1903 Pope-Hartford Model B

The Pope Manufacturing Company was founded by Colonel Albert Pope in 1876 as a bicycle manufacturer, adding high-quality, avant-garde motorcars in 1903. The Pope-Hartford Runabout was called the Model A, while the Tonneau Tourer was named the Model B, and both rested on a 78-inch wheelbase platform and were powered by a single-cylinder engine offering 10 horsepower. The engine was backed by a two-speed planetary transmission with chain drive and braking employed a single rear mechanical brake. The suspension used solid axles with semi-elliptic leaf springs.

The Pope-Hartford was in operation from 1903 through 1914. Among Colonel Albert Pope's automotive empire were the Pope-Robinson, Pope-Toledo (1903–1909), Pope-Tribune (1904–1907), and Pope-Waverley. Mr. Pope declared bankruptcy in 1907 and passed away in August 1909. The Pope Manufacturing Company filed for bankruptcy in 1915, and a year later, was reorganized and renamed The Westfield Manufacturing Company.

by Dan Vaughan

Tonneau

This Pope-Hartford Model B was one of the earliest automobiles built by the Pope Manufacturing Company, founded by Colonel Albert Pope in 1876 to produce bicycles and later, in 1903, high-quality, Avant-garde motorcars. The Pope-Hartford Runabout was named the Model A, while the Tonneau Tourer, as in this example, was called the Model B. This example is a rear-entrance tonneau and has a very early serial number, indicating it was one of the first Model B cars built by Pope in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1980, 'chassis 66,' which was an all-complete and original automobile to start with, was meticulously restored by marque experts Stu Laidlaw and Allan Schmidt, and the lovely custom-built top, red paint, and black leather upholstery exhibit the craftsmanship employed to recreate this Brass Age beauty. It was acquired by its current owners in 2020.

Tonneau
Chassis number: 59

Colonel Albert Pope consolidated 45 bicycle manufacturers into a 'bicycle trust' that enjoyed a brief period of prosperity before the decline of the bicycle industry in 1903 due to an oversupply of products. Although this industry collapsed, Pope had thought ahead and diversified into the burgeoning automobile industry. In 1897, he entered the horseless carriage market with an electric car marketed under the name Columbia, the same used for his bicycles. These electric models, along with a few gasoline models, were among the most popular on the market before they were overtaken by the Stanley-designed Locomobile steamer as America's best-selling car.

The Pope-Hartford was the first of Pope's scheme to build automobiles in many cities using his own name and the surname sourced from its home city. The prototype car was a single-cylinder model built in the summer of 1903 and introduced to the market shortly thereafter. The Model A was a runabout, while the Model B was a tonneau tourer. A twin-cylinder car arrived in 1905, and a four-cylinder model appeared a year later. In 1911, a six-cylinder car was introduced.

When Pope passed away in 1909, his brother George took over the leadership; receivership followed in 1913. In January 1915, Pope-Hartford sold the last of its factories to aircraft entrepreneurs Pratt & Whitney.

This 1903 Model B Rear-Entry Tonneau is believed to be one of the earliest known Pope-Hartfords to have survived. It is a fully restored example that was awarded an Antique Automobile Club of America National Senior Award medallion in 1985. The single-cylinder engine is paired with a two-speed planetary transmission that transmits power to the rear axle via a single chain. The bodywork is painted red and accented with black moldings and double gold pinstriping. The upholstery is black buttoned leather.

by Dan Vaughan