1907 Stoddard-Dayton Model K Runabout

The Stoddard-Dayton automobile was built in Dayton, Ohio, between 1905 and 1913 by the Dayton Motor Car Company. There were some of the most significant cars of the automobile's first decade. They were durable, expensive, and innovative. Englishman H.S. Edwards was responsible for many of the early designs of these cars.

Stoddard-Dayton cars were regularly seen competing in, and often winning, speed and endurance competitions of the day, including the first Indianapolis 300-mile race in 1909, finishing first (averaging 57.3 miles per hour) and second. The historic Glidden Tour events, sprints and hill-climbs were used to promote the brand as well. A Stoddard-Dayton was the pace for the first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911.

The Model K Runabout of 1907 was a racy, high-powered, sporting automobile with 35 horsepower. Pricing was in the neighborhood of $2,500. Stoddard-Dayton had a wide variety of models in 1907, from the Runabout to a Limousine, sourcing power from both a 4- and 6-cylinder engines. The 4-cylinder engines featured overhead valves.

Only three Model Ks are known to exist, one of which is in Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry collection. Three of the Model K's are Runabouts.

This example is believed to be the one driven by E.L. Lambach and H.C. Tillolson for owner E.S. Smith of Philadelphia on the 1907 Glidden Tour. The current owner purchased it in 1987.