Being sold with title.
First full year of Cadillac production
Rare, highly desirable
Little Hercules single-cylinder engine
Possibly eligible for New London to New Brighton
High-quality restoration
This 1903 Cadillac Model A Rear Entrance Tonneau is a rare, highly
desirable, and important motorcar from the very first full year of
Cadillac production.Black tufted black leather covers the front and
rear seats.
Cadillac is second only to Buick as America's oldest car company,
with roots that trace back to the origins of automobile
manufacturing in Detroit. Before there was General Motors and even
the Ford Motor company, the Detroit-based engineering firm of
Leland & Faulconer laid the groundwork for volume automobile
manufacturing, providing engines and production expertise to Ransom
E. Olds for his new Curved Dash model. Aside from their work with
R.E. Olds, Henry Leland and Robert Faulconer provided engineering
services for other motoring pioneers such as Col. August Pope, and
the Pierce Manufacturing Company. Before moving to automobiles,
Pope and Pierce were leaders in bicycle manufacturing. When both
firms experienced assembly problems and poor quality gears, they
turned to L & F for help. Leyland & Faulconer provided gear cutting
equipment and a patented hardening process, which allowed for
greater standardization and higher quality parts. The experience
gained by all three firms would prove invaluable as the motor car
moved from novelty to necessity in America.
Despite all of his work supporting the industry, it wasn't until
1902 that Henry Leland entered the automobile business as a
full-fledged manufacturer. Following Henry Ford's tumultuous
departure from the short-lived Henry Ford Company, the remaining
investors called in Leland to appraise their machinery and stocks
for liquidation. He recognized an opportunity to build a complete
car around L&F's single-cylinder "Little Hercules" engine,
Leland convinced the investors to back him and with that, Cadillac
Motor Car Company was founded. Leland's new Cadillac was a
beautifully built motorcar, precision engineered and of exceptional
quality, while simultaneously being highly standardized for rapid,
efficient production.
The aptly named Cadillac Model Afeatured L&F's tough and
reliable 98 cubic-inch, single-cylinder Little Hercules engine
mounted horizontally in the center of the chassis, driving a
2-speed planetary transmission and chain-drive rear axle. The car
developed impressive power for its size, and exhibited beautiful
build quality. At the 1903 New York auto show, Cadillac general
manager William Metzger took an astonishing 2,286 orders for the
$750 Runabout and $850 four-seat Rear-Entrance Tonneau. With nearly
$2M in orders upon its debut, Cadillac's future looked bright. With
just a handful of known survivors, today's collectors covet these
early Cadillacs as they represent the genesis of one of the world's
greatest marques.
Cadillac's Model A stands as one of the most important motorcars of
the Horseless Carriage era. Interest in these early automobiles
remains strong today, as owners take great pride in using their
cars in events and tours. As a pre-1904 model, this Cadillac is
eligible to apply for entry in the legendary London to Brighton
Veteran Car Run, in addition to any number of Horseless Carriage
Club of America events in the US. An ideal choice for road events,
yet it is beautifully presented and suitable for display in
concours and shows. This 1903 Cadillac is a significant piece of
early motoring history, finely restored and a welcome addition to
virtually any collection of milestone automobiles.
