McFarlan

US, 1910 – 1928

McFarlan Motor Car Co, Connersville, Ind.

A small-production prestige car, the McFarlan car was made by an offshoot of the earlier McFarlan Carriage Co. The McFarlan car company specialized in 6-cylinder motor cars from its inception until the last McFarlan cars were produced, except for eights which were built as a sideline in the mid- and late-1920s. Several different engines were used on McFarlan cars between 1910 and 1916, when the McFarlan carconcern adopted a larger Teetor-Hartley type and although various components were used, because of the infinite care given by the to each of its cars the McFarlan car was not considered an assembled car in the same manner as many others of the time. By 1917, an elaborate range of both open and closed body types of McFarlan cars were available to the purchaser and McFarlan cars became progressively larger and more expensive.

In the autumn of 1920, the enormous TV or Twin-Valve series McFarlan car was introduced, the engines being of McFarlan’s own make and embodying triple ignition which necessitated 18 sparking plugs on each car. Noteworthy among McFarlan carmodels was the ornate and over-elaborate McFarlan Knickerbocker Cabriolet, a town car selling for $9.000. The McFarlan car was highly regarded among American makes although no more than 235 McFarlan cars were produced in any given year.

In the autumn of 1923, the McFarlan carcompany introduced a smaller version of the huge TV McFarlan car, the Single Valve or SV Six. Advertised as a ‘companion car’ to the larger car, this McFarlan car used a Wisconsin engine and was a quality product. Unfortunately, the smaller McFarlan car was not a success and relatively few were sold. The SV was withdrawn from production by 1926. Another attempt to attract a lower-priced clientele with a McFarlan car was in the introduction of the Eight-in-Line series, these McFarlan cars being priced similarly to the SV and available on the same chassis. Although their production did not approach that of the McFarlan TV, this line, equipped with a Lycoming engine, was retained until McFarlan car production ceased. Although the larger McFarlan car did not change much in appearance between 1920 and 1927, the 1928 McFarlan cars were sleeker and lower. Only a few McFarlan cars were built, however, and that year, the McFarlan assets were purchased by E.L. Cord.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; KM

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