The Slim Lady 'Fatman' Mystery (upd.: Stutz, Cadillac or French?)

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When we received this lovely picture from the nice people at Retromobile we all tried to answer the questions it contained. Are the overalls cotton or linen? We don't care - what's the car!? And how about the steering wheel? We have visited the steering wheel design before, HERE, and quick research shows various designs were available for the driver with a waistline to match his appetite. These days, it is not politically correct to say the *F* word, but the manufacturers called it the 'Fatman' steering wheel and they sold like hot cakes! They folded in such a way as to ease access to the driving seat. Actually, the Neville company called it the 'More Room Steering Wheel' and took out a patent in 1915.

Did our slim lady slide in through a door or climb over the side? Let's see what we know. It's a high quality tourer with leather upholstery, perhaps no weather protection, and a passenger-operated spotlight for reading signs on night rallies. We think  it's American, and right hand drive (however the RHD could lead us to Delage or similar as well). Lincoln offered these steering wheels to their customers, so did Ford and Buick. You will know better than us, so please tell us what you think about the car - perhaps a well-known racing car? It's a pity we don't have more pictures from the photo shoot because we bet she has a pretty smile and all we have is this blank expression. Never mind - get along to Retromobile in Paris and enjoy the smile in the exhibition of Jacques-Henri Lartigue's photographs. It is his mistress Renée Perle, holding the windscreen instead of the steering wheel.

Update: the french fatman steering wheel as mentioned by Detlef Kayser

(Text Robin Batchelor, picture courtesy Retromobile)

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