1901 Oldsmobile Model R

During the early years of automobile production, numerous motorcars were built in various forms, configurations, and capacities, but it was the Oldsmobile Curved Dash that is credited as being the first mass-produced automobile. This meant that the 'Model R' was built on an assembly line using interchangeable parts. It was also the inspiration for the old popular song called 'My Merry Oldsmobile.'

Mass production was not an entirely new concept, and Oldsmobile's employment of the process allowed it to produce 425 cars in 1901, approximately 2,500 in 1902, and an estimated 3,924 units in 1903. Oldsmobile was able to sell more automobiles during those burgeoning years than any other manufacturer, making Ransom E. Olds a very wealthy man.

The car that fostered Oldsmobile's illustrious success and longevity was an accident. A fire destroyed a number of Oldsmobile prototypes in 1901 with the only example saved from the burning building being the Curved Dash.

The production version used a flat-mounted, water-cooled, single-cylinder (horizontal) engine positioned at the center of the car and using a brass gravity feed carburetor for fuel. It developed five horsepower and was backed by a semi-automatic transmission with two forward speeds and one reverse. Both the reverse gear and the low-speed forward used a planetary type epicyclic gearing system. It had a top speed of twenty miles per hour, weighed 850 pounds, and used Concord springs. All examples were right-hand drive, used tiller steering, and a brake pedal on the floor operated the transmission brake band. On the side of the body, a crank handle was permanently fixed to the engine and used to engage the engine. The wheelbase measured 66 inches, the tires were 28 x 3, and the base price was $650.

The Model R was replaced in 1904 by the Model 6C which came equipped with a larger 1,931cc which boosted power from 4.5 to 7 horsepower at 600 RPM. It continued to use two main bearings, a cast-iron block, and mechanical valve lifters. Pricing remained at $650. Drum brakes replaced the previous band brake. The Model 6C was a single-year model with 2,234 examples built during 1904. The Model B arrived in 1905 bringing with it even more improvements including a handbrake that now worked on the differential instead of the gearbox. The leaf spring suspension was revised, a new flywheel was installed, and the engine cooling improved. The following year, celluloid side window curtains were a new feature and the dashboard was offered with an upright position, earning it the nickname, the 'Straight Dash.'

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2021