1912 Simplex Model 50 Toy Tonneau

William P. Snyder II of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, was a keen admirer of the sporty new Simplex. He ordered this 50 HP Simplex with a Speedcar body and greatly enjoyed its power and speed, but after the car was damaged in an accident it was re-bodied by Quinby in 1912 with the Toy Tonneau coachwork it wears today. Simplex featured prominently in Mr. Snyder's life as he met his wife-to-be on the Long Island Ferry while they were both driving Simplexes - and they drove this very car on their honeymoon. It has been kept in the Snyder family ever since and in fact, it is the only Simplex in the world that has never been sold.

The Simplex 50 HP was built in limited numbers through 1913, and its T-head engine, displacing 597 cubic inches, was paired with a four-speed transaxle. The final drive was via dual chains, a similar design to many of the best racing cars of the era. The valves measured nearly 3 inches in diameter, and the cylinder blocks and piston castings were made of gun iron.

On America's racetracks, the Simplex scored numerous first-place victories, including at the Brighton Beach 24-hour endurance event and at the 1909 National Stock Chassis Race. A 50 HP Speed car finished 70 miles ahead of its nearest competitor in a 24-hour marathon at Brighton Beach in 1908, completing 1,177 miles to establish a new world record for a day on the track.

The Krupp steel chassis of the Simplex was clothed by many respected firms, including Brewster, Quinby, Healey, and Holbrook. Although a true thoroughbred, many received touring coachwork suitable for comfort and formidable high-speed motoring.

When Herman Broesel died in 1912, his sons agreed to sell the company to a Wall Street investment group. The new owners retired the 50 HP engine and replaced it with a long-stroke unit. Additionally, the Simplex factory was moved from Manhattan to New Brunswick, New Jersey. Henry M. Crane was hired in 1915 to design a new Simplex automobile. What he created became known as the Simplex Crane Model 5.

When the United States entered World War I, Simplex's New Jersey factory was acquired by Wright-Martin for Hispano-Suiza aero engine production, bringing an end to the Simplex marque. Between 1907 and 1915, the Simplex AUtomoible Company produced approximately 1,460 chassis.

Chassis Num: 799
William P. Snyder Jr. was born in 1888 in Sewickley, PA. His family became one of the most influential names in the American steel industry. After he graduated from Yale University in the spring of 1911, he joined the family business. One of his early purchases was a new Simplex 50 HP; his order was placed in February 1912 for a 124-inch, 50 HP chassis with a Runabout body and coachwork by J.M. Quinby & Co. The body was to be painted in Munich Lake with a medium red chassis, maroon leather, and his monogram – W.P.S Jr. – applied to the coachwork. It was specified with minimal equipment to include fenders, a toolbox, Prest-O-Lite tank, a Kalxon horn, and a Warner speedometer.

On March 11, 1912, the Simplex chassis arrived at J.M. Quinby & Co. and received its coachwork a short time later. The Runabout completed the performance features of the Simplex, which proved to be too much for Mr. Snyder Jr. Following an accident, the elder Mr. Snyder insisted that the Simplex 50 HP receive more conservative bodywork. Near the close of 1912, the Simplex was returned to Quinby, where it was fitted with the Toy-Tonneau coachwork it wears today, body no. 3038. The replacement body and its fitment to the chassis cost approximately $600.

The new body continued to wear the Munich Lake exterior with black accents and carmine pinstriping. The seats were upholstered in maroon leather, and the body was supplied with a top, side curtains, storm covers, glass, trunk rack, and tire carrier.

The Simplex remained with Mr. Snyder until the 1940s when it was passed down to his son, William P. Snyder III. Under his care, the Simplex was sympathetically restored and participated in several VMCCA events, including the Glidden Tour.

In 1953, the Snyder Simplex appeared in an advertisement for Gulfpride H.D. motor oil.

In 2011, the car passed down to the latest generation, and two years later, it was invited to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance to be displayed in a class celebrating the Simplex marque. Wearing its restoration that was completed in the 1950s, it not only completed the 50-mile Tour d'Elegance, but earned Second in Class as well as the prestigious Briggs Cunningham Trophy, a special award given to the most exciting open car present.

This Simplex is powered by a 597 cubic-inch T-head four-cylinder engine with a single Updraft carburetor and delivers 50 HP (ALAM rated). It has a four-speed manual transaxle with chain drive, and two-wheel mechanical drum brakes. There is a solid front axle and live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs front and rear.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2023