1930 Ruxton Model C Roadster

The Ruxton appeared a few months after the Cord L29, in early 1930. Its history is somewhat convoluted but, essentially, it was a product of New Era Motors. Most Ruxtons were manufactured in the Moon Motors plant in St. Louis, the rest at the Kissell Motors plant in Hartford, Wisconsin.

Four body styles were available: a roadster, sedan, phaeton, and town car. Approximately 500 total cars were built.

The front-wheel drive Ruxton's lack of running boards and its 19-inch disc wheels aided in its low-slung look. Many Ruxton's featured Woodlite headlights adding to its exotic appearance. In comparison to the Cord, the Ruxton's were lighter and better balanced. To achieve this balance the transmission is divided into two pieces by placing lower and reverse gears in front of the differential, and second and third behind it. The current owner has owned it for more than 5 decades. When he restored it, he placed the body on the Ruxton show chassis, which had never been used.

Under the bonnet is an eighty-cylinder Continental engine offering 100 horsepower. The original price for this vehicle was $3,195. There were approximately 500 Ruxtons produced and only a handful left in existence.

The Ruxton was powered by a 269 cubic-inch Continental motor that developed 100 horsepower. Many Ruxtons featured the optional Woodlites, as installed on this car.

This Ruxton was owned for more than 50 years by Andy Adler of Millbury, Ohio, who donated it to the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Automobile Museum several years ago.

This Ruxton Roadster (chassis number 1009) was the last standard wheelbase car to be assembled in Philadelphia. It is the second of just two roadsters built there and is often referred to as the 'fountain car' due to a well-publicized photograph of the car in front of a fountain in a park. Following its use by the factory this car became the property of the Andrews family and was held by them for several years before being sold to collector D. Cameron Peck. The car eventually became the property of well-known front-wheel-drive enthusiast Andy Adler in the 1950s and was restored to its current configuration.

This is an important car as it marks the end of Philadelphia production and was one of the few Ruxtons extant before the first car was assembled at Moon several months later in June of 1930.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2014