Journal The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Issue 247 Electronic September-October 2010 SAH President Susan Davis Drives a Stanley Mountain Wagon, page 2 Inside Date Reminders President’s Message 2 Book Reviews 11 October 8, 2010 Cord Complete SAH Banquet Letters 3 Hershey Country Club, Hershey, PA The Detroit Electric Scheme Josef Sodomka, Jr. 4 Miller-Meteor Spring Meeting Minutes 6 Editorial 14 www.autohistory.org September - October 2010 1 gasoline engine to deliver as much Journal President’s Message power. The Rocket Racer set a land speed record in January 1906 of 127.7 The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Issue 247 September-October 2010 These dog days of summer are mph, a record that confounded internal Offi cers anything but sleepy for SAH. Six combustion until 1910 when Barney Susan S. Davis President months of soliciting, reviewing and Oldfi eld fi nally broke it in a Mercedes J. Douglas Leighton Vice President vetting the many SAH awards come by four mph. Robert R. Ebert Secretary to a head with decisions, sometimes Patrick D. Bisson Treasurer tough ones. Awards cover the best Tested by racing as it was, this Board of Directors English and foreign language books of engine was the obvious pick for Through October 2010 the year, the best article, the periodical Stanley’s truck-turned-bus. It takes Paul N. Lashbrook Stanton A. Lyman of the year, the library to be honored, a lot of power to move such a large Judith E. Endelman the Friend of Automotive History, and vehicle empty, let alone loaded with Through October 2011 non-print media and student paper passengers and their luggage, and then John A. Marino John Heitmann David M. Woodhouse awards. to climb 2,500 vertical feet for twenty Darwyn H. Lumley, ex-offi cio miles up dirt roads into the mountains. Through October 2012 Shortly, I will be contacting the As this old restoration came alive, it felt Steve Wilson Leslie Kendall winners and inviting them to the like a giant awakening. Thomas S. Jakups Awards Banquet at Hershey. And much time will be spent preparing for other The last person to work on and SAH Annual Awards aspects of the fall meeting as well. drive this car, in 1966, was one of the Benz Award, magazine article Bradley Award, research institution All this while we squeeze the last bits Deans of Steam, Maynard Leighton of Brigham Award, magazine of fun and activity from shorter and Winthrop, Maine. Maynard was my Cugnot Award, English language book shorter days, harbingers of the long fi rst teacher, making this especially Cugnot Award, Non-English book winter ahead. meaningful for me. When I started the Friend of Automotive History Stanley Museum in Kingfi eld, Maine, Ingersoll Award, non-print media For me, this means playing with steam in 1981, Maynard brought one of his Scharchburg Award, student paper cars any chance I get. My most recent several Stanleys the 45 minutes from SAH Journal adventure actually ties into Allan Winthrop to Kingfi eld to give rides Allan G. Y. Meyer, Editor, Adv. Mgr. Meyer’s recent article on trucks. Over to the Stanley family members there P.O. Box 1948 three days ending August 1, at the Seal for the occasion. Maynard assented to Vashon, WA 98070-1948 USA Cove Auto Museum near Bar Harbor teach me about these cars, so for the 206-304-3872 [email protected] and Acadia National Park here in next two-and-a-half years, I spent one [email protected] Maine, I led a steam team to get a 1914 day a week from spring till it was too Stanley Mountain Wagon running for cold in the fall learning from Maynard, Publications Committee Thomas S. Jakups, Chair the fi rst time in 44 years. an education I still credit with my love Christopher G. Foster for Stanley mechanics as well as Stanley D. David Duricy, Donald J. Keefe Stanley Mountain Wagons were built driving. Steve Wilson, Allan Meyer on a truck body, designed into a bus in 1907-08 by Freelan Oscar “F.O.” But that’s not my only truck story, the SAH Journal (ISSN 1057–1973) is published six times a year by the Stanley. He used these 9- then 12- other one also involves a steam vehicle. Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. passenger buses to transport people Around 1990, I was privileged to from railheads at 5,000 feet on the fi re—not drive, but fi re—an S-6 British Subscription is by membership plains of Colorado to the mountain Sentinel tipper truck from Woodstock in the Society. town of Estes Park at 7,500 feet, where to Bennington, Vermont, for the annual Membership dues are $40 per year. Stanley was building his now-iconic Bennington Car Show. On that two- Send dues, membership inquiries Stanley Hotel, best known today as hundred-mile round trip, I shoveled and changes of address to the inspiration for Steven King’s The 1,500 pounds of coal. The fi reman had Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Shining. to watch steam pressure. providing coal 178 Crescent Road and water alternately. Exhausting work! Fairport, NY 14450 USA In addition to the truck body, F.O. ©2010 used the 30 HP engine designed for Yes, I did look like a chimney sweep The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. the Rocket land speed record car of each day I fi red. Notwithstanding, Find the Society of Automotive Historians 1906-07. That engine has two 4 1/2- I count this high on my list of peak on the web at www.autohistory.org. inch x 6 1/2-inch bore cylinders in a steam experiences. Getting Seal Cove’s double-acting, simple (vs. compound) 1914 Mountain Wagon back under steam engine. Those two cylinders steam after a 44-year hiatus is my Copy Deadline for Journal 248 provide four power strokes; internal newest addition to that list! And both November 1, 2010 combustion needs an 8-cylinder of them trucks! —Susan Davis 2 SAH Journal No. 247 Electronic Edition wheel at different speeds when making a turn. Both wheels receive Letters power at the same time, but the one on the outside goes faster than one From Ed Benson on the inside. On the Cugnot and, This may be of interest to you. As a for that matter, every animal-drawn former resident of Flint, Michigan, I vehicle, none of the wheels are was noodling around on the Internet connected to any other wheel. On and found a fi lm called Partners in Via Robert Ebert modern front-wheel-drive vehicles, Progress produced as part of the November 13, 2010 — June 20, 2011. the differential is in the front, on rear General Motors 50th anniversary The Studebaker National Museum, drive vehicles, it is in the rear, and on celebration in 1958. If you are in conjunction with the League four wheel drive both front and rear interested in looking at it, here is the of Retired Automobile Designers, (with a third differential between the link: presents a look at what a modern- front and rear on some marques, such http://fl inthistory.com/general-motors/ day Studebaker might look like. Over as Volkswagen and Audi. -Ed.) general-motors-50th-anniversary-1958/ fi fty works created by members of Scroll almost to the bottom of the the League of Retired Automobile 2. The component set of king pin, page and click on the arrow. You will Designers will be shown in the steering knuckle, spindle, tie rod have 23 minutes of pure GM nostalgia. Museum’s AM General Atrium. and suspension had not yet been Enjoy! invented. On animal-drawn vehicles The League is a group of automotive (below) the front axle and wheels From Steven Rossi design veterans from Ford, General Couldn’t agree more with Susan Davis’ Motors, Chrysler, AMC, Studebaker message from #246: those who plan and Packard, and they are devoting ahead may have the ability to enjoy their years of design experience and smooth sailing, and those who don’t talents to present their interpretations may end up on a rocky road. And of what a 21st century Studebaker none of us are getting any younger! would be. The exhibit is being coordinated by former Studebaker Which is why we prepared a pamphlet and Ford designer Virgil Exner, Jr. in the Pierce-Arrow Society, Parting With Your Pierce. This small, self-help folder is being including in one of SAH members are invited to join our routine mailings with the idea of the Classic Car Club of America helping members and their families (CCCA) prepare for the inevitable. founded in 1952 to promote the www.pierce-arrow.org preservation and restoration of distinctive motorcars built between From Nelson Bolan 1925 and 1948. Here are my observations on the The club publishes its Bulletin eight discussions in Journals 245 and times a year and the quarterly Classic 246, especially about the Cugnot. I, Car magazine. too, always heard that the Cugnot were always at a 90 degree angle to The club maintains a museum and was intended as an artillery tractor, each other. There was a pivot or “fi fth research library on the grounds of designed and built by Captain Cugnot wheel” arrangement (above) attaching the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory of the French Army. the center of the front axle to the Corners, Michigan. fl oor or front frame, in the center of For membership details contact the club There are two reasons the Cugnot-type the vehicle being pulled.