1903 Thomas Rear Entrance

The Erwin Ross (E.R.) Thomas Motor Company of Buffalo, New York, produced automobiles from 1902 through 1919. The first Thomas-built cars appeared in 1903 and were mostly small runabouts with seating for two. The company had begun like so many other auto-manufacturing firms at the time - through a bicycle business. Thomas had been building bicycles for several companies before making the switch to automotive production. During the 1890s, E.R. was the managing director for H. A. Lozier & Co., who produced the Cleveland bicycle. After he left Lozier, he took over the Buffalo Automobile and Auto-Bi company, which was renowned for its motorcycle engines and bicycle production.

The first E.R. Thomas Motor cars were powered by a vertically-mounted water-cooled straight-three cylinder engine that produced just over 20 horsepower and was backed by a two-speed planetary gearbox. The exterior and mechanical designs were similar to a DeDion Bouton or Renault. This was understandable since the French had been pioneers in the motor industry for over a decade, and their automobiles were tried-and-true.

As times progressed, so did the E.R. Thomas Motor Cars. The Company did much to promote its vehicles and to attract customers, such as painting the cars in bright and attractive colors. The cars became more powerful and elegant and became renowned for their reliability and endurance.

In 1908, an E.R. Thomas Car was entered into 'The Great Race,' which ran from New York to Paris. The decision was made at the last minute, and there was little time to properly adapt the car for the race. Instead, the company pulled one from the production line and entered it into the race. The race began in New York during the winter and proceeded to San Francisco. The entrants then loaded onto a boat and traveled to Alaska and then Siberia. Once they arrived in Siberia, the race continued.

The race lasted 171 days and covered 13,300 miles. At the conclusion of the race, ending in Paris, it was an E.R. Thomas in first place, claiming the overall victory.

Demand for the E.R. Thomas Motor cars increased after the heroic victory. In 1911, the company only produced six-cylinder cars. Within a year, the car had entered into receivership and was purchased by C.A. Finnegan of the Empire Smelting Company.

The 1903 Thomas Model 18 Rear Entrance Tonneau was a well-engineered automobile, and its build quality and durability helped establish the company's reputation. The 106 cubic-inch F-Head single-cylinder engine with a single carburetor produced eight horsepower and drove through a three-speed manual transmission. It had semi-elliptic leaf springs and two-wheel brakes.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2008