Industry Automotive Headquarters Cleveland Founded 1904 | Defunct 1909 Founder E. J. Pennington Ceased operations 1909 | |
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Former type Automobile Manufacturing Products Vehicles
Automotive parts | ||
The Cleveland Motor Car Company of Cleveland, Ohio, was manufacturer of one of several Cleveland automobiles. The company was founded in 1904 by E. J. Pennington.
Contents
History
Before he founded the Cleveland Motor Car Company, E. J. Pennington built the Tractobile from 1900 to 1902 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It was a steam-powered device "that could be attached to any horse-drawn carriage to make it into an automobile."
Models
By March 1906, the company advertised in a national trade magazine as "the car without a weak spot." Their 4-cylinder, 30 to 35-horsepower Model F was priced from US$3,500 to US$5,000, "depending on body equipment." The complete chassis was made by the Garford Motor Truck Co., the largest manufacturers of high-grade automobile parts and chassis in America.
The ignition was by the imported Simms-Bosch low tension Magneto, "with which all important foreign cars are equipped." The spark is "make and break" and controlled by the speed of the engine; which did away with the spark plug, coils, intricate wiring and batteries. The carburetor was automatic and "required no adjustment" and the company promised "it will not flood." The vehicle weighed 2,400 pounds (1,100 kg) and the exhaust on the muffler "prevents dust from coming up the rear of the car." Body options were "Victoria" and "Tulip."
That same year, the company advertised that the Model D, a 20-horsepower model would continue without change. The vehicle was priced at US$2,800. Both models were guaranteed for one year.
The company had distributing agents in New York City, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Missouri, Los Angeles and Buffalo, New York.