1916 Winton Six-33 7-Passenger Touring

The Winton Company introduced six-cylinder cars in 1908, and for its remaining sixteen years, remained consistent with very few changes. In 1914, they switched to a left-hand drive and finally offered an electric starter as an option the following year. Alexander Winton was reluctant to change and was firmly committed to his compressed-air starter. He agreed to the change only after a contingent of dealers implored him to embrace the simpler and then-proven electric type.

In 1915, the automotive entity was reorganized as Winton Motor Car Company. Winton's interest had begun to diversify as early as 1912. He had been interested in marine engines for some years and in 1912 established a subsidiary business called Winton Gas Engine & Manufacturing Company to build marine and stationary engines. The following year, it branched into diesel, and soon that industry dominated Winton's business.

In 1916, Winton made one further addition to the automotive production line. It was a lighter car dubbed the Six-33, and catalogued as the Model 22-A. The Six-48, Model 22, had grown to a 138-inch wheelbase and kept the 48-horsepower engine, now displacing 525 cubic inches. The Six-33 was ten inches shorter, had a smaller 33-horsepower, 348-cubic inch six, and sold for two-thirds the big car's price.

This particular example was acquired by Harold Coker in 1992. It was purchased from Bert Harrison, of Salem, Oregon, who reportedly acquired it from the Harrah Collection. During World War II, much of its aluminum had been scrapped, including from the engine, crankcase, oil sump, and body panels.

Mr. Coker had the remains sent to Stan Francis in California, who created a new body for the car. The work was completed in 2007 and shown at the Amelia Island Concours in 2008. It received a National First AACA award in Cleveland, Tennessee in 2008. It achieved Senior status in Louisville in July 2015.

This Winton is painted in two shades of gray and has very little bright work. Much of the windshield frame and headlights are painted. The interior is pleated black leather and there is a new black canvas top. The instrumentation includes a Warner Autometer, an ammeter, and a Waltham clock. The odometer reads 25,395 miles. The car rides on 36x5 Universal blackwall tires mounted to black wire wheels. The engine is an L-head six-cylinder unit displacing 347.9 cubic inches and offering nearly 34 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual transmission and two-wheel mechanical drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2015