A South Bend Surrey on coil springs (upd. not Georgano's South Bend !)

It seems original automobiles just keep popping up from out of the blue. Right on the heels of yesterday's Surrey find, here's another one... a 1904 South Bend Surrey that's quite unique as it's the only one known. The story behind this one-off is that it was made by a Walter E. Mack of South Bend, Indiana, who was not satisfied with his Studebaker and decided to build a car of his own design. Most outstanding of his design are the wheels made Horace H. Taylor in 1901. Taylor arranged twelve coil springs radially around a center hub. His invention seemed to work well on all kinds of rough roads and Walter Mack even formed the Indiana Wheel Company to manufacture the Taylor-patented wheels. Sadly Mack died only two years later and further development of his automobile, together with the Taylor-wheels came to nothing. The car has not moved for 75 years, yet after a bit of fiddling the engine, made by the Buffalo Gasolene Motor Company, started on the third pull. You will probably need all period paperwork available to have a chance persuading the Dating Panel, but if you succeed the South Bend could be entered for a future London to Brighton Veteran Car Run .
(photos courtesy RM Auctions, Hershey Auction, October 11-12)

Publié:

lundi septembre 24th, 2012

Inconnu

25 Septembre 2012, 23:29

This car should not be confused with other South Bends found in Georgano or Kimes. The name was applied retroactively in the late 20th Century, in lieu of any other. Period documentation accompanies the car. More extensive details are in the catalog description:
http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=HF12&CarID=r130&fc=0

Inconnu

25 Septembre 2012, 18:37

I'm no expert on this subject, but the connecting pipe between inlet and carburator look the same as the big main gaspipe in my kitchen. House is built in 1888.

Inconnu

25 Septembre 2012, 15:54

I'd be very surprised if that engine was as early as 1904, although everything else about this car looks to be from that era.
Interesting also that G N Georgano in "The Complete Encyclopaedia of Motorcars 1885 to the Present" states the following; "South Bend (US) 1914. The Company made a two-seater roadster with a 4-cylinder 50hp engine, priced at $1,800.â€
Having recently had my fingers burnt at Beaulieu having bought something which has clearly been â€œfakedâ€ to look much older than it actually is, Iâ€™m now a lot less trusting in what Iâ€™m told.
If Georgano, in whom I still trust, suggests that they only manufactured cars in 1914, and that engine looks to be of that era rather than â€™04, could this be yet another gathering of miscellaneous parts made to look like something that never was? Or have I just lost all my faith in honesty!

Robert

05 Janvier 2024, 09:11

This South Bend, built by Walter Mack, is a completely different South Bend Company than what is mentioned in the encyclopedia. This South Bend was previously unknown at the time the encyclopedia was published.

Inconnu

25 Septembre 2012, 11:23

Interesting use of plumbing fittings in the Buffalo engine :-)

Tony.

Inconnu

25 Septembre 2012, 06:55

It seems Mr. Mack was able to move rather quickly into building and realizing his very own automobile design after becoming dissatisfied with his Studebaker purchase !! The first Studebaker gasoline automobiles were built in 1904 . There were electric cars built from 1902 by The Studebaker Bros. Manufacturing Company , but why build your own gasoline automobile in answer to a poor performing electric car when many American manufacturers were already building better , more advanced gasoline-powered designs then this ?? I`ll bet the date of the car`s build or the story behind it is wrong .

Robert

05 Janvier 2024, 09:08

It was a 1902 Studebaker Electric he was dissatisfied with. It's well documented.

A South Bend Surrey on coil springs (upd. not Georgano's South Bend !)

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