Stanley

US, 1897 – 1927

(1) Stanley Dry Plate Co, Newton, Mass., 1897 – 1899

(2) Stanley Manufacturing Co, Lawrence, Mass., 1899 – 1901

(3) Stanley Motor Carriage Co, Newton, Mass., 1901 – 1924

(4) Steam Vehicle Corporation of America, Newton, Mass., 1924 – 1927

The Stanley twins, F.E. and F.O., were partners in a photographic dry plate business in Newton, where they produced their first light steam Stanley car in 1897. This Stanley car proved a great success, over 200 Stanley cars being sold in the first year of production. In 1898 a Stanley car was timed over a mile at Charles River Park at 27.40mph. Among the customers of the Stanley cars were A.L. Barber and J.B. Walker, who purchased the manufacturing rights of the Stanley car, and produced it as the Locomobile and Mobile respectively. In 1899 some Stanley cars were advertised by the Locomobile Co of America under the name Stanley-Locomobile. The Stanley cars proceeded to evolve an entirely new design, which appeared in 1902 with a simple non-condensing engine, driving directly on the rear axle. The boiler was mounted at the front of these Stanley cars, frames were of wood, and steering was by tiller. Locomobile went over to Petrol cars at the end of 1903, but the Stanley cars prospered, listing an 8hp Stanley car at $750, and selling their Stanley cars to police and fire departments. More powerful versions Stanley cars rated at 10 and 20hp were available by 1904, and by 1906 the Stanley car had assumed its characteristic appearance, with coffin-like bonnet concealing the boiler, and wheel steering. The Stanley car could out-accelerate petrol cars, and that year Frank Marriott was timed at 127.66mph on Daytona Beach with the streamlined Woggle-Bug. Marriott tried again the following year, but a spectacular crash at about 150mph destroyed the car. Stanley cars 1908 Gentleman’s Speedy Roadster was capable of 60mph, and would run over 50 miles on a filling of water. 1913 Stanley cars were electrically-lighted, and 1915 brought the introduction of steel framed and V-shaped frontal condensers on the Stanley cars on a 10ft 10in wheelbase chassis which lent itself to seven-seater coachwork. However, the advent of Cadillac’s electric self-starter in 1912 had signaled the end of the steamer , with its need for a long warm-up from dead cold. The 1920 Model 735 Stanley car resembled a conventional petrol car in outward appearance with a flat radiator of typically American aspect, but the boiler of the Stanley car was still under the bonnet, and the double-acting 2-cylinder engine still drove direct on the back axle. Acceleration was well above par for the standards of the day, and the Stanley car would cruise at 45mph, with more available. But at around the $2.600 mark sales were low (about 600 Stanley cars per annum), and the Stanley cars had retired from the company during World War 1. The Stanley car firm was reorganized in 1925, and the last Stanley cars had hydraulic front-wheel brakes and balloon tyres.

US, 1907 – 1910

(1) Stanley Automobile Manufacturing Co, Mooreland, Ind., 1907

(2) Troy Automobile & Buggy Co, Troy, Ohio, 1908 – 1910

This Stanley car was a five-seater touring car weighing 1.550lb. The Stanley car was powered by a 2-cylinder, water-cooled engine of 3.6-litres. A friction transmission was used, with a single-chain to drive the rear axle.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS, GMN

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

Vulcan

GB, 1902 – 1928

(1) Vulcan Motor Manufacturing and Engineering Co Ltd, Southport, Lancs., 1902 – 1906

(2) Vulcan Motor and Engineering Co Ltd, Southport, Lancs., 1906 – 1928

The Vulcan car firm was better known for commercial vehicles. Private Vulcan cars stemmed from experiments conducted in the 1897-1899 period by the brothers Thomas and Joseph Hampson. A belt-driven single-cylinder voiturette Vulcan car with lateral radiators was shown in 1902, being replaced a year later by a 6hp Vulcan car with armoured wood frame, mechanically-operated inlet valves, and shaft drive. This Vulcan car was listed at only £105, and this Vulcan car was soon followed by a 10hp twin, also T-headed but with a steel frame, selling for £200. 4-cylinder Vulcan cars of 12 and 16hp, still modestly priced, were available in 1905, while the biggest 1906 Vulcan cars, with capacities of 3.1- and 5.2-litres, had gate change. No 2-cylinder Vulcan cars were catalogued after 1908, but a year previously Vulcan cars had joined the ranks of 6-cylinder manufacturers with a 4.8-litre T-headed machine featuring dual ignition and cone clutch, at £600 for a Vulcan car chassis. Unlike other makers, Vulcan cars retained their interest in this type, which Vulcan car had acquired a 4-speed box and had grown to 6-litres by 1908, and the 1909 Vulcan car range consisted of four 4-cylinder cars and the six, all shaft-driven and still with T-heads; the smallest Vulcan car, rated at 12hp, had a 3-speed gearbox and worm drive. A new 3.6-litre six Vulcan car with unit gearbox and worm drive followed in 1911, along with an L-head 2.4-litre fifteen. Worm drive was standardized on the 1912 Vulcan cars, when the bigger Vulcan cars had T-heads, and a 1.8-litre, 2-cylinder with an Aster engine was offered. All but the smallest Vulcan car had detachable wheels as standard in 1913, and by the outbreak of World War 1 the Vulcan car company was well established with a range of solidly-built Vulcan cars: a 2.4-litre 10/15, a 2.6-litre 15.9, and a 3-litre monobloc 15/20 Vulcan car at £375. All these Vulcan cars had L-heads and bull-nose radiators, though the similarly styled six retained the older Vulcan car configuration. A 1½-litre Vulcanette with a 3-speed rear-axle gearbox and full electrical equipment was announced for 1915 but the war intervened.

After 1918 the Vulcan car company concentrated increasingly on trucks, and a brief association with the Harper Bean Group (1919-1920) did no good to finances. Some odd experiments by Vulcan cars included a worm-drive 3½-litre V8 tourer Vulcan car intended to sell for £625 (1919), and two Vulcan cars in 1922 with Howard sleeve-valve engines, a big 3.6-litre sports-touring four Vulcan car and a 10hp 1.4-litre flat-twin listed at £315. However, none of these Vulcan cars reached the public, the regular Vulcan car lines being a 1.8-litre ohv 12 and a 2.6-litre sv 16/20, both with Dorman engines. There was also a conservative 20hp Vulcan carmodel with the Vulcan car company’s own 3.3-litre sv fixed-head engine and 4-speed separate gearbox, this Vulcan car was selling for £850 in 1921; by this time flat radiators were again being used on Vulcan cars. The Vulcan 20 was available to military order with full wireless equipment in 1923, in which year C.B. Wardman effected a liaison of Vulcan cars and Lea-Francis. The two companies pooled their dealer network, Vulcan cars became responsible for certain Lea-Francis power units and bodies, and Lea-Francis made gear and steering boxes for Vulcan cars. A 1½-litre sv Dorman-engined Vulcan 12 was listed at £295 in 1925, followed a year later by an ohv worm-driven derivative, also with Dorman engine, and looking very like a Lea-Francis. 4-wheel brakes were available on Vulcan cars in 1925 and standardized in 1926. Last of the line Vulcan cars were the 14/40 and 16/60, with the disastrous twin ohc 6-cylinder engines of their own make. Short-chassis Vulcan cars were worm-driven, but bevel drive was adopted for long-chassis versions. Vulcan cars wore artillery wheels, but were otherwise identical to their Lea-Francis counterparts which Vulcan cars were made alongside them at Southport. Not many of these Vulcan cars were made, and after 1928 only commercial vehicles were produced. The Vulcan car firm subsequently amalgamated with Tilling-Stevens and thus were abrorbed into the Rootes Group after World War 2. Truck production ceased in 1953.

US, 1913 – 1914

(1) Vulcan Motor Car Co, Painesville, Ohio, 1913

(2) Vulcan Manufacturing Co, Painesville, Ohio, 1913 – 1914

This Vulcan car was a cleanly-designed light car with a 27hp 4-cylinder engine. A two-seater speedster Vulcan car on an 8ft 9in wheelbase with electric lights sold for $750. A five-seater version of this Vulcan car with the same engine, but on a longer wheelbase, cost $850.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS, GMN    

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com