1895 Buffum Stanhope Stanhope

H.H. Buffum was primarily a designer and producer of complex machines for the automation of shoe production. He secured numerous patents for his machinery, developed a successful sprinkler head design and sewing and nailing machines.

The New England era during the 1890s was a Mecca for industrial innovation and the location of many skilled artisans and well-educated engineers.

H.H. Buffum produced about 70 vehicles over a 13-year period. He is credited as producing the first American four-cylinder car, production or otherwise, the first cataloged production American race car, and the world's first production V8 automobile.

His first automotive design began in 1894 and was completed the following year in Massachusetts.

Buffum designed an in-line four-cylinder engine that was based on a cast iron crankcase with individual cylinders. Ignition was by make and break and the intake was a primitive mixing valve. The dual exhaust system flowed through a twin-canister muffler, and cooling was provided by a large vented water tank (boiling tank) with individual piping for each cylinder. With a completed motor, Buffum received assistance from local carriage maker George Pierce, who fabricated an elegant chassis for Buffum's design. It had a tubular frame that cradled the transversely mounted engine in castings mounted on the side of the crankcase. The motor was placed under the seat, offering plenty of space for the 'boiling tank' cooling system, and the transverse mounting made for a convenient starting handle placement outside the car. The motor was fitted to a two-speed planetary transmission.

The completed car was given a Stanhope body, likely supplied by Pierce. It had tiller steering, chain drive to the rear axle, with cleverly designed controls. The gear change lever came out of the seat fall area and its leather knob rotated to operate the throttle. The leather knob is thought to have been derived from a shoe hammer that also appeared on later Buffum models. A series of pedals operated the brakes and reverse gear and the final drive, by a chain and no differential, was fitted to the axle.

Buffum drove his car sparingly and feared that his ideas and advancements would be stolen and copied. The car did spark local interest, and several requests were made for automobiles. Prior to 1900, he hand-made six cars, each with evolving design. The work was perhaps done in his spare time as he had a thriving business to look after.

In 1900, Buffum set himself up for automobile production and manufactured a handful of cars mainly for local residents in this early period. A year later, he introduced a four-cylinder, front-engine, chain-drive car. Its design was unique, with a configuration and design more 'French Style' than those of the US. The motor was now an opposed four with a center-mounted flywheel.

In 1903, the 'Central Greyhound' 100-horsepower eight-cylinder racing car was built to compete against Winton at the Gordon Bennett Cup in Ireland. It was the largest and most powerful American racecar built up to that time. Unfortunately, the car never made it to the event, it did become a catalogued model. The production Greyhound was America's first cataloged production racing car and the first production eight-cylinder American car.

In 1908, Buffum had grown tired of automobile production and left the Massachusetts area for New Hampshire to pursue an interest in powerful motorboats. In 1914, he made the Laconia cycle car - his final contribution to the automobile industry. It was the only vehicle of its type in New Hampshire.

Buffum later moved back to the West Coast where he died in 1933.

This Stanhope is the original Buffum and was never sold during Buffum's lifetime. Buffum's ex-wife, Mrs. Dudley, sold the car in 1934 to Harry Bell. The car was later put on display for many years at the Princeton Auto Museum in Princeton, MA. The car was later sold to the Zimmerman Museum. The car changed hands in the 1960s a few times before settling with John Swann of Highland, Maryland. Swann made the car operations and used it in several parades. While in his care, the Buffum became the first automobile to cross the Parallel Chesapeake Bay Bridge on its opening in 1973.

The car has been used sparingly during the past two decades and is rarely seen. Recently, it was put on display at the Owl's Head Transportation Museum in Owl's Head, ME.

Currently, the car is largely original, though the body may have been repainted many years ago. Much of the leather upholstery and dash are original. It has a distinctive twin exhaust muffler, carburetor, and make and brake equipment.

This Buffum is one of the oldest, functional American cars in existence.

In 2012 the car was offered for sale at the Quail Lodge presented by Bonhams Auction. It was estimated to sell for $250,000 - $350,000 but could not find a buyer willing to satisfy its reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2012