1912 Rambler Four Cross Country Touring

Thomas Jeffrey was one of the few early automobile producers who did not apply his name to the horseless carriage he was producing. The Rambler name had first been applied to a line of fine bicycles starting in 1897, and then to a line of early automobiles that was well received by customers and the motoring press. When the Rambler was introduced in the spring of 1902 it became the world's second mass-produced car, behind Oldsmobile's curved-dash model.

When Jeffrey passed away in 1910, his son Charles took over the operation. When the 1912 models were released, they were given the latest in automotive technology. In 1914, he changed the name from Rambler to Jeffrey, in honor of his father. Two years later, in 1916, the firm was purchased by Charles J. Nash, who in 1917 gave the name Nash to these automobiles. Nash re-introduced the Rambler in 1950 as a compact-model line.

This Rambler Cross-Country was given a restoration several years ago. It has been equipped to make it compatible with modern traffic needs such as turn signals and a working brake light for safety and an electric self-starter. It is finished in Burgundy. It had the Solar model 1132 cowl lamps and a Prest-O-Lite gas headlamp system. Other motoring accessories include a period Stewart-Warner combination speedometer/odometer and a rim-wound Phenney-Walker dash-mounted clock.

Power is supplied by a 283 cubic-inch L-head four-cylinder unit fitted with 1-barrel carburetion and offers 38 horsepower. There is a three-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel mechanical drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2017