Vehicle Description
The Cadillac has long been the epitome of an American car: large,
powerful, luxurious, and expensive. However, Cadillac started with
a small vehicle created by master machinist and inventor Henry
Martyn Leland using his 98.2 cubic inch single-cylinder Leland &
Faulconer engine that Oldsmobile rejected on the grounds of
retooling costs. While folklore usually touts Henry Ford as the
de-facto "father" of mass production, Mr. Leland had been a
champion of standardized manufacturing since his days with Colt
Firearms in the 1860s. In fact, Cadillac was created from the
remnants of the failed Henry Ford Company - a fact that Henry never
forgot. For the new Cadillac car, chain drive and a two-speed
planetary transmission drove the rear wheels, while a foot pedal
activated the brakes fitted to the inboard ends of the half-axles.
It was available as a two-seat runabout or a four-passenger rear
entrance tonneau. First produced in 1903, the runabout was priced
at $750, and Cadillac quickly earned a growing customer base. Now
referred to as the Model A, the first production Cadillac was
continued in 1904 and incorporated only modest changes. In 1904,
Cadillac launched its new Model D, featuring the now-conventional
automotive layout with a front-mounted, 30-horsepower,
four-cylinder engine on a 100-inch-wheelbase chassis. Despite this
novel offering, demand for Cadillac's original single-cylinder
models continued. To keep up with the times, the single-cylinder
Model E, a two-passenger runabout, and Model F, offered as a
four-passenger, side-entrance tourer or delivery vehicle, adopted
an "engine hood" in the style of the latest front-engine cars, even
though the actual engine was still under the seat, just as it had
been since the single-cylinder Cadillac made its debut. Something
that was unchanged from the earliest models was Cadillac's
reliability in trials, hill climbs, and regular use by the American
car importer to Britain, Frederick Stanley Bennett. One advantage
Cadillacs had over virtually all other automobiles of the day was
precision engineering, which allowed the complete
interchangeability of all parts from one similar model to another.
In 1908, just three years after this Model F Four-Passenger Tourer
was built, three brand new single-cylinder Cadillac Model K
Runabouts were randomly selected and dismantled down to the last
nut and bolt under the scrutiny of Royal Automobile Club observers
in the UK. The mechanics were restricted to basic hand tools, and
the parts from the three cars were intermingled. Additional
components were removed and replaced with new spares. When the
three Model K's were reassembled, they all started quickly and
covered 500 miles at full throttle on the new Brooklands racetrack.
The proof of the Cadillac's parts interchangeability became front
page news at a time when parts of most car manufacturers could not
be interchanged between similar examples. Cadillac was subsequently
awarded the Dewar Trophy for Outstanding Technical Achievement in
the Automotive Industry, which led to adopting" Standard of the
World" as the company's slogan. This lovely Model F is a
high-quality older restoration that was delivered new to the
Cadillac showroom in New York City on October 18, 1905 and
according to a copy of its original Cadillac order record it was
specified in the same shade of Green it wears today. Contrasting
cream painted coachlines adorn the body, along with the
cream-colored chassis and beige top to complete the look. A set of
black cycle fenders terminate in a much-appreciated set of
functional mudguards, while a set of 12-spoke artillery wheels with
hand-painted red detailing are wrapped in period-correct grey
Firestone tires. Highly polished brass adornments are plentiful,
including cowl lamps and body trim, all playing brilliantly against
the green and cream livery. The canvas top features a front storm
shield and protects an interior upholstered in button-tufted black
leather. On the technical side, this Model F differs from the Dewar
Trophy-winning Cadillacs by having a two-inch longer chassis to
accommodate the Tourer body instead of the runabout coachwork used
by the Dewar cars. The 9 horsepower, 98.2 cubic inch
single-cylinder horizontal engine is essentially the same
specification as the award-winning Model Ks. This car has remained
in excellent mechanical order since its restoration, with the same
attention to detail paid beneath the surface. This charming
four-passenger side-entrance tourer is a wonderful example of
Cadillac's famous Model F. It will be an ideal car for a wide
variety of events and tours organized by the Horseless Carriage
Club of America, providing the kind of joyful motoring that only an
early horseless carriage can bring, and based on Bennett's
experience of more than 115 years ago, it should also prove
extremely reliable. Offers welcome and trades considered For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7623-1905-cadillac-model-f-four-passenger-touring/
