1912 Mercer Model 35

Raceabout
Chassis number: 546

Mercers were the brainchild of the Roeblings who perfected the support cables for spans such as the Brooklyn Bridge. The car was named after Mercer County, New Jersey, where the plant was located.

The Raceabouts were a rich man's toy, costing about the same as five new Fords. They were designed for racing and most were used for that purpose. Each car was guaranteed to do a mile in 51 seconds. All cars were ordered special from the factory as their entire production was sold out years ahead.

Unfortunately, Washington Roebling was lost on the Titanic, and the family lost interest, thereafter, in Mercer automobiles.

Runabout
Chassis number: 35D456

This 1912 Mercer Raceabout was purchased by David V. Uihlein Sr. in 1944 from Hamilton Malley of Greenwich, CT. It won Best of Show in the Illinois Region AACA Lake Forest meet in 1951.

This vehicle was based on a contemporary Runabout model, and later converted to a Raceabout configuration by Uihlein himself. It has the original Mercer Raceabout seats, a rare Fletcher carburetor, and original brasswork.

by Dan Vaughan

Raceabout

The Mercer Company was formed in 1909 in Trenton, New Jersey, taking its name from Mercer County, where Trenton is located. Production of Mercer chassis frames and bodies began in 1910. The first Mercers used a 34-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine built by Beaver Manufacturing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The new Mercer, which cost $2,085, was capable of a top speed of 60 mph and was so flexible that the driver could go from 4 mph to 60 all in the same high gear.

Mercers were the brainchild of the Roebling brothers whose family had invented the support cables for the Brooklyn Bridge. The Raceabouts were a rich man's toy, costing about the same as five new Fords. They were designed for racing and did so successfully on tracks all over the United States. Each car was guaranteed to do a mile in 51 seconds. They were very advanced and little was needed to prepare them for racing, although some owners added a monocle windshield for protection, a feature that made them easily identifiable.

The Mercer Raceabout Model 35J T-head was constructed from 1913 through 1914. Under the hood was a 300 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine and mated to a Brown & Lipe gearbox. In 1911 and 1912, there were three speeds. Beginning in 1913, a four-speed unit was offered with a multiple-disc clutch. To improve the vehicle's handling characteristics, the drive was placed low in the frame. Mounted on the rear were dual spare tires.

Many of the T-Head Mercer's were taken from the showroom floor and driven straight to the track. All that was needed to have these cars ready for the track was the removal of the fenders, running boards, and lighting equipment. After the race, the cars were driven home, which made these one of the first mass-produced dual-purpose vehicles.

These were designed mostly for racing. They had a ladder frame with very little bodywork (only a hood and vestigial fenders). They had a 25-gallon gas tank mounted directly behind the two seats. There was little needed to prepare them for racing; some owners added a monocle windshield to provide mild protection from the elements and harsh roadways of the era.

It is hard to imagine that these were very advanced vehicles of their day, but they were. Their T-head engine offered 60 horsepower, and their finely-tuned gear ratios and four-speed transmission gave them a competitive edge over their rivals. Though the body and frame seemed minimalist and crude, it was lightweight and rugged. With no body, no starter, and a lack of amenities, these Speedsters weighed a mere 2300 pounds.

by Dan Vaughan