In 1904, Willard Irving Twombly organized the Twombly Motor Carriage Company in Manhattan. The first vehicles were steam-powered cars that had a 92-inch platform and sold for $2500 in Touring configuration. The limousine top demanded an additional $500. They had a modern layout with a front hood concealing the 28-horsepower single-acting unit. A 12-horsepower compound setup was also available. Top speed was in the neighborhood of 50 mph and most of the controls were on the steering wheel. Period literature stated the car was easy to drive and fireproof.
The idea was honorable but in reality, very few (if any) production vehicles were produced. It is believed the price was too steep. In 1905 he experimented with a gasoline car, but it did not go any further than the experimentation stage - until 1910. Twombly worked through the 1900s developing new ideas and spending over $250,000 in experimental work on the designs. After perfecting his creations, he was ready for manufacture and leased a facility in Long Island City.
In 1910, Twombly was back with a new idea, the 'Quick Detachable' car. It had a quickly removable engine and a quickly convertible body. Power was once again from a steam engine, with a two-cylinder setup with a directly opposed configuration. Twombly proclaimed the engine could be removed from the car in just five minutes. The body conversion could be completed in 2 to 3 minutes. The car could go from an open torpedo-type touring car to a closed limousine.
Twombly hoped to sell his vehicle as a multi-purpose automobile that could be used for recreation and business. It was meant as one vehicle to solve many different types of needs and problems. Unfortunately, adequate financing never matured and the Twombly once again was at a stand-still.
In 1913, W. Irving Twombly was back, this time with a cyclecar. The vehicle had a 98-inch wheelbase and a 38-inch tread and carried a price tag of just $350. It had an underslung suspension setup with friction transmission and a double-chain drive. Power was from a vee-twin motor offering 7 horsepower.
For 1914, the engine was rated at 10 horsepower. It was a water-cooled unit with piston-valves and four-cylinders. The wheelbase increased by two inches to 100 and the price also increased to $395.
For 1915, Twombly went in a new direction, offering a Light Car, available in Touring, Runabout and Taxicab configurations. They had a three-speed sliding gear transmission and a water-cooled poppet valve 16 horsepower four-cylinder engine. Price rose to $600 for the Taxicab, $650 for the Ruanbout and $750 for the 4-passenger Tourer.
Twombly produced the taxicabs in his plant of New York Motor Works in Nutley, New Jersey. The other production vehicles were produced by Driggs-Seabury in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Twombly placed an order with Driggs for 3000 cars. His chief financial backer was a retired Presbyterian minister named Reverend Dr. D. Stuart Dodge. After disappointing sales, Dr. Dodge petitioned Twombly into bankruptcy in February of 1915. This was very unfortunate, since the new Twombly had not been on the market very long. The true potential of the new Twombly was never realize.
by Dan Vaughan