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1905 Orient Buckboard

Buckboard
Engine number: 4-HP-2637

The Waltham Orient Buckboard weighed 400 pounds and could achieve speeds of 30 mph. Steering was by a tiller, and they had no suspension except for the flexing of the slats that made up its chassis. This minimalistic vehicle was priced at just $375, allowing buyers of modest means to put rubber on the road. The production, however, remained limited and was produced through 1907.

Power was from Waltham's own, air-cooled unit that offered four horsepower. Power was sent to the wheels via chain drive, and the Friction drive offered a wide range of speeds. The ash frame acted as the suspension and was held above the road by all-white pneumatic tires.

This particular has been given a full restoration and received an AACA National First Award in 1991 and a subsequent Senior endorsement. It also has an HCCA 100-Year-Old Vehicle plaque and a VMCCA Award of Excellence.

by Dan Vaughan

Charles H. Metz produced a car named the Orient. It was a small electric roadster that was shown to the public at the New York Auto Show in 1899. It would remain a concept and never put into production. Instead, Metz turned his attention - like many other automakers - to gasoline-powered cars. He became an agent for De Dion-Bouton, selling quadricycles and tricycles. For his own line of vehicles, he imported the French Aster engine to provide the power.

By 1902, his company, Waltham Manufacturing, was producing its own engines for its Orient car. During the first year of production, around 50 examples were sold. The following year, the Buckboard was introduced and would remain in production until 1908. As the 1900s progressed, so did the number of body styles offered by the Waltham Manufacturing company, including three-passenger cars, tonneau, surrey, and delivery vehicles.

The Buckboard was a simplistic and minimalistic vehicle that was advertised as 'The Cheapest Automobile in the World.' The price was $375, and the single-cylinder engine offered four horsepower, capable of carrying the car to speeds up to 30 miles per hour.

by Dan Vaughan