1928 Velie Model 60

Sold for $22,000 at 2011 RM Auctions - Hershey.
The Velie Carriage Company was organized in the early 1900s. The company was formed by Willard Velie, the grandson of John Deere. By 1908, Velie had formed the Velie Motor Vehicle Company and ventured into automobiles. During its first year in business, the company sold 1,000 examples of its Model 30. They were powered by Lycoming engines, though Will Velie preferred to manufacture in-house as much as possible. By 1911, chief engineer C.B. Rose had designed a new four-cylinder powerplant with roller tappets. A six-cylinder engine was introduced in 1915 and was powered by Continental, then a new Model 34; after that was used an overhead-valve Falls engine. By 1922, the company was again using engines in-house, with a Velie-designed overhead valve six of 198.7 cubic inches. The following year their engine was given full-pressure lubrication.

The 1925 Velie Model 60 featured balloon tires and Lockheed hydraulic brakes at all four corners. The engine was refined in 1926, by engineer Herbert Snow. Displacement rose to 221 cubic inches and horsepower reached 58. For 1928, the company offered a model powered by an eight-cylinder engine from Lycoming. Unfortunately, Willard Velie died a short time later. His son, Willard Jr., announced soon after that motor car production was suspended in order to concentrate on aviation projects. Tragically, Willard Jr., died just five months later of heart disease. The remnants of the company were sold and the factory reverted to Deere & Company.

This Velie Model 60 Convertible Coupe was purchased by the Nethercutt Trust from the William Harrah Collection in 1985. It is painted orange over black, with a black convertible top. There are wood artillery wheels and an overhead valve six-cylinder engine. It wears an older restoration.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2011