1911 Oldsmobile Limited

The Curved Dash Oldsmobile was inexpensive, simple, effective, and cheerful, and although mass production was not a new concept, Oldsmobile used the principle with the Model R (Curved Dash) to produce 425 cars in 1901, approximately 2,500 in 1902 and an estimated 3,924 units in 1903. The popularity of the Oldsmobile made Ransom Olds a very wealthy man, and in 1903, it surpassed the steam Locomobile as America's best-selling car. It was, in many respects, exactly what the American market was seeking - a simple, high-off-the-ground motorcar that looked like a buggy with its elegantly curved dashboard (a term applied first to buggies to ward off the mud and manure thrown up by horses' hooves), 2-speed planetary gear transmission, tiller steering, and 95 cubic-inch single-cylinder engine.

Successive curved-dash models remained in production through 1907, by which time they had been joined by a straight-dash model and cars as large as a 106-inch wheelbase four.

Oldsmobile followed up the most famous front end in early motoring with a more upscale, larger, and visually distinct Model N. It was bestowed a more European appearance with a brass radiator with a louvered hood, earning it the moniker 'French Front' as few American cars of this period had this configuration. It had a 10-inch longer wheelbase than the curved-dash Model 6C, the first Olds to feature a steering wheel and a sloping rear deck. The engine was the same as in the curved-dash model, incorporating pressure-feed lubrication and jump-spark ignition. Priced at $750, the Touring Runabout was approximately $100 more than the curved-dash.

Oldsmobile produced one-, two-, and four-cylinder models in 1906, one- and four-cylinder models in 1907, and four- and six-cylinder models from 1908 through 1915.

The Oldsmobile Limited
From humble beginnings, Oldsmobile would travel to the other end of the spectrum with its Limited model. First created as a prototype as early as 1908, the Limited was among the most prestigious cars of its era, and its 42-inch wheels were among the largest fitted to any production automobile, helping it to literally tower above the competition. It used the same 130-inch wheelbase of the prior Model Z and was powered by a 505 cubic-inch, 60-horsepower T-head six-cylinder engine with the cylinders cast in pairs. It had a cast iron block and mechanical valve lifters, and was paired with a four-speed sliding gear, selective transmission with a leather-faced cone clutch, shaft drive, and a full-floating rear axle.

Engine displacement grew to 706 cubic inches (11,569cc) in 1911, though it was still rated at 60 horsepower. It had a cast iron block, T-head configuration, mechanical valve lifters, and a Rayfield Model D carburetor. The 1911 Limited wheelbase measured 138 inches, and the 1912 version at 140 inches.

Body styles offered in 1910 included a seven-passenger tourer, a two-passenger roadster, and a close-coupled five-passenger tourer, all listed at $4,600. The five-passenger limousine was priced at around $5,800. The 1911 Limited Series was offered as a runabout, 7-passenger tourer, and tourabout for $5,000. The seven-passenger limousine was approximately $7,000. The prices and body styles were the same for 1912, except the limousine was now $6,300.

Befitting a car of its pedigree and stature, production was exclusive (or 'Limited') with just 325 cars built in 1910, 196 cars in 1911, and 117 in 1912. It is believed that around two examples remain from 1910, ten from 1911, one from 1912, and a sole 1908 Limited prototype.

The Oldsmobile Limited raced against the 20th Century Limited train from Albany to New York City. It would win the race, and a famous painting was later created depicting the race.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2023