Vehicle Description
Initially founded with the intent to produce steam powered
motorcars, Locomobile would eventually find its niche as a purveyor
of fine quality, large scale luxury automobiles. The company
started life in Massachusetts but quickly moved to Bridgeport,
Connecticut where it truly established itself. After giving up on
steam cars in 1905 and focusing solely on petrol-power, Locomobile
soon became one of the greatest names in American motoring. Their
cars grew ever larger, more prestigious and more expensive by the
year. One of the company's greatest achievements came in 1908, when
"Old 16", a specially built Locomobile racer with a massive 16.9
liter OHV engine won the prestigious Vanderbilt Cup; the first such
win for an American car in the face of fierce competition from the
likes of Isotta, Daimler-Benz and Fiat. Locomobile's primary
competition on the sales floor came from Packard, Peerless and
Pierce. In order to ensure its exclusivity in the face of the other
manufacturers, Locomobile made the brash decision to limit
production to just four cars per day. For 1908 the smaller, lighter
Model 30-L joined the lineup (named for its 30 h.p. output). It was
powered by a four-cylinder T-head engine but used all of the same
high quality materials and construction techniques of its larger
brethren, and thereby did not compromise on quality. In 1911, the
Model 30 was joined by the six-cylinder Model 48 which came to be
the mainstay of Locomobile production through the rest of the
company's life. William C. "Billy" Durant had purchased Locomobile
in the early 1920s (following his second ouster from General
Motors) and dreamed of putting the marque at the pinnacle of his
next great automotive empire. Sadly, that did not come to be and
Locomobile suffered the same fate as many of the great early luxury
car makers, closing its doors in 1929 thanks to a critical lack of
capital. Thankfully, the quality of Locomobile cars ensured a
respectable survival rate and they remain highly sought after by
collectors and driving enthusiasts alike. Evocative and sporty,
this 1911 Locomobile Model 30-L wears a sparse speedster-style body
and presents in truly wonderful condition. The lightweight and
purposeful body is finished in a handsome shade of dark green,
offset by black fenders and a black chassis. It is detailed with
gold and light green coach stripes on the hood, fenders and fuel
tank with beautiful effect. The paint quality is excellent and the
car is very well turned out with excellent brass headlamps, dual
coach lamps and a large spot lamp mounted to the center of the
cowl. A brass monocle windscreen adds to the racy looks as does the
large brass quick-release fuel filler. This is a wonderfully
detailed motorcar with lots of detailing to enjoy. It rides on a
set of excellent wood-spoke artillery wheels, painted black to
match the chassis and hand striped. Firestone Non-Skid tires give a
period appropriate and sporty look. The minimalist cockpit consists
of little more than a pair of seats and the primary controls, but
the execution of the restoration is outstanding. Black leather
upholstery on the seats is beautifully finished in the correct
button pattern. Bare linoleum floor boards are trimmed in brass and
the instruments consist of a lovely Jones speedometer and a
Dewrance & Co pressure gauge. The dash is fitted with controls for
the Bosch coil/magneto and a period switch block. Brass tags adorn
the left of the cockpit, including the Locomobile type and patent
tags and a pair of Horseless Carriage Club brass plates celebrating
this car's participation in the Denver - Brighton run. The big
T-head four cylinder engine displaces 286 cubic inches and the
square dimensions make for smooth and linear power delivery and a
free-revving nature. While it was named for its output, the actual
power was closer to 40 horsepower, an excellent figure for a
four-cylinder model of the time. While larger model Locomobiles
relied on chain drive to put the power down, the smaller L-series
utilized a shaft driven rear axle that afforded smooth and quiet
operation with less maintenance. Inspired by the contemporary
Panhard, Locomobile fitted the gearbox in the center of the car,
which gave better weight distribution and positive action from the
gear lever. On our example, the engine is very nicely detailed with
painted cylinders atop a cast bronze alloy crankcase. Brass and
copper detailing is in very good order, as is the wood bonnet trim.
Hoses and fittings are largely period correct and the engine
appears tidy and clean. This exciting and beautiful Locomobile
would make a thrilling entrant in any number of brass-era tours or
rallies. While rallying an open speedster may not be for the faint
of heart, it would no doubt provide a tremendous thrill. The light
weight body in combination with the powerful T-head engine should
return outstanding performance, yet the quality of the presentation
is such that it would be a most welcome sight on a show field.
