Class A “Antique”
A-01 The oldest car is the 1901 De Dion-Bouton Motorette New York Vis-a-Vis owned by Stephen & Angi Samuels, of Columbia, South Carolina. This car built in Brooklyn, New York under licence to De Dion Boouton who at the turn of the century, was the largest
automobile manufacturer in the world, producing over
3,000 cars. This 190 I New York Motorette (chassis 126) is a rare survivor, and features a 3.S-hp, 402-cc, single-cylinder engine and a 2-speed manual transmission. The wooden body is believed to have been built by Steinway Piano in New York, the engine and
transmission in France, and the remaining fittings by a mix
of French and American manufacturers. The car is largely
original, with hand-brushed paint and pinstriping on the
body and wheels remaining untouched.
A-02 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 HP J. Rothschild et Fils Roi des Belges 0wned by Rob Walton, Scottsdale, Arizona
Only five of the original Mercedes 60 HPs arc still in
existence. This example (chassis 2924) was built for
British motoring pioneer Alfred Harmsworth. It features
Roi des Belges coachwork by J. Rothschild et Fils, a
prestigious coachbuilder in the suburbs of Paris. One of
the fastest cars of the era-capable of 80 mph-this
Mercedes set records at the Nice Speed Week and
Castlewellan Hill Climb in 1903. This car remained
with the Harmsworth family for 121 years, until 2024.
A-03
1907 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
Barker Seven-Passenger Tourer
Anne Brockinton Lee / The Lee Collection,
Sparks, Nevada
Rolls-Royce began building the Silver Ghost in 1907
and continued until 1926. This car was purchased by
prominent businessman Samuel B. Stevens of New York
state and sailed on the S.S. Caronia from Liverpool to New
York on June 18, 1907. With a 7-litcr, 6-cylinder engine,
the Silver Ghost could outperform nearly every production
car and was named for its silence while running. The third
oldest of five surviving Silver Ghosts from their inaugural
year of production, this is also one of the most original
1907s extant.
A-04
1908 Welch Model 4L Seven-Passenger Touring owned by
Bob & Linda Welch, West Vancouver, Canada
Only four Welch automobiles remain, and this is the most
well-known example. Welch was an innovative high-end
auto manufacturer from 190I to 1911. This 1908 car was
fitted with a 336-cubic-inch, overhead-cam, 4-cylinder,
hemispheric-head 50 hp engine with the world’s first
engine-driven water pump. The transmission is a unique,
3-speed, constant mesh transmission, with wet clutches to
engage each gear (no clutch pedal required). Restore by RX Autoworks in North Vancouver BC, Canada.
A-05
1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Lawton Tourer
Bradley & Andrew Greene, Portola Valley, California.
The Silver Ghost established a new world standard for
refinement and reliability and set Rolls-Royce on a course
of building luxury cars. The dependability and strength
of the marque facilitated the rebody of many examples
for commercial or wartime use, so few survive
in their original configuration. This Silver Ghost (chassis
1544) is a well-preserved exception, presented today with
its original Lawton body as commissioned by its first owner, Mr. A. Harrison. After World War II, the car sold for
just £27.10! This Silver Ghost attended Pebble Beach Concours in 1986 and has recently been re-restored to its period-correct appearance.
A-06
1912 Packard 30 Four Brougham
John Bentky, Harrogate, United Kingdom
From 1907 through 1912, the Model 30 was Packard’s
flagship offering. These luxury automobiles were powered
by Packard’s mighty 432-cubic-inch, inline 4-cylinder
power unit, producing 30 horsepower, offered in several body styles.
Evidence suggests this car (chassis 20692) is the only
factory-built “single compartment” Brougham-the only
one without a divider window separating the chauffeur.
When new, this car was given to Ms. Josie O’Day of Kansas
City by a married gentleman suitor, and she enthusiastically
drove the car herself. this Packard retains its
original, goat skin interior on the door panels and headliner.
A-07
1915 Packard 3-38 Six Five-Passenger Phaeton
The Collection of Howard A Schaevitz,
Edgewater Park, New jersey
The Packard Model 38 was launched in 191 3, with updates
to its predecessor of a Delco electric starter/generator
system, left-hand steering, and an innovative driver “control
center” mounted atop the steering column. Still a massive
car, the model 38 was developed as junior model to the even larger model 48. This 1915 iteration, Model 3-38, has a 415-cubic-inch 6-cylinder engine, 3-speed transaxle and a wheelbase of 140 inches. While the original owner of this car (chassis
76174) is unknown, the car was stored completely intact for
many years in a sawmill in Ohio where it was discovered in 1959.
Class A Antique
