1913 American Underslung Traveler

The American Underslung was unique among all other automobiles of its era by employing a design where the front and rear axles were placed above the frame rails, resulting in a sleek, sporty, and aggressive profile. To compensate for the low-slung body resting close to the ground and to negotiate the primitive road conditions of the era, exceptionally large wheels were added. More than just unique aesthetics, the lowered body had a low center of gravity, resulting in superior handling. The company claimed the vehicles were safe from rollovers and could be tilted to 55 degrees. Many consider the American Underslung to be among the earliest sporting American cars, predating the Stutz Bearcat and the Mercer Raceabout.

Before Harry C. Stutz formed a company bearing his name, he designed the first car for the newly formed American Motor Car Company of Indianapolis, Indiana. The financial backers for the company were V.A. Longaker and D.S. Menasco, individuals who had found success in the timber industry. Formed in 1906, the company would operate until 1913, closing due to bankruptcy. Stutz remained with the company for only a few months before he left to join Marion Motor Car Company as chief engineer. His replacement was Fred L. Tone, who had just left Marion to join American. Tone re-designed the chassis, placing the suspension above the axles in an 'underslung' configuration.

Another contribution to the American company by Stutz was a conventional engine that would power both the American Tourist and the Underslung nearly to the end of the firm's days.

During its brief eight years of production, concluding in November 1913, the American Motor Company produced over 45,000 vehicles. Although a rather significant production figure for the era, the company was hindered by poor management practices and ineffective assembly processes. Its demise was quickened when the market moved away from expensive models to lower-priced utilitarian options.

Although its existence was brief, it was certainly memorable. More than just innovative, the automobiles produced by the American Motor Car Company were of high quality, employing exceptional engineering and construction techniques. They were expensive and priced at the upper range of the market, making them obtainable by only affluent individuals. Its unconventional design made it a 'niche' automobile and perhaps hindered sales, but what is often forgotten is Stutz's contribution to the company - a conventional chassis layout that would remain in production until 1913, a year before American ceased production. American hoped that their smaller introductory models would build their reputation and result in the development of larger and more powerful machines, generating larger revenues and higher profits. In the end, many well-heeled customers preferred more conventional and less expensive models for their basic transportation needs and, in 1914, the American Automobile Company filed for bankruptcy, seeing their assets sold off before the end of the year.

The Underslung
Among the first automobiles to be designed with consideration for performance and handling, combined with the most potent engine available and lightweight bodywork, the American automobile can justifiably be considered the United States' earliest sports car. Mr. Tone had essentially flipped the chassis upside down and placed the leaf springs above or beside the frame with the axle suspended from them. Stutz had worked on the design of the rear transaxle which added to the low silhouette of the car.

Straddling the chassis was a Teetor-Harley 391 cubic-inch (6.4 liter) straight-4 engine offering 40 horsepower. Beginning in 1908, power was sourced from a 476.5 cubic-inch L-head engine offering 50 horsepower and shifted through a four-speed manual gearbox. A 570 cubic-inch (9.34 liter) six-cylinder unit offered 60 horsepower.

For 1912, The American Automobile Company offered three basic lines including the large Traveler, mid-range Tourist and the modestly proportioned Scout. The Scout rested on a 102-inch wheelbase and was powered by a 20-horsepower engine. The 199 cubic-inch T-head engine had a Rayfield Updraft carburetor and was paired with a three-speed manual transmission. The suspension was via semi-elliptic springs and braking was by internal expanding mechanical rear drums. The Tourist had a 118-inch wheelbase and a 30-horsepower engine, and the Traveler used both a 124- and 140-inch wheelbase with a 50-horsepower engine. The Model 54 Traveler had the shorter 124-inch platform and was priced at $4250. The Model 56 Tourer had a larger 140-inch wheelbase and was priced at $4,500.

The 1913 model lineup remained similar with the Scout using a 105-inch wheelbase, the Tourist on a 118-inch platform, and the Traveler solely using a 140-inch wheelbase. The Scout had a 30 hp engine, the Tourist was rated at 50 hp, and the Traveler at 60 hp. The Scout Roadster listed at $1,475 and the Scout Colonial Coupe at $2,000. The Tourist, bridging the gap between the 'entry-level' Scout and the range-topping Traveler listed at $2,350 for the Tourer and Runabout, and $3,500 for the Coupe. Company advertising described its products as 'A Car for the Disciring Few,' a slogan personified by its Traveler which listed for $4,500 for its 6-passenger Model 56-A tourer, $5,250 for its 4-passenger Model 54-A tourer, and $6,000 for the Model 56-A limousine.

The 1913 American Underslung Traveler was powered by a 499 cubic-inch L-head inline four-cylinder engine with a single Rayfield carburetor and produced approximately 50 horsepower (rated) at 1,000 RPM. It had a four-speed manual gearbox, two-wheel mechanical drum brakes with a transmission brake, a live rear axle, and semi-elliptical leaf spring suspension.

The 1913 model was the first year that electric starters and lights were offered, and the inset cowl lights were redesigned to include ventilation inlets.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2023