Tag Archives: Model T

Coalpit Heath Americana – Bristol and South Gloucestershire Stationary Engine Club Rally

There was an interesting array of US vehicles on display at the Bristol and South Gloucestershire Stationary Engine Club Rally in Coalpit Heath a couple of weeks dating from at least 1923 to 1956.

Ford Model T, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

From 1923 this Ford Model T pickup is undergoing some restoration the wooden bed at the back looks better than new.

Studebaker Commander, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

The 1929 Studebaker is a little more difficult to identify from the outside it looks like an 8 cylinder Commander but the official DVLA website gives the engine size as 4.5 litres / 274 cui too small to be an 8 and too big to be a 6 cylinder.

Chrysler CM6, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

Chryslers appear to have been popular motors in the UK, this 3 litre CM6 was built in 1930 and registered in the UK on the 15th of January 1931.

Terraplane, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

Terraplane was an entry level brand belonging to Hudson that replaced the Essex brand between 1932 and 1934. Terraplane outsold Hudson and was eventually removed from the market. This 1936 Terraplane features the cascading waterfall grill that was imitated by Donald Healey on the 1936 Triumph Dolomite 14/65.

Plymouth P15, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

Immediately after the end of hostilities in 1945 there was an estimated demand for 6 million new motor vehicles per year in the USA. Plymouth after re equipping it’s factories with it’s 20,000 machines managed to build 770 between October and December 1945. I believe this Plymouth P15 was one of them.

Cadillac Series 62 Sedan, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

Despite eulogies from Elvis and Chuck Berry I have to confess until I saw one in the flesh I didn’t really get pink Cadillacs, having seen a couple now I’m still not sure I get them, but undeniably like this ’56 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan they do have a presence that few other land yachts can match.

Thanks for joining me on this “Coalpit Heath Americana” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me for Ferrari Friday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Unbelievably Complicated Story – E-M-F Model 30 Semi Racer #43222

Today’s post features the first of four Edwardian vehicles built in the USA. Reading any standard text on the history of the motor car 1908 is remembered as the year the mass produced Ford Model T went onto the market that it would dominate for nearly 20 years. For those of us born more recently this advent glosses over many other vehicles of that particular age some with no less interesting and almost unbelievable characters. One such is the story of E-M-F which has a strong link to the story of the Model T.

E-M-F Model 20, Palo Verdes, Concours d'Elegance

The initials stand for a wealthy coach builder and financial genius named Byron F. Everitt who did some work for Henry Ford, a super salesman who took 2700 orders for Cadilacs when they had only built three cars by the name of William E. Metzger and a industrial colosus Walter E. Flanders, of whom Henry Ford was fearful, who invented and organised much of the production machinery that was required to build the Model T.

E-M-F Model 20, Palo Verdes, Concours d'Elegance

In June 1908 circumstances brought Everitt, Metzger and Fanders together with E. LeRoy Pelletier, Fords secretary and publicity manager, to celebrate the merger of the Wayne Motor Company, under the control of Everitt and Flanders and the Northern Motor Company of which Metzger was in control to form E-M-F with the aim of mass producing a $2500 car which was to sell at $1250 or “twice the car for half the price”.

E-M-F Model 20, Palo Verdes, Concours d'Elegance

The in many ways, apart from it’s mid price range, unremarkable 4 cylinder Model 30 was launched in September 1908 with Pelletier basing his marketing strategy on “Nothing added-no frills or furbelows. Nothing omitted that experience has proven or convention taught you to consider a necessary part of a first- class motorcar. Not one original feature-not a single novelty-no startling innovations. Not one experiment-not one hair-brained theory or half-baked mechanical idea-not an untried or unproven invention-or metallurgical hallucination-will you discover in the E-M-F ’30’.”

E-M-F Model 20, Palo Verdes, Concours d'Elegance

The “Classy” Model 30 was well received although early examples relied on what turned out to be inadequate thermo-syphon cooling which damaged the new Marques reputation. The early cars were all recalled to have water pumps fitted, while low end Henry Ford went the other way deleting water pumps from the Model T in favour of themo syphon cooling ! Despite becoming, thanks to distribution by Studebaker, the second largest supplier of US automobiles by 1911, behind only Ford, as early as 1909 things started to unravel at E-M-F as the titans of the industry began to fall out. By 1912 Studebaker had taken full control and the E-M-F name disappeared for good though the Model 30 would live on in the Studebaker and parallel Everitt / Flanders Marques. For the full unbelievably complicated rise and fall story of E-M-F I recommend reading John M Daly’s E-M-F website linked here.

E-M-F Model 20, Palo Verdes, Concours d'Elegance

Today’s featured car #43222 was built originally built in 1912 and has recently been restored by Robb Stewart, pictures of the restoration can be towards the bottom of his flickr page linked here..

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs which were taken at Palo Verde in 2011.

Thanks for joining me on this “Unbelievably Complicated Story” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for Ferrari Friday. Don’t forget to come back now !

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