1914 Moline-Knight MK-50

The Root & Vandervoort Engineering Company was organized in 1899 in East Moline, Illinois in 1899 by W.H. Vandervoort and Orlando J. Root. The company built gasoline engines. In 1904, the Moline Automobile Company was incorporated by Vandervoort and Root and produced automobiles. The early vehicles were powered by two- and four-cylinder engines and were known for their reliability, often winning endurance contests including the Chicago Reliability run. On the front of the vehicle were the Moline's battleship emblem, which was replaced by a medallion featuring Sir Galahad beginning in 1914. Also in 1914, the company began using the Charles Yale Knight-designed engine which used sleeve valves instead of poppet valves. Along with this new engine design, the company name was changed to Moline-Knights. Body styles during much of the company's lifespan, which lasted from 1904 through 1919, consisted of touring cars and runabouts. The company had its highest sales in 1915, when 923 vehicles were sold. Most years averaged around 300 to 600 vehicles.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2019