1923 Locomobile 48 Series VIII

The Locomobile Company of America was a pioneer of the automobile industry, distinguished by its ability to maintain a consistent design in its vehicles from the Brass through the Nickel and Classic Eras, thereby preserving the elements that contributed to its initial success. Steam cars were offered in 1899, joined by the combustion-powered automobiles in 1903.

Locomobile was founded in 1899 by John Walker, publisher of Cosmopolitan magazine. Acquiring Stanley, the company produced steam automobiles through 1905, after which they solely offered gasoline-powered models. In 1901, Andrew L. Riker was appointed as the chief engineer, where he developed the company's inaugural gasoline-powered model and played a pivotal role in numerous mechanical innovations throughout his time with the company, which concluded in the early 1920s.

Bolstered by numerous motorsport victories, Locomobiles earned a reputation as 'easily the best built car in America.'

Locomobile entered receivership in 1919 due to an imprudent expansion strategy that rendered the company insolvent. The following year, a former Packard Executive named Emlen Hare assembled a conglomerate of companies that included Locomobile, Mercer, and Simplex, but this venture failed in 1921. The company limped along, briefly, on its own before its acquisition by William C. Durant in 1922. Under his leadership, Locomobile re-asserted itself as a successful luxury car manufacturer. As the 1920s came to a close, so did Locomobile's place in history, becoming an early victim of the economic hardship caused by the stock market crash.

Locomobile adhered to traditional design and technology, showing a hesitance to adapt as the automobile industry progressed, instead opting to maintain established methods and proven technology. This was evidenced by their Model 48, powered by a six-cylinder 'T' Head engine, that was introduced in 1911 and produced through 1929. During this time, many luxury automakers offered eight and twelve-cylinder models, yet Locomobile held steadfast with their six. Pierce-Arrow was another company that was hesitant to embrace change, clinging to six-cylinder power from 1910 to 1929. After the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana, gained control of the Buffalo firm, they retired the venerable 6-cylinder engine and in 1929 introduced an L-head straight-eight engine. With a larger dealer network and an expanded engineering department, the company survived many lean years of the Great Depression but ultimately ceased production in 1938.

The 525 cubic-inch Locomobile engine stands as a remarkable feat of engineering, and its enduring significance over its extended lifespan is readily apparent. It had seven main bearings, iron T-head cylinders cast in pairs and bolted to a bronze crankcase, a drop-forged alloy steel crankshaft, an aluminum intake manifold, a bronze-bodied carburetor, and a 4.5-inch bore and a 5.5-inch stroke. The gearbox casing was cast in manganese bronze, and the exhaust valves were chrome-cobalt steel. Battery and coil ignition ignite dual ignition through a pair of 6-cylinder distributors. While other manufacturers selected 3-speed gearboxes for their high horsepower engines, Locomobile retained its four-speed unit to the bitter end.

The hefty chassis was designed to cope with the loads of the coachwork and the stresses applied by the powerful engine. Its chassis members were pressed from chrome-nickel steel, then heat-treated and hot-riveted together. The suspension relied on chrome-nickel-tungsten steel leaf springs, with the front being semi-elliptical and the rear 3/4 elliptical.

Many of the body designs were penned by Locomobile's own Custom Body Department under the direction of former Kellner designer J. Frank de Causse. Since the company had no body building facility of its own, the construction of the coachwork was outsourced to various independent coachbuilders.

The Model 48, like all of the company's offerings, was meticulously constructed, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship, a keen focus on detail, and the incorporation of premium materials along with various specialized metals. Wearing opulent and luxurious coachwork, the Locomobile had a loyal clientele list that included prominent and affluent individuals such as William Wrigley, William Carnegie, and the Vanderbilt family. Company advertising for 1923 stated, 'The Exclusive Car for Exclusive People.'

The 1923 Locomobile 48
The 1923 Locomobile Model 48 rested on a very generous 142-inch wheelbase, the same size in use since 1917. The six-cylinder engine offered nearly 100 horsepower, and the portfolio of body styles was extensive, with open and closed coachwork, seating for four to seven passengers, and prices that ranged from $7.600 to $11,000.

The four-passenger Sportif and seven-passenger tourer was priced at $7,600, the seven-passenger limousine was $9,150, and the dual cowl phaeton at $9,500. Priced above $10,000, the five-passenger coupe was priced at $10,500, the five-passenger cabriolet was $200 higher, and the seven-passenger sedan was the most expensive at $11,000.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2024