Pilot

US, 1909 – 1924

Pilot Motor Car Co, Richmond, Ind.

Throughout its life, the Pilot car was an assembled car, with little evidence of imagination in either engineering or style. The Pilot car started as a two-seater roadster which was soon joined by five-seater touring versions. These early models Pilot cars used a 4-cylinder, 35hp engine. In 1913, a 6-cylinder Pilot car was added and this was also the last year of the 4-cylinder Pilot cars. The 6-cylinder engine of 4.9-litres was built by Teetor and developed 90hp. For 1916, a 4.7-litre V8 was added to the Pilot car range. In this year the purchaser of a Pilot car had an odd choice of either right- or left-hand steering position, with centre controls. Pilot Model 6-45 originated in 1916, with a Teetor six of 3.8-litres. With variations only in the wheelbase, this Pilot car was built until the end in 1924. In 1922, a 6-cylinder Herschell-Spillman engine of 50hp was added as the Pilot Model 6-50 and was continued into 1924. In the last year of production of Pilot cars, three chassis were offered. Two Pilot cars had H-S engines and the smallest, the Pilot 6-45, had a Teetor unit.

GB, 1909 – 1914

(1) Motor Schools Ltd, London, N.W., 1909 – 1911

(2) Pilot Motors & Friction Cars Ltd, London, N.W., 1911 – 1914

The Pilot car was made by a firm who specialized in driving and maintenance instruction, but unlike the Academy this Pilot car was not provided with dual control. The main feature of the Pilot car was friction drive by belt and cone pulley, and a variety of engines were used. The Pilot cars using 16hp White & Poppe or 19.6 Hillman engines were only experimental, but from 1911 onwards two Pilot cars were catalogues, the smaller Pilot car with a single-cylinder 7hp Coventry-Simplex, and the larger Pilot car with a 10hp 4-cylinder Chapuis-Dornier engine. Mainly two-seater bodywork was provided on the Pilot car.

D, 1923 – 1925

Pilotwagen AG, Bannewitz; Werau

A 4-cylinder 6/30PS Pilot car was produced by this firm. After the Sächsische Waggonfabrik had acquired a controlling interest in the Pilot car company in 1924 the bodies were built in Werdau.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; GMN, GNG, HON

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