Established in 1897, the Autocar Company of Pennsylvania produced very well built little cars powered by opposed two-cylinder engines. Autocars were one of the earliest to switch from chain drive in favor of more durable shaft drive in 1902 with the introduction of the Type 6. Autocar's product line expanded in 1905 with a four-cylinder model and later, a line of heavy duty trucks. The light two-cylinder Autocars were last cataloged in 1908 and by 1913, the company turned completely to producing trucks.
The Type X was the most successful Autocar, introduced in 1904 and continuing through 1906; over 1,000 were built. Offered only with lightweight runabout coachwork, they were reliable, powerful and fast for their size. The throttle and spark advance controls are built into the steering wheel which is a very unique feature as Autocar promoted safety and simplicity and that the driver never has to take their hands off the wheel. The best feature of the Autocar Type X is that is has a regular three speed progressive transmission like larger cars of the time as opposed to all other one and two cylinder cars which had planetary transmissions wth drums and bands, making driving pleasurable and making the Autocar ideal for touring. Although 1000 were produced over its 3 year production run, few great examples exist today.
This Autocar Type X offered here is undoubtedly one of the best examples in existence today with outstanding originality and wonderful provenance. Purchased from the original owners family here in Connecticut in the late 1930's by noted early east coast collector Roger Ferris of Danbury, Connecticut where it stayed through the War years. Post WWII, Mr. Ferris sold the car to another well noted collector Louis Biondi also from Connecticut in 1949. Still retaining the bill of sale from that transaction. It also retains its original numbered Seldon patent plate as well as its original Autocar identification tag. Following Mr. Biondi's acquisition of the car, he completely restored the car and rebuilt the mechanicals using his trade expertise as a machinist and engineer, installing all new internals and redesigned billet crankshaft making this car even more powerful and reliable than it ever was. Louis was known for driving the little Autocar on many early car events and tours including early Glidden tours, Hartford Autorama shows, many early HCCA events and he was even featured sitting in the little Autocar in a 1956 Gulf Oil advertisement. For the rest of his life Louis cherished his Autocar among all of his larger cars, never letting it go. For the first time since 1949, the Ex Ferris/Biondi Autocar Type X is being offered for sale.
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