Moon Motor Car Company

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Joseph W. Moon Buggy Company
Moon Motor Car Company
legal form Company
founding 1893
resolution 1930
Seat St. Louis , Missouri , USA
management Carl W. Burst
Branch vehicles

Moon Roadster Model 6-40 (1922-1925)

Moon Motor Car Company , before Joseph W. Moon Buggy Company , was an American vehicle manufacturers from St. Louis ( Missouri ).

Company formation

Joseph William Moon left the Moon Brothers Carriage Company in 1893 after a dispute with his brother John Corydon . He then founded his own company with the Joseph W. Moon Buggy Company . He continued to make carriages . In April 1905 the production of automobiles began in a subdivision of the company . The brand name was Moon . The name Moon Motor Car Company was named as early as 1905 , although this was unofficial. In 1907 the name was changed or founded in Moon Motor Car Company . Another source indicates that carriages were made under the original name until 1917. Stewart McDonald became the new president no later than February 12, 1919 after the death of the founder. The brand name Moon was abandoned in 1929. In 1930 the company was dissolved.

A subsidiary, Windsor Corporation, produced Windsor brand vehicles from 1929 to 1930 .

history

  • 1905 car for five people with a 30 or 35 bhp (22 or 25.7 kW) strong Rutenber engine. The car was designed by Louis P. Mooers, who previously worked at Peerless . This vehicle, touted as The Ideal American Car , cost US $ 3,000.
  • In 1906 the company produced 45 vehicles.
  • In 1908 Moon went on to sell their four-cylinder Moon to the Hol-Tan Company in New York , where Locke , Quinby and Demarest provided the vehicles (chassis) with a body . These hol-tan cars were only sold for one year.
  • In 1910 the price was lowered to $ 1,500 or $ 2,000 for a new vehicle.
  • In 1913 production had increased to 1,540 vehicles and the installation of a six-cylinder engine began . From 1916 onwards there were only six-cylinder models.
  • In 1919 the company founder Joseph W. Moon died; his son-in-law Stewart McDonald took over the company. The Moon had since evolved into a solidly built car that had some refinements and was further developed over time. Most of the engines were side-controlled and made by Continental .
  • In 1921 the 6-42 was released, a model exclusively for export; it had an overhead six cylinder engine made by the Falls Motor Corporation .
  • In 1923, removable rims , interchangeable wheels, and balloon tires were introduced. The company's best seller, Errett Lobban Cord , left the company.
  • 1924 was followed by hydraulic Lockheed - brakes . In the same year the Moon Roadster Type 6-40 (3.4 liter displacement) was produced.
  • The highest production was recorded in 1925 . 13,000 vehicles left the St. Louis plant. In the same year the Diana brand was introduced for a more upscale market segment, but was discontinued in 1928.
  • In 1928 the Moon Aerotype 8-80 was launched, a slightly improved version of the Diana Eight that was discontinued at the beginning of the year . the previous Moon appeared as a new model Aerotype 6-72 . With this model policy, however, the end of Moon began. Only 3000 vehicles were sold. The company got into financial difficulties. President Stewart McDonald was replaced by CW Burst , but was ultimately unsuccessful despite many attempts.
  • In 1929 the investor Archie Andrews became aware of the Moon Motor Car Company. For his company New Era Motors , he was looking for production opportunities for a new luxury car with front-wheel drive that was to bear the name Ruxton . Andrews acquired a majority of the share capital and had the Ruxton produced in St. Louis. Others were built at the Kissel Motor Car Company in Hartford ( Wisconsin ) because Moon had too little capacity. Andrews' takeover took place against bitter resistance from the previous management, resulting in legal battles. The Windsor Corporation was founded as a subsidiary in January ; their vehicles were offered as Windsor . In April 1929, the Moon brand was given up, and all of the Moon Motor Car Company's automobiles were now also sold as Windsor . In addition, they started building a vehicle for the cotton pickers association.
  • In 1930 the Windsor was initially discontinued, soon followed by the Ruxton produced for New Era : Vehicle production did not survive the year 1930.

It took two decades to split up the company structure. After being valued at US $ 1,250,000 at its prime, it was sold in the early 1930s for US $ 72,000 to the Cupples Company , which made matches.

Models

model Construction period cylinder power wheelbase
A. 1905-1906 4 row 35 bhp (26 kW) 2692 mm
C. 1907-1910 4 row 32–35 bhp (23.5–26 kW) 2794-2845 mm
D. 1908-1909 4 row 32–35 bhp (23.5–26 kW) 3073 mm
45 1910-1912 4 row 45 bhp (33 kW) 3048-3124 mm
30th 1911-1912 4 row 30–32 bhp (22–23.5 kW) 2896-2946 mm
40 1912 4 row 32 bhp (23.5 kW) 3048 mm
39 1913 4 row 25 bhp (18.4 kW) 2946 mm
48 1913 4 row 32 bhp (23.5 kW) 3073 mm
65 1913 6 row 38 bhp (28 kW) 3353 mm
42 1914 4 row 32 bhp (23.5 kW) 2997 mm
6-50 1914-1916 6 row 33–50 bhp (24–37 kW) 3251-3353 mm
4-38 1915 4 row 23 bhp (17 kW) 3048 mm
6-40 1915-1916 6 row 29–40 bhp (21–29 kW) 3048-3124 mm
6-30 1916 6 row 30 bhp (22 kW) 2997 mm
6-43 1917 6 row 40 bhp (29 kW) 2997 mm
6-66 1917-1919 6 row 66 bhp (48.5 kW) 3175 mm
6-36 1918-1919 6 row 35 bhp (26 kW) 2896 mm
6-45 1918 6 row 45 bhp (33 kW) 3175 mm
(Victory) 6-48 1920-1922 6 row 48 bhp (35 kW) 2997 mm
6-68 1920-1921 6 row 68 bhp (50 kW) 3150 mm
6-42 1921 6 row 37 bhp (27 kW) 2921 mm
6-40 (Newport) 1922-1925 6 row 50 bhp (37 kW) 2921 mm
6-75 1922 6 row 70 bhp (51 kW) 3429 mm
6-58 (London) 1923-1926 6 row 56–58 bhp (41–43 kW) 3251 mm
Series A 1925-1927 6 row 50 bhp (37 kW) 2870 mm
6-50 Metropolitan 1925 6 row 52 bhp (38 kW) 2921 mm
6-60 1927 6 row 47 bhp (34.6 kW) 2794 mm
(Aerotype) 6-72 1928-1929 6 row 66 bhp (48.5 kW) 3048 mm
(Aerotype) 8-80 1928-1929 8 row 85 bhp (62.5 kW) 3175-3188 mm

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. 994-999 (English).

Web links

Commons : Moon Motor Car Company  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Automobile Quarterly Volume 25, Issue 4.