Gas & Electric Cars

Pierce Arrow

Franklin

1913 Model M dirt-track racer

6 cylinders, 32 hp., Manufactured in Syracuse, N.Y.

 Franklin was the most long-lived and successful air-cooled engine car in America, prior to the introduction of Volkswagen. Other notable features were the fully-elliptical suspension, aluminum engine, transmission and body panels and a wooden frame. Wood and aluminum are significantly lighter than steel, thus making the vehicle very quick despite it's modest 32 hp. Race cars of this era could reach a heart-stopping 80 mph.

Cord

While Henry Ford is believed by many to be the father of the American automobile, in fact, he was a relatively late entry. Two brothers, Frank and Charles Duryea, preceded him by ten years and were producing cars in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts (interestingly, for many years Frank lived in Madison, Connecticut). The credit for first mass-produced car goes to FE and FO Stanley, when they manufactured 100 cars in 1898. 

So where does that leave Henry? After a number of false starts he hit on the idea of making a cheap, simple, lightweight car that could be afforded by the masses. In 1908 he introduced the first Model T. Taking a page out of Eli Whitney's playbook, he introduced interchangeable parts. A moving assembly line was next. As one of many cost-cutting measures, he required parts from suppliers to be shipped in wooden crates of a certain size, with holes drilled at specific locations. Once disassembled, the crates became the floorboards for the cars.

Model T production ran from 1908 through 1928 and millions were produced. This record was finally broken by Volkswagen.

The museum's 1913 Model T is a surprisingly-unaltered survivor. Original items include: running gear (engine, transmission, rear-end etc.), upholstery, top, lights, wheels, paint and radiator. Replaced or restored items: windshield (now safety glass), tires, gas, oil, and water for the radiator. Oh yes, the air in the tires is new too.