1911 Lozier Model 51

Touring
Chassis number: 3574
Engine number: 3539

Today it would seem nearly impossible, given the size of the automobile industry, to think that a career in bicycles could launch an automotive career. And yet, that is exactly what would happen in 1905 when Henry Abram Lozier founded The Lozier Company in Plattsburgh, New York.

Lozier had earned great wealth making bicycles. This great wealth would enable him to found his automobile company and become a very strong road racing competitor. At some of the most important races in North America, a Lozier could be found somewhere in the field. Lozier would actually be quite successful too, since Ralph Mulford would be contracted to drive the car in races like the Vanderbilt Cup and the Elgin Road Races. Perhaps one of the greatest success stories for Lozier would come after he had moved his company to Detroit in 1910.

Following the move to Detroit in 1910, there would be an inaugural race in Indianapolis, Indiana, the next year, 1911. Ralph Mulford would be behind the wheel of a Lozier in the first-ever Indianapolis 500. And though he would not come through the victor, Lozier would still come away with a very fine 2nd place finish.

The 2nd place result at Indianapolis only highlighted the strength of the Lozier cars, and it would be one of the reasons why Mulford would a number of 24-hour records, as well as earning victories in the Elgin Road Race in 1910 and the Vanderbilt Cup in Savannah in 1911.

Lozier would approach his automobiles the same way he did his bicycles. Each component or part of a Lozier would be designed or engineered by the company itself. A great deal of care and time would be taken with every part. It is why each and every Lozier came at a price.

Despite having gone unrestored for many decades, chassis 3574 was likely one of the most glorious of Lozier's Model 51s still left. Offered at RM Auction's Amelia Island event in 2013, 3574 still remains a fine example of the intricate detail and great care each and every Lozier received from the factory.

When first produced in 1911, this particular chassis would end up with a price tag of $5,955 and would include such striking extras as a 100 mph Jones Speedometer and nickel plating. Exotic and luxurious throughout, the real quality of the Lozier came as a result of the attention to detail as much as the luxurious appointments that were to be found in and around the outside of the car.

This particular chassis would so justly reflect the quality of Lozier that the car would remain a part of the Henry Ford Museum through the 1950s. Then, in 1968, the car would be purchased by Ken Pearson. Pearson's affection for the car would be evident as he would make his own notes as to how best to drive the car. This care and affection would further be evident by his painstaking efforts to restore the car.

The amount of the car that would be entirely original and one of a kind would only come to be realized when restoration efforts began in the early 1970s. Quoting from Pearson's own notes, 'the reinforcing irons, fender brackets, etc. all showed signs of a blacksmith type of fabrication. No two pieces were exactly alike…as they would be if they were made in dies.' Still, despite this challenge, Pearson would soldier on in his restoration efforts. He would stuff the black leather upholstery with horse hair just as it would have originally been. The running boards and floorboards would feature linoleum, as had been the case originally. Even the canvas top would be a perfect match. This would come courtesy of Pearson sending an example of the material to John Haartz of Haartz, Inc.

The entire process of the restoration would be highly documented and recorded. The work list and notes would be exhaustive as would the correspondence with suppliers and individuals associated with the restoration process. What Pearson didn't restore, he left. A closer inspection of the car would cause a great deal of surprise as even the smallest of components on the car remains highly original instead of having been swapped out for something that matched perfectly.

The results of the exhaustive work would pay off immediately as he would receive the AACA National First Prize in 1970. But the real proof of the work would come in the operation of the car, not just its looks. This, too, would be confirmed as Pearson would take part in no less than 77 tours between 1970 and 1988. This meant the addition of thousands upon thousands of miles to the car, and yet, it still presents itself nicely and is truly a special piece of automotive artwork and engineering.

Besides the fact that Lozier never built more than 600 cars throughout its entire existence, chassis 3574 still retains that quality that made it one of the most expensive cars in America at the time. However, complete with a mountain of documentation, even correspondences between Pearson and Mulford himself, this particular 1911 Lozier Model 51 would have to be considered a veritable gold mine of antiquity. If anything, this particular car would have to be considered one of the finest, even in its current state, of the Brass Era machines still in existence today.

Highly unique in its features and components inside and out, 3574 perfectly reflects Lozier's quest for perfection and quality and remains a great reason why the Lozier name must be remembered amongst the very best in automotive history.

Headed to auction, the 1911 Lozier Model 51 Seven-Passenger Touring; with its 51 hp, T-head 6-cylinder engine and Olive Green finish would be estimated to draw between $400,000 and $600,000.

Sources:

'Lot No. 129: 1911 Lozier Model 51 Seven-Passenger Touring', http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1056749. RM Auctions. http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1056749. Retrieved 4 March 2013.

'1911 Lozier Briarcliff News, Pictures and Information', http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z14255/Lozier-Briarcliff.aspx. Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z14255/Lozier-Briarcliff.aspx. Retrieved 4 March 2013.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Lozier', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 31 January 2013, 21:13 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lozier&oldid=535918756 accessed 4 March 2013

by Jeremy McMullen

The Lozier company produced top-of-the-line luxury vehicles and for a time were the most expensive cars produced in America. The company's advertisement stated that 'The Lozier Sells at a Higher Average Price Than Any Other Car in the World,' 'the Choice of Men Who Know, 'Legitimately High Priced,' and 'No motor car in America or Europe can dispute the right of the Lozier to its title 'Champion of the World.''

The Lozier legacy began in the 1880s when Henry Lozier Sr. brokered and manufactured high-quality sewing machines. Next came a successful bicycle company in Plattsburgh, N.Y. which was sold in 1899 for approximately $4 million dollars. Next came motorcars, which were produced in Plattsburgh before relocating to Detroit in 1910. From the beginning, Loziers were exceptionally well-engineered automobiles built from the finest materials available. They made extensive use of ball bearings in place of plain bearings and bushings for less friction and extended life.

By 1910, the Lozier's speed and endurance led to more 24-hour endurance speed records than any other manufacturer. They were the 1911 AAA National Champions and were one of the favorites to win the inaugural 1911 Indy 500. They came in second, and controversy remains today about whether Lozier actually won the race. The racetrack owner, Carl Fisher, had all records and film be destroyed after the hometown hero, Ray Harroun, was declared the winner with the Marmon Wasp. Harroun had completed the 200 laps in six hours, 42 minutes, and 8 seconds. The Lozier driver, Ralph Mulford, had a time of six hours, 43 minutes and 51 seconds. Lozier filed a protest stating Mulford's time was for 502.5 miles, an error they contested was caused after one of the cars had crashed into the pits, seriously compromising the timing and scoring of the event. After an all-night decision session, it was announced the following morning that Harroun had won the race. Public protests followed, forcing officials to double-check their results. Since the timing and scoring system had broken down during the race, there was nothing to check and no records to back any claims. The hometown car and driver were declared the winners for the third and final official results.

Lozier was known as one of the fastest and most dominant in the States. In 1911, Fiat challenged Lozier to a head-to-head 100-mile race at the Los Angeles Motordrome. The 90-horsepower Fiat was driven by Ralpha DePalma, and the stock four-cylinder Lozier was driven by 'Terrible' Teddy Tetzlaff. At the end of the 24 hours, the Lozier had won by more than six laps, setting a new track record, and broke four world records for speed.

The Lozier's final race was in November of 1911, at the Vanderbilt Cup Run, which it won, with Mulford driving. In second place was a Mercedes driven by DePalma.

The new high-tech Detroit plant was the start of the company's demise. With more capacity, it was expected that production numbers would increase considerably. However, the economic conditions at the time and the astronomic price tag of the Lozier meant that sales did not increase as expected. New financial investors took control of the company and Harry Lozier was soon forced out. The Lozier legacy management team left and formed the Chandler Motor Co. By 1916, the Lozier Motor company was out of business.

1911 Lozier

Lozier offered the Model 46 and Model 51 for 1911, with the Model 46 producing 46 horsepower and the Model 51 developing 51 horsepower. Both models had six-cylinder engines and rested on a 131-inch wheelbase. Body styles included a Touring, Briarcliff, Limousine, Landaulet, and Limousine/Touring body style. The Lakewood body style was unique to the Model 51.

1911 was the year of the inaugural Indy 500, where 'Smiling Ralph' Mulford drove a Lozier wearing number '33' to a second-place finish. He drove with his wife from Lozier's Detroit factory to the Speedway, raced for nearly seven hours, then drove the 4-cylinder, 50 horsepower Lozier back to the Lozier factory in Detroit, where it was re-bodied and sold.

by Dan Vaughan