The Bliss Company of Canton, Ohio, produced 500 of these high-quality all-steel replicas of the 1903 Oldsmobile within a six-month period in 1958. The Oldsmobile Model R 'Curved Dash' runabout was a very successful, single-cylinder automobile produced from 1901 through 1903 and then quickly followed in 1904 by the Model 6C. Approximately 425 examples were built during the first year. The runabout weighed 650 pounds, cost $650, and the single-cylinder engine developed 4.5 horsepower. It used a side crank, center chain drive, and a mechanical brake on the two-speed transmission. By 1903, the Curved Dash Olds surpassed the steam Locomobile and became America's best-selling car. The Curved Dash remained in production through 1907, with successive improvements made over the years.
By Daniel Vaughan | May 2005
By Daniel Vaughan | May 2005
