Petrel Motor Car Company

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Petrel Motor Car Company
legal form Company
founding 1908
resolution 1911
Reason for dissolution takeover
Seat Milwaukee , Wisconsin , USA
Branch Automobiles

Petrel Motor Car Company was an American manufacturer of automobiles . One source states that the company was named Petrel Motor Company until 1909 .

Company history

The company was founded in 1908. In November 1908, it moved to the former Earl Motor Car Company plant in Kenosha , Wisconsin . Samuel W. Watkins from the engine manufacturer Beaver Manufacturing Company and the brothers Harry and John Waite, who had already gained experience in automotive engineering with their own company Waite , were involved. Watkins became general manager, Harry Waite chief engineer and John Waite superintendent for the plant. In 1909 the production of automobiles began. The brand name was Petrel .

In the summer of 1909, the company moved to Milwaukee , Wisconsin, to a factory where the WS Seaman Company previously manufactured furniture. According to a source, Seaman rented the plant to Petrel. Bankruptcy began on February 11, 1910 .

In January 1911 Watkins sold both Petrel and Beaver to Filer and Stowell , a Corliss brand steam engine manufacturer . Filer and Stowell then founded the FS Motors Company in the same town. The production of passenger cars of the Petrel brand continued until 1912. In total less than 1000 vehicles of the Petrel and FS brands were built .

vehicles

In 1909 there were two models in the range. The 30 HP had a four-cylinder engine with 30 hp and the 50 HP had a six-cylinder engine with 50 hp. Both were available as a two-seat roadster and a five-seat touring car . The wheelbases were 272 cm and 292 cm for the weaker models and 295 cm and 310 cm for the stronger models, with the shorter wheelbase being withheld from the Roadster. It was the only year for the six-cylinder model.

In 1910 all models had the four-cylinder engine known from the previous year. The Model D was a roadster with a 277 cm wheelbase, the Model E is a four-seater Toy Tonneau cm with 292 wheelbase and the Model F is a five-seater touring car, also with 292 cm wheelbase.

In 1911 the range was expanded. The new Model 25 had an engine with 22 hp, a chassis with a 249 cm wheelbase and superstructures as a torpedo with two or four seats. The previous year's model with the 30 hp engine was available in three versions this year. The Model 40 was 274 cm wheelbase and was karosseriert as a roadster. Model 45 was a Toy Tonneau and Model 55 was a touring car, both with 292 cm wheelbase. Above it were two models with an engine with 40 hp. They had a wheelbase of 300 cm in common. The model 65 was available as a touring car with front doors and a toy tonneau, the model 75 only as a torpedo.

In 1912, the engine in the Model 25 received an increase in output to 25 hp, a longer wheelbase of 254 cm and a body as a roadster with front doors. Model 35 differed only in its structure as a touring car with front doors. In the middle model series, the power was given as 35/40 hp. Model 40 was a roadster, Model 45 was a toy tonneau and Model 55 was a touring car. The wheelbase was a uniform 274 cm. In addition, there were still the two large models from the previous year, now specified with 40/45 hp. Model 65 was a Toy Tonneau and Model 75 was a touring car, both with front doors and 300 cm wheelbase.

The auction house Sotheby’s auctioned off a surviving vehicle in 2015 and expected a price of 100,000 to 150,000 US dollars . Accordingly, two vehicles of this brand should still exist.

Model overview

year model cylinder Power ( hp ) Wheelbase (cm) construction
1909 30 HP 4th 30th 272 Roadster 2-seater
1909 30 HP 4th 30th 292 5-seater touring car
1909 50 HP 6th 50 295 Roadster 2-seater
1909 50 HP 6th 50 310 5-seater touring car
1910 Model D 4th 30th 277 Roadster
1910 Model E. 4th 30th 292 Toy Tonneau 4-seater
1910 Model F 4th 30th 292 5-seater touring car
1911 Model 25 4th 22nd 249 Torpedo 2-seat and 4-seat
1911 Model 40 4th 30th 274 Roadster
1911 Model 45 4th 30th 292 Toy tonneau
1911 Model 55 4th 30th 292 Touring car
1911 Model 65 4th 40 300 Fore-Door Touring Car, Toy Tonneau
1911 Model 75 4th 40 300 torpedo
1912 Model 25 4th 25th 254 Fore-Door Roadster
1912 Model 35 4th 25th 254 Fore-door touring car
1912 Model 40 4th 35/40 274 Roadster
1912 Model 45 4th 35/40 274 Toy tonneau
1912 Model 55 4th 35/40 274 Touring car
1912 Model 65 4th 40/45 300 Fore-Door Toy Tonneau
1912 Model 75 4th 40/45 300 Fore-door 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. 1173-1174 (English).
  • George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . Volume 3: P-Z . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 1209 (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. 1173-1174 (English).
  2. Marián Šuman-Hreblay: Automobile Manufacturers Worldwide Registry . McFarland & Company, London 2000, ISBN 978-0-7864-0972-3 , pp. 225 (English).
  3. George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . Volume 3: P-Z . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 1209 (English).
  4. Mark Theobald: WS Seaman Co. (accessed December 16, 2018)
  5. Auction 2015 (accessed December 15, 2018)