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|  | View more photos Torpedo Runabout Coachwork: Don Lee Chassis Num: 2231 |
The Model 5 example shown with chassis number 2231 was believed to have been designed by Harley Earl with coachwork by Earl Automotive Works of Los Angeles, California. It is powered by a 564 cubic-inch side-valve six-cylinder engine, cast in triples, capable of producing 11 horsepower. The 144 inch wheelbase was suspended in place by leaf springs and beam axle in the front and a rear suspension via leaf spring and live axle. Braking was provided by rear-wheel drum brakes with a driveshaft mounted handbrake.
It is believed that the boat-tail design and nautical theme was inspired by the brother's love of the sea and the company's fleet of schooners.
The car was kept by H.X. Baxter until 1936 when it was purchased by Douglas Gardner of California. Mr. Gardner was Mr. Baxter's chauffeur. The car was later sold to Mr. Coffee, also of California. In 1966 the car was sold to Mr. Hopkins and in 2001 it was sold to Mr. Dale Johnson.
The coachwork is by Don Lee Custom Coachworks, or so it is believed. This would mean that the body was built by Earl Automobile Works, which had been founded by J. W. Earl. In 1919, J.W.Earl sold the business to Don Lee, a Cadillac dealer. The name of the company was changed to Don Lee Custom Coachwork. It is not known if Harley Earl had a part in designing or creating this vehicle, but he was 23 in 1916 and working in his fathers company.
This car was auctioned at the 2006 RM Auction at Meadow Brook and a high bid of $160,000 was achieved. This was not enough to settle the reserve which left the car unsold. The car had been estimated to sell for $220,000 - $260,000.
 |  | View more photos Brewster Berline Coachwork: Brewster Chassis Num: 2445 |
It has earned awards at both the Amelia Island and Greenwich Concours. The Brewster Custom Coachwork makes this vehicle unique and the company's low production figures makes this a very exclusive automobile. It was offered for sale at the 2006 Gooding & Company Auction held in Pebble Beach where it was estimated to sell between $150,000-$200,000. Considering the rarity of these vehicles, the social elite who have owned them, and the excellent coachwork and engineering that went into creating these vehicles, it is a wonder that they do not fetch more at auction. This car was offered with a reserve which was not met; the car was left unsold.
| Phaeton Coachwork: Frederick R. Wood & Sons Chassis Num: 2381 Engine Num: 2404 |
Arthur Homan became this cars second owner; the first owner was from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. After the Second World War, from 1946 to 1950, it was jointly owned by Malcolm Thompson and Roger Cutting. While in their care it was driven on its first Glidden Tour revival in 1946. It traveled from Massachusetts to Detroit and back to Canada.
Reverend Austin Guiles of Newton, Massachusetts owned it for a short time in the early 1950s before selling it in late 1952 to the grandfather of the present owner. The father inherited it in 1983 and in 1985 it was given a professional restoration by Ralph Buckley. It was put into storage in the mid-1990s and brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, Ca in 2007. It was estimated to sell for $175,000 - $225,000. As bidding concluded, the lot had been sold for $176,000 including buyers premium.
| | View more photos Touring Car Chassis Num: 2178 Engine Num: 2233 |
The car has a large tonneau, dual spare tires mounted in the rear, wooden artillery-style wheels, orange painted undercarriage and accents, and a white painted body.
In 2007 it was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction where it was estimated to sell for $240,000 - $275,000. The car has had only four owners from new, is in great condition, is simple and elegant, and benefits from impeccable engineering and construction. At auction, the lot was sold for $198,000.
In 1904 Smith & Mabley Manufacturing Company of New York City built their first car. To date, this remains one of the few companies to produce vehicles in New York City. The vehicles they produced were called the S&M Simplex. Noted for their quality, the company was positioned to perform well in the new and evolving automotive industry. Production continued until the company went bankrupt in 1906 partly because of a mounting recession. The following year, the assets were absorbed into the Simplex Automobile Company and purchased by Herman Broesel. Broesel was a wealthy textile manufacturer who was responsible for inspiring some large and fast Simplex models, such as the 50 and 90. Broesel died in 1912 which meant the company was now in the hands of his sons. The following year sales slumped and the brothers decided to abandon the company. Simplex was purchased by Goodrich, Lockhart and Smith who moved the company to New Brunswick, New Jersey. A year later they acquired Crane, resulting in the Crane-Simplex. Later, the company was purchased by Mercer Automobile Company.
The merger between Crane and Simplex was suitable; both produced high priced and high quality automobiles. Their vehicles were built to order. The Crane Company had been founded by Middleton Crane and had built a reputation for creating some of the nicest, most expensive automobiles in all of America. No expense was spared on the creation of their automobiles. The chassis, engine, and assembly was very detailed and every effort was made to create quality and insure durability.
Thus, the Crane-Simplexes were built in very low numbers. Their clientele included the wealthy and powerful, including the Rockefeller family.
The Crane Motor Car Company was purchased by the Simplex Automobile Company in 1914. Part of the acquisition included the services of its founder and chief engineer, Henry Crane. Up to this point in history, the Crane Motor Company produced vehicles in limited quantities; after the merger, production increased.
Henry M. Crane graduated from M.I.T. with degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering. His first employer was the American Bell Telephone Company, followed by Western Electric. He began the Crane and Whitman Company of Bayonne, New Jersey in 1906 which became the Crane Motor Car Company around 1910.
The first model produced by Crane was the Model 3 which made its debut in 1912. The rolling chassis cost a staggering $8,000 with custom coachwork costing additional. Between the years of 1912 through 1914, around 40 example of the Crane were produced. These cars would become the basis for the Simplex Crane when the merger occurred in 1914.
The Model 50 chain-drive Simplex had impressive power, speed, and endurance. It was an attractive car that lacked some of the refinements the American luxury-car buyer had grown to expect in the pre-WWI era.
The Simplex models prior to the merger had been powered by a four-cylinder, T-head unit. After the merger, the newly introduced Model 50 was fitted with a six-cylinder Crane-designed unit that offered 110 horsepower from the 564 cubic-inch unit. In similar design to the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts, the engine was built in two blocks of three cylinders each. With side valves the engine operated very quietly from idle upwards. The engines were so well built and engineered, they were produced without change during their production span. A new shaft drive setup replaced the old chain drive mechanisms. The wheelbase of the Model 5 Crane measured 144-inches.
In February of 1920, Simplex became part of the Hare's Motors, which included Mercer and Locombile. This dream-team lasted for only a short time, until 1922, when ownership passed to Henry Crane. He had hopes of reviving the marque but it would never come to fruition.
Henry Crane became a consulting engineer to GM Chairman Alfred P. Sloan. Crane later became famous in the boating field for his engines that powered the Dixie speedboats, which won the Harmsworth Trophy four times.
The merger between Crane and Simplex was suitable; both produced high priced and high quality automobiles. Their vehicles were built to order. The Crane Company had been founded by Middleton Crane and had built a reputation for creating some of the nicest, most expensive automobiles in all of America. No expense was spared on the creation of their automobiles. The chassis, engine, and assembly was very detailed and every effort was made to create quality and insure durability.
Thus, the Crane-Simplexes were built in very low numbers. Their clientele included the wealthy and powerful, including the Rockefeller family.
The Crane Motor Car Company was purchased by the Simplex Automobile Company in 1914. Part of the acquisition included the services of its founder and chief engineer, Henry Crane. Up to this point in history, the Crane Motor Company produced vehicles in limited quantities; after the merger, production increased.
Henry M. Crane graduated from M.I.T. with degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering. His first employer was the American Bell Telephone Company, followed by Western Electric. He began the Crane and Whitman Company of Bayonne, New Jersey in 1906 which became the Crane Motor Car Company around 1910.
The first model produced by Crane was the Model 3 which made its debut in 1912. The rolling chassis cost a staggering $8,000 with custom coachwork costing additional. Between the years of 1912 through 1914, around 40 example of the Crane were produced. These cars would become the basis for the Simplex Crane when the merger occurred in 1914.
The Model 50 chain-drive Simplex had impressive power, speed, and endurance. It was an attractive car that lacked some of the refinements the American luxury-car buyer had grown to expect in the pre-WWI era.
The Simplex models prior to the merger had been powered by a four-cylinder, T-head unit. After the merger, the newly introduced Model 50 was fitted with a six-cylinder Crane-designed unit that offered 110 horsepower from the 564 cubic-inch unit. In similar design to the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts, the engine was built in two blocks of three cylinders each. With side valves the engine operated very quietly from idle upwards. The engines were so well built and engineered, they were produced without change during their production span. A new shaft drive setup replaced the old chain drive mechanisms. The wheelbase of the Model 5 Crane measured 144-inches.
In February of 1920, Simplex became part of the Hare's Motors, which included Mercer and Locombile. This dream-team lasted for only a short time, until 1922, when ownership passed to Henry Crane. He had hopes of reviving the marque but it would never come to fruition.
Henry Crane became a consulting engineer to GM Chairman Alfred P. Sloan. Crane later became famous in the boating field for his engines that powered the Dixie speedboats, which won the Harmsworth Trophy four times.
| Photos grouped by event | ||
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Gooding & Company |
Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction |
2006 RM Auctions at Meadow Brook |
1916 Simplex Crane Model 5 |
|
| Year | 1916 |
| Make | Simplex |
| Model | Crane Model 5 |
| Body Style | Brewster Berline |
| Engine Location | Front |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Production Years for Series | 1915 - 1917 |
| Coach Work | Don Lee, Brewster, Frederick R. Wood & Sons |
| Chassis / Engine Numbers Shown | |
| Chassis Number | 2178 |
| Engine Number | 2233 |
| Chassis Number | 2231 |
| Chassis Number | 2381 |
| Engine Number | 2404 |
| Chassis Number | 2445 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Configuration | I |
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Engine | Cast in triples |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 564.00 CU IN. | 9244 cc. | 9.2 L. |
| Valvetrain | SV |
| Horsepower | 110.00 BHP (81 KW) |
| HP / Liter | 12.0 BHP / Liter |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 4 |
| Transmission | Manual |
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| Simplex History |
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| Related Articles and Event Coverage |
| Gooding & Company |
| Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction |
| 2006 RM Auctions at Meadow Brook |
| Other Model Years |
| 1917 Crane Model 5 Brewster |
| 1915 Crane Model 5 |
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