Roamer

US, 1916 – 1930

(1) Barley Mfg Co, Streator, Ill., 1916 – 1917

(2) Barley Motor Car Co, Kalamaoo, Mich., 1917 – 1930

Albert C. Barley, who earlier made the Halladay from Streator, Illinois, sold his Roamer car frankly as a cheap Rolls-Royce – which the Roamer car was in radiator shape if not in any other significant respect. The Roamer car was an assembled car. By 1920, the Roamer car was produced with four sizes of proprietary engine. The best-known Roamer car was a 5-litre, 6-cylinder unit by Continental. The powerful 4-cylinder, horizontal-vale Rochester-Duesenberg engine and a Rutenber unit were also used in Roamer cars in the period up to 1920. The rear suspension of the Roamer car was by double cantilever springs – an unconventional touch. Touring and sport models Roamer cars were offered. From 1922 to 1925 a rather small six was sold, on its own: by this time, production of the Rochester-Duesenberg engine had stopped. By 1927, all Roamer cars were 4.0-litre straight-8s, and remained so to the end.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

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