Chassis No. 6367 Controller No. 10574
- One of only three Model 46 Gentleman's Roadsters known to
survive
- Numbers-matching example documented from factory ledgers by
Galen Handy
- Early ownership in the Harrah Automobile Collection and later
the Imperial Palace Collection
- Comprehensive 2016 restoration by Classic & Exotic Service of
Troy, Michigan
- Retains its original serialized Weston meter and Elwell-Parker
controller
At a time when the automobile was still finding its place in
everyday life, Detroit Electric offered a remarkably refined vision
of what motoring could become. Produced by the Anderson Electric
Car Company, the marque built its reputation on quiet, clean, and
exceptionally civilized transportation, earning the memorable
advertising phrase "Society's Town Car." By 1914, Detroit Electric
offered a surprisingly broad six-model range, most of it centered
on practical enclosed cars intended for urban use.
The Model 46 Gentleman's Roadster was a rare exception. Open and
sporting in appearance, it offered the same quiet electric
operation in a far less conventional body style. Only three
examples are known to survive today, making the Model 46 one of the
rarest Detroit Electrics extant.
This example, chassis 6367, is particularly well documented. A
detailed build and ownership report prepared by noted
early-electric authority Galen Handy was compiled from surviving
factory ledgers and confirms the car as a numbers-matching example.
Originally finished in blue over blue, it was commissioned by
Robert Liddle of Pasadena, California, and sold through California
Electric Garage for $2,400.
The Handy report traces a long and distinguished ownership history.
The car remained for many years with the Claberg family of Oxnard,
California, before being acquired in the mid-1960s by William
Harrah, becoming an early part of the renowned Harrah Automobile
Collection in Reno, Nevada. Following the dispersal of much of that
collection, it later joined the Imperial Palace Collection in Las
Vegas.
The Detroit Electric was shown during Pebble Beach Car Week in 2000
at the Blackhawk Exposition and later became part of the Off
Brothers Automobile Collection in Hickory Corners, Michigan.
Subsequent ownership included John McMullin, James Cousens, and
John O'Quinn.
In 2016, the car received a comprehensive restoration by Classic &
Exotic Service of Troy, Michigan, a firm known for high-level work
on important American automobiles. The restoration was completed
with close attention to the car's original construction and period
details.
Today, the Roadster is finished in maroon over black lower bodywork
and fenders, with matching maroon chassis detailing and light red
pinstriping. The wooden artillery-style wheels are finished to
complement the body, while a folding windshield with nickel-plated
brightwork and a black cape top complete the exterior
presentation.
The interior is trimmed in oxblood button-tufted leather with full
black carpeting. Instrumentation includes a Warner speedometer and
Waltham eight-day clock, while the car retains its original
serialized Weston meter, number 10668, and Elwell-Parker Style 33
controller, number 10574.
The preservation of these components, together with the car's
documented ownership history and numbers-matching identity, gives
chassis 6367 a degree of completeness rarely encountered among
early electric automobiles.
Its rarity is equally significant. Of the three Model 46
Gentleman's Roadsters known to survive, the other two reside in the
National Automobile Museum in Reno and at the Rockefeller Estate at
Kykuit in Tarrytown, New York.
With extensive documentation, important collection history, a
high-quality restoration, and exceptional rarity, this 1914 Detroit
Electric Model 46 Gentleman's Roadster is a particularly
significant example of early American electric motoring.
Offers welcome and trades considered.
