What car is this?

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Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

What car is this?

Post by Oldav8tor » Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:34 pm

Others have done this and now it's my turn. I know we have some real car experts out their so like the guys on car talk used to do, I'm going to see if I can "stump the chumps" (no offense...) I'm going to post a photo from a car I recently saw sitting in a storage building and see if anyone can identify it. If no one gets it on the first photo I'll add some additional photos with more clues. One hint - it is pre-WWI. Have fun!

What is it?
1.jpg
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


HPetrino
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Re: What car is this?

Post by HPetrino » Mon Sep 21, 2020 5:03 pm

I tried to cheat and searched the Prest O Starter. I found this list of cars that were planning to use them:
Self-Starter-Car-List-Jan.-4-1912-p30.jpg

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Rich Eagle
Posts: 6796
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909 TR 1914 TR 1915 Rd 1920 Spdstr 1922 Coupe 1925 Tudor
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
MTFCA Number: 1219
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Re: What car is this?

Post by Rich Eagle » Mon Sep 21, 2020 5:18 pm

It has an American Bosch magneto switch too if that helps.
When did I do that?

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Kaiser
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Re: What car is this?

Post by Kaiser » Mon Sep 21, 2020 5:19 pm

I noticed the button on the left reads 'American Bosch' i have no clue :?:
When in trouble, do not fear, blame the second engineer ! 8-)
Leo van Stirum, Netherlands
'23 Huckster, '66 CJ5 daily driver

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Mark Gregush
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Re: What car is this?

Post by Mark Gregush » Mon Sep 21, 2020 6:30 pm

You could buy the Prestolite starter kit, so could have been installed after market. Thomas Flyer?
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup

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Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: What car is this?

Post by Oldav8tor » Mon Sep 21, 2020 6:56 pm

Henry, the car pictured is not on your list. My understanding is that the Prestolite starter was a factory installation. More hints, the car was manufactured in Michigan and had a unique transmission.
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


VanEpsFan1914
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Re: What car is this?

Post by VanEpsFan1914 » Tue Sep 22, 2020 12:44 am

It is a Metz, isn't it?


Charles F.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: What car is this?

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Tue Sep 22, 2020 1:14 am

More likely a Cartercar.


HPetrino
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Re: What car is this?

Post by HPetrino » Tue Sep 22, 2020 1:00 pm

Dang guys. How hard can this be? I've already eliminated 62 possibilities. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Of course, I personally have no idea what it is.


Rich Bingham
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Re: What car is this?

Post by Rich Bingham » Tue Sep 22, 2020 3:58 pm

Tim, don't you think it's about time for another clue ?
"Get a horse !"

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Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
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Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: What car is this?

Post by Oldav8tor » Tue Sep 22, 2020 6:19 pm

Ok.... One of you got it but I'm going to show another photo before giving it away :-)
3.jpg
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor

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Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: What car is this?

Post by Oldav8tor » Wed Sep 23, 2020 10:27 am

No more guesses? Bragging rights go to Wayne....it's a 1912 Cartercar. It is currently gathering dust among some newer cars in a building near me. It belongs to a friend who has at least 50 various cars dating back to 1901 of which only one, a 1925 Model T Roadster, is ever driven. He has about 15 Model T's and barns full of stuff. He has no plans to do anything with any of the cars, being content just to own them which I find sad.... There's going to be a hellava auction some day.....
IMG_1634.jpg
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor

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Rich Eagle
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Re: What car is this?

Post by Rich Eagle » Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:38 am

Good job Wayne.
When did I do that?


frontyboy
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Re: What car is this?

Post by frontyboy » Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:41 pm

The Presto Lite Starter was an interesting invention. That handle on the dash when pulled out allowed acetylene to flow from the tank to the pump. The Ignition system was a battery operated buzz coil which was timed thru the magneto to fire individual spark plugs. Each cylinder had a copper line for the gas to flow from the pump to the cylinders,

So you pulled the handle filled the copper lines to each cylinder, then quickly you pressed the buzz coil button which energized the all spark plugs and the one where the magneto rotor was pointed fired and if all went well an explosion happened which rolled the engine over and with the acetylene charges in the rest of the cylinders and their respective spark plugs firing hopefully the engine would start. There are a number of cases where the gas over filled the cylinders and the cylinders were blown off the crankcases and the engine became junk. This was a very short lived dangerous starting apparatus and by 1913 was replaced with the electric starter motor. My brother has a 1912 Case touring with this system and he does not have the kahunas to even try to start it with the Presto Lite starter.

brasscarguy


HPetrino
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Re: What car is this?

Post by HPetrino » Thu Sep 24, 2020 12:51 am

Dang. It sounds more like a means to make a bomb than start an engine.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: What car is this?

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:04 am

I haven't been very active with the things I enjoy for too long now. However, when I was, I went on quite a few tours, knew a lot of good people in the hobby, and met a lot of collectors. On a Horseless Carriage Club tour I went on about fifteen years ago, we drove for miles through the California redwoods, and went to a historic ranch in a small town few have ever heard of. The family had owned the ranch for many years, and also collected early automobiles. Among about a dozen automobiles, were two Cartercars.
When I first looked at this thread, I knew instantly that I had seen one of those Prest-o-starter handles somewhere before, and saw it up very close. But I couldn't pullout where I had seen it. When I looked in here the next day, the instant I read Charles F's Metz comment, it hit me! It was that Cartercar I had seen fifteen years ago. I got to look very closely at that car. He was doing some minor adjustments to the transmission getting it ready for a tour he was planning to go on about a month later. The front seat cushion was out and we talked about their unusual transmission quite a bit. I got to slide the lever and watch the mechanism do its thing. And we discussed the Prest-o-starter for several minutes! HIs was original to the car (actually a very nice mostly original car!), however he did not have it connected to the Prestolite tank. He said he wasn't sure he wanted to actually use the starter system.

A fun "What-is-it" Tim J! And for me, another fun trip down memory lane.

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Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: What car is this?

Post by Oldav8tor » Thu Sep 24, 2020 12:58 pm

Wayne and all, glad you enjoyed it. My friend has a couple more unusual vehicles so maybe I'll do this again sometime :D
IMG_1623.jpg
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor

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Rich Eagle
Posts: 6796
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:51 am
First Name: Richard
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Location: Idaho Falls, ID
MTFCA Number: 1219
Contact:

Re: What car is this?

Post by Rich Eagle » Thu Sep 24, 2020 2:45 pm

The Cartercar certainly evolved over it's 10 year span. I have been around a couple of two cylinder ones but not the later ones. In 1976 when Jimmy Carter ran against Gerald Ford there was a mock race between a Cartercar and a Model T Ford in one of the publications. (I don't recall which) I believe the Vintage Ford also mentioned it.
Thanks for the quiz.
Rich
When did I do that?

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Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: What car is this?

Post by Oldav8tor » Sat Oct 03, 2020 3:38 pm

I’ve been informed that this is the only surviving Model S that the Cartercar.org people are aware of. Hopefully someday it will be restored and back on the road.
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor

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