacturer , who from 1909 to 1927 in Lexington (Kentucky) and Connersville (Indiana) was established. Like most automobiles made in Indiana , the Lexington were built from components from different manufacturers ( "Assembled Car" ). The Thoroughbred Six and the Minute Man Six were well-known models from the company.

history

Lexington Motor Company was founded in Lexington, Kentucky in 1909 by Kinsey Stone , a Kentucky-based horse racing agent. The beginnings were modest, the first production facility was a converted barn. After just a few months, these premises were no longer large enough for the company.

In 1910, a number of Connersville, Indiana business people felt that their community had become too attached to the carriage industry , whose business was deteriorating with the growing auto industry. These businessmen convinced Stone to move manufacturing to the McFarlan Industrial Park in Connersville at 800 18th Street. The company's headquarters were on the Columbia Ave. Relocated in 1950. John C. Moore , the company's chief engineer, immediately began improving the vehicles to keep them competitive. His engine with separate exhaust for each cylinder from 1911 was 30% more powerful with lower fuel consumption. The exhaust pipes were merged into a double exhaust.

In 1912, the company registered their vehicles for both the Glidden Tour and the Indianapolis 500 .

Sale and expansion

Emerging financial problems were resolved in 1913 when the Ansted Spring and Axle Company , a major manufacturer of axles and leaf springs for buggies , bought the Lexington Motor Company . Shortly afterwards, the local Central Car Company approached him to have their own, newly developed passenger car called Howard built at Lexington. The agreement came about, and Central management founded the Howard Motor Car Company in Chicago ( Illinois ) for sales .

The new company was called Lexington-Howard . From 1915 the company was again called Lexington Motor Company. The four-cylinder engines built into the Lexington until then were replaced by a light and a heavier six-cylinder engine. With these new Ansted engines, the Lexington became modern, powerful cars. Continental engines were used from 1916 .

In 1915 Lexington expanded its company premises for the first time after the move. A factory building was erected immediately north of the administration. At the same time, the 30 m chimney was built, on which the name "Lexington" could be read in lighter bricks. Four years later, the company built a 9,852 m² assembly hall west of the administration building.

In 1917 the founder of the Ansted Springs and Axle Company , EW Ansted , died at the age of 63.

In the same year, Moore designed a new frame with a sturdy box cross member, which eliminated the problem of warped doors caused by the twisting of the frame. This car also got a handbrake that worked on the cardan shaft . In 1918 Lexington had solid roofs that were supplied by the Rex Manufacturing Company , also located in the MacFarlan complex.

In 1918 the new Ansted Engineering Company bought Teetor-Hartley's engine division in Hagerstown, Indiana . In 1919 the 7,925 m² Ansted engine plant was built north of the Lexington factory up to 21st Street. The Lexington and Ansted factories together covered an area of ​​25,000 m², three blocks long and two blocks wide.

At the peak

United States Automotive Corporation stock dated March 11, 1921

For the hill climb on Pikes Peak , Lexington built two racing cars with short wheelbases and powerful Ansted engines in 1920. On their first outing, the cars took first and second place and won the Penrose Trophy for the company. In 1924 Otto Loesche won the challenge cup again with a Lexington with a drive of only 18 minutes and 15 seconds, so he stayed with Lexington. The trophy is on display in the Reynolds Museum on Vine Street.

Company President Frank B. Ansted announced the formation of the United States Automotive Corporation at the New York International Auto Show on January 12, 1920 . It was formed through a merger of Lexington Motor Company, Ansted Engineering Company, Connersville Foundry Corporation and Teetor-Hartley Motor Corporation. The company's assets were valued at US $ 10 million. In 1920, more Lexington automobiles were built than ever before or since, over 6,000 units.

On December 16, 1921, William C. Durant , founder of General Motors , ordered 30,000 Ansted engines for his new Durant Six , which was to be built by Durant Motors in Muncie, Indiana . In late 1921, Alanson P. Brush , designer of the Brush Runabout and advisor to GM, sued Ansted for infringing a number of its patents. The negative publicity hurt United States Automotive a lot.

Records show that the United States Automotive Corporation, Lexington's parent company, owned more than ten different factory buildings to manufacture its cars. Auto historian Henry Blommel wrote: "It was a great alliance of auto parts factories whose efforts eventually culminated in the manufacture of the finished Lexington automobile."

Decline

The recession of the early 1920s that began after World War I destroyed many US automakers. Lexington Motor Company and its mother, United States Automotive Corporation, were also affected. In 1922 only about a third as many cars were made as in 1920. In 1923 the Ansted Engineering Company had to file for bankruptcy. Durant was already its main shareholder at that time. 1923, Lexington fell into bankruptcy, but worked for the time being under receivership on. Despite optimistic announcements, it was no longer possible to bring the plant to over 50 percent of its capacity. In 1926, Ansted was taken over by the Auburn Automobile Company , which in turn was controlled by Errett Lobban Cord . Lexington followed in 1927. On May 23, 1927, the production of Lexington automobiles was stopped. Auburn used the facilities to expand its own production facilities and invested US $ 2 million in the factory and production equipment. The new automobile factory did not have to fear comparison with the most modern automobile factories in the world. It consisted of 20 buildings that covered an area of ​​140,000 m². 400 car bodies and 250 finished automobiles could be produced there per day. Sheet metal, wood, machines and other materials were brought to the plant from the northeast and the finished automobiles were delivered to customers in the southwest corner.

Annual model changes

The early Lexington from 1910 to 1913 were automobiles with Rutenber four-cylinder engines, wheelbases of 2946 mm or 3099 mm and various superstructures, such as two-seat runabouts, touring cars with five or seven seats or sedans. In 1914, six-cylinder cars with a wheelbase of 3,302 mm were introduced. The 1915 Light Six had a wheelbase of 3251 mm and developed 29 bhp (21 kW), while its sister model, the Supreme Six , had a wheelbase of 3302 mm and produced 41 bhp (30 kW). Both were available with different bodies: three-seater roadsters, tourers with five, six or seven seats and seven-seater sedans. In 1916 the Thoroughbred Six touring car cost US $ 2875, the Minute Man Six tourer US $ 1185 and the sedan convertible of the same type cost US $ 1350. Both already had electric horns. In comparison, the Enger 40 was $ 2,000, the FAL was $ 1,750, and the Oakland 40 was $ 1,600. The Cole 30 and Colt Runabouts were available for US $ 1500, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash for US $ 650, the Western Gale Model A for US $ 500, the Brush Runabout for US $ 485 and the Ford Model T for as little as 440 US $ .

In 1919 there were new, closed body shapes called "Coupelet", "Sedanette" and "Salon Sedan". All cars had six-cylinder engines and a wheelbase of 3,099 mm.

In 1921/1922 Lexington had two series: The Series S with 47 bhp (34.5 kW) - six-cylinder engine on a chassis with a 3099 mm wheelbase and the Series T with 3251 mm wheelbase and 60 bhp (44 kW). The vehicles were available as touring cars with five or seven seats, sedans, coupés, sedanettes or saloon sedans with seven seats. In 1924/1925 Lexington again offered two series: the Concord with 65 bhp (48 kW) and 3023 mm wheelbase and the Minute Man with 72 bhp (53 kW) and 3124 mm wheelbase. The bodies available were a tourer with five or seven seats, a limousine, a coupe, a royal coach with five seats and a brougham with also five seats. In 1926/1927 the Model 6-50 was available with the same engine and wheelbase as the Concord as a four-seater roadster, four-seater landaulet , five-seater Phaeton or sedan.

Models

model Construction period cylinder power wheelbase
C. 1909-1910 4 row 50 bhp (37 kW) 2946 mm
D. 1909-1910 4 row 35 bhp (25.7 kW) 2959 mm
A. 1909-1910 4 row 50 bhp (37 kW) 3048 mm
B. 1909-1910 4 row 50 bhp (37 kW) 3048 mm
Four-40 1911 4 row 40 bhp (29 kW) 2972 mm
Four-45 1911 4 row 45 bhp (33 kW) 3099 mm
DF 1912 4 row 40 bhp (29 kW) 2972 mm
F. 1912 4 row 45 bhp (33 kW) 3099 mm
Six 1913 6 row 60 bhp (44 kW) 3251 mm
4-24 1914 4 row 24 bhp (17.6 kW) 2921 mm
6-41 1914 6 row 41 bhp (30 kW) 3302 mm
Famous 1915 4 row 24 bhp (17.6 kW) 2921 mm
Light Six 1915 6 row 29 bhp (21 kW) 3251 mm
Supreme Six 1915 6 row 41 bhp (30 kW) 3302 mm
4-KA 1916 4 row 24 bhp (17.6 kW) 2951 mm
6-LA 1916 6 row 29 bhp (21 kW) 3251 mm
Series 6 1917-1918 6 row 35 bhp (25.7 kW) 2946 mm
R-19 1919 6 row 35 bhp (25.7 kW) 3099 mm
Series S 1920-1922 6 row 47 bhp (34.6 kW) 3048-3099 mm
Series T 1921-1922 6 row 60 bhp (44 kW) 3251 mm
23 1923 6 row 65 bhp (48 kW) 3124 mm
Concord 1924-1925 6 row 65 bhp (48 kW) 3023 mm
Minute man 1924-1925 6 row 72 bhp (53 kW) 3124 mm
6-50 1926-1927 6 row 65 bhp (48 kW) 3023 mm

Production numbers

The following list shows the number of Lexington automobiles manufactured each year, starting with 123 pieces in 1909, through 6,128 pieces in 1920, up to 183 pieces in the last full year of manufacture in 1926.

year Prod. Piece
1909 123
1910 625
1911 939
1912 1013
1913 1915
1914 1612
1915 2814
1916 3115
1917 3917
1918 4123
1919 3124
1920 6128
1921 4236
1922 2114
1923 1330
1924 498
1925 339
1926 183

Brand name Ansted

Two models were marketed as Ansted . In 1921 there was the Six , which was based on the Lexington Series T. It had a six-cylinder engine that made 65 hp. The wheelbase was 302 cm. The only body shape was a roadster .

The 1926 model corresponded to a Lexington except for the brand emblem. Six-cylinder engine, 65 hp, 302 cm wheelbase and a five-seater sedan structure were its details.

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 (English).
  • Floyd Clymer: Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877-1925 , Bonanza Books, New York (1950) (English).
  • Beverly Rae Kimes (Eds.), Henry Austin, Clark, Jr.: The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942. 2nd edition, Krause Publications, Iola WI 54990, USA, 1985, ISBN 0-87341-111-0 (English).
  • George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars, 1885 to the Present. Dutton Press, New York, 2nd edition, 1973, ISBN 0-525-08351-0 (English).
  • Don Butler: Auburn Cord Duesenberg. Crestline Publishing Co., Crestline Series , 1992, ISBN 0-879-38701-7 (English).

Web links

Commons : Lexington Motor Company  - collection of pictures, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c d e Clymer: Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877–1925. Bonanza Books, New York (1950)
  2. ↑ 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. 861 (English).
  3. ↑ a b Butler: Auburn Cord Duesenberg. 1992, p. 151.
  4. ↑ trombinoscar.com: Lexington.
  5. ↑ 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. 54 (English).