The Neustadt (Neustadt-Perry) Company was formed by J.H. Neustadt and his business partner, Perry. In 1904, Neustadt bought out Perry to become the Neustadt Automobile & Supply Company. The company, located in St. Louis, Missouri, offered a wide range of components, automobile parts, and accessories. From 1901 to 1903, the company offered kits for building steam cars. As the marketplace trend moved towards gasoline-powered cars, the company shifted its business to that arena, offering parts and accessories through 1908. They offered an important service, as they were one of the few companies offering hard-to-find parts for automobiles, which included even the screws and leather trimmings.
Engine options were singles, twins, or fours, with the choice of air- or water-cooling. Both planetary and friction transmissions could be purchased, as could the final drive of single or double chains.
The company assembled a few automobiles, but the bulk of its business was in providing kits.
After the company ceased building kits for passenger cars, commercial vehicles continued to be available. In the early 1910s, the company began production of a truck which was built through 1914. Three special four-wheel-drive cars were built for customers in 1915.
After the First World War, Neustadt retired to California and became a car dealer.
This four-passenger surrey body car is similar to one noted as No. 2 in a vintage Neustadt-Perry catalog. Power is from a single-cylinder Oldsmobile engine stamped 1901 and bearing the patent number 1704 on its cylinder head. The front of the clutch is stamped Champion Manufacturing Company, Patented March 4, 1902, while the carburetor is stamped Universal and the spring hangers bear the markings of Neustadt-Perry. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a chain.
In 2010, this very rare automobile was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey auction presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $60,000 - $80,000 and was offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for $29,700, including the buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2010
