List of steam car makers
The steam car manufacturers listed here were mostly active during the first period of volume production, roughly 1860–1930, with a peak around 1900. From 1940 onwards, steam cars have tended to be either prototypes or experimental.
The first experimental steam-powered vehicles were built in the 17th and 18th century, but it was not until after Richard Trevithick had developed the use of high-pressure steam, around 1800, that mobile steam engines became a practical proposition. The first half of the 19th century saw great progress in steam vehicle design, and by the 1850s it was viable to produce them on a commercial basis. The next sixty years saw continuing improvements in vehicle technology and manufacturing techniques and steam road vehicles were used for many applications. In the 20th century, the rapid development of internal combustion engine technology led to the demise of the steam engine as a source of propulsion of vehicles on a commercial basis prior to the Second World War. Since then there have been sporadic resurgences of interest in steam, particularly in the late 1960s in California to address air pollution issues and later in response to the 1973 oil crisis.
1800s – Pioneers
Make | Country | Years active | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Austin | England | 1863 | The Austin steamer was made in 1863.[1] |
Blackburn | England | 1878 | A steam powered dog-cart.[2] |
Blanchard | USA | 1825 | A steam powered wagon created by Thomas Blanchard of Springfield, Massachusetts[3] |
Bollée | France | 1878 |
In 1878, Amédée père Bollée designed the Mancelle, which is regarded as the first automobile to be put into series production, 50 being manufactured in all. |
Božek | Poland/Czech Republic | 1815 | Josef Božek began construction of a steam carriage in 1814 and completed it 1815. Božek is considered one of founders of Czech mechanics.[4] |
Callihan | USA | 1884 | Designed by Edward Scott Callihan, it was a tricycle layout with a single spoked wheel in front and two at the rear. The driver sat behind the steam boiler on a seat from a reaper. It was steered it with levers. The top speed was 15 mph. Only one was built.[5] |
Catley and Ayres | England | 1863 | A small three-wheeled vehicle propelled by a horizontal twin cylinder engine which drove the rear axle by spur-gearing; only one rear wheel was driven, the other turning freely on the axle. |
Carhart | USA | 1871 | A steam buggy made by Dr J W Carhart of Rancine, Wisconsin. |
Copeland | USA | 1887 (catalogue published) | Made a steam powered bicycle and three wheeler. Only prototypes made.[6] |
Curtis | USA | 1867 | In 1866 Francis Curtis, Newburyport, Massachusetts invented a steam engine attached to a piece of fire fighting equipment. Curtis demonstrated it to Nehemiah Bean who went on to design the steam powered Amoskeag fire wagon. The following year Curits built a steam passenger carrriage for an unnamed client. The client didn't pay and Curits made the first repossession in American history. During the initial testing of the carriage a warrant was issued for Curtis' arrest. To escape the arresting officer Curtis made the first getaway by car in American history.[7] |
De Dion-Bouton et Trepardoux | France | 1883–1904 | The company was renamed De Dion-Bouton, possibly as a result of Trepardoux resigning in 1894 over the use of petrol engines. The last steam powered cars were made in 1904. The company lasted until the 1950s.[6][8] |
Dudgeon | USA | 1859 | Robert Dudgeon of New York made a steam powered carriage to take his family to church. The carriage was described as noisey and costly to run. It was abandoned.[9][10] |
Field | USA | 1879 | A seam car built by Edwin F Field of Lewiston who later went on to superintend the Skene American Automobile Company[11][11] |
Grenville | England | 1875 | It was designed about 1875 by Robert Grenville of Glastonbury with some assistance from his friend George Churchward. |
Hills Fleetwood | USA | 1868 | A steam powered buggy later converted to petrol made by James Hill of Fleetwood.[12] |
Holt | England | 1866 | H P Holt made a three-wheel light steam carriage.[13] |
Jacquot | France | 1878 | Designed and built by Louis Lejeune |
Long | USA | 1880 | The Long steam tricycle was built by George A. Long around 1880 and patented in 1883. One example was built. |
Manzetti | Italy | 1864 | In 1864, Italian inventor Innocenzo Manzetti built a road-steamer.[14] It had the boiler at the front and a single-cylinder engine.[14] |
Mason | USA | 1885, 1897 | William B Mason of the Mason Regulator Company (now a subsidiary of Dresser Industries made his first steam carriage in 1885. He made a second car in July 1897. Both these vehicles were used as test beds for his steam engines.[15] |
Mérelle | France | 1889 | Fernand Mérelle was the concessionaire for De Dion and Bouton at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris and cars were sold under that name.[8][16] |
Olds | USA | 1886–1894 | Ransom Old's is reputed to have made his first steam powered car in 1886. He did make the first car exported from the United States in 1893. It was steam powered and destined for India. However, the ship sank and the car was never delivered.[17] |
Peugeot | France | 1889 | The first Peugeot automobile, a three-wheeled, steam-powered car designed by Léon Serpollet, was produced in 1889; only four examples were made. |
Rickett | England | 1860 | Rickett made ploughs and steam engines. In 1858 he created a steam powered plought. This inspired the Marquess of Stafford to order a steam carriage. This vehicle had three wheels, the single wheel at the front, and a rear-mounted coal-fired boiler and two-cylinder engine. He made a second vehicle for the Earl of Caithness in 1860. These were potentially Englands first cars. |
Roper | USA | 1861–1894 | Sylvester H. Roper drove around Boston, Massachusetts on a steam carriage he invented in 1863.[18][19][20][21][22] One of his 1863 carriages went to the Henry Ford Museum, where, in 1972, it was the oldest car in the collection.[11][20][21][23][24] |
Serpollet | France | 1887–1898 | Léon Serpollet's first steam cars were sold under his own name, before the partnership as Gardner-Serpollet. Serpollet is credited with inventing the flash boiler. |
Spencer | USA | 1862-1904 | Christopher Spencer built a steam buggy in Connecticut. He continued making steam vehicles with his last being delivery vans for a New York dairy[25] |
Taylor | Canada | 1867 | The Henry Seth Taylor steam buggy was the first known car built in Canada. It was built by Henry Seth Taylor, a watchmaker and jeweller in Stanstead, Quebec in 1867. It was unveiled at the Stanstead Fall Fair that year.[26][27] |
Thury | Switzerland | 1879 | In 1879 Rene Thury made a steam powered tricycle |
Whitney | USA | 1885–1898 | George Eli Whitney of the East Boston Whitney Motor Wagon Company began to make a steam motor-vehicles in 1885 when he partly built one machine. In 1895 he began again and completed the 650 lb carriage in October 1896. He built several more machines after that date. Whitney had gained experience while working on the Roper steam velocipede. For a short time Whitney's were manufactured by the Stanley Manufacturing Company as Stanley-Whitney's and by Everett Motor Carriage Company as Everett's[7] In 1899 Whitney sold the rights to a higher powered version of his car to Brown Brothers of England.[28] |
1890s – Commercial manufacture
Make | Country | Years active | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
American Waltham | USA | 1898–1899 | The American Waltham was produced from 1898 to 1899 by the American Waltham Manufacturing Co., a bicycle firm based in Waltham, Massachusetts.[1] It was a typical light steam buggy, with a 2-cylinder engine under the seat, tiller steering and cycle-type wheels.[11] |
Baldwin | USA | 1899–1902 | The Baldwin Steam Car Company made steam runabouts at Connellsville from at least July 1899. By 1901 the company was in receivership.[6][29] |
Baldwin | USA | 1899 | A steam buggy made by Leo F N Baldwin's Baldwin Automobile Company, of Providence. Not related to Baldwin of Connellsville. Leo Baldwin went on the race Stanley's.[7] |
Best | USA | 1898 | Daniel Best of the Best Manufacturing Company, San Leandro made an experimental automobile in 1898 but decided not to put it into production. He also built a runabout for personal use. The company made traction engines; its factory was later sold to Holt—now part of Caterpillar.[30] |
Black | USA | 1891 | In 1891 Charles H Black completed and tested his first steam-powered "chug buggy". However, he rejected the steam engine for use in an automobile as being "too cumbersome and hard to manage" and continued to search for a more suitable engine. |
Brown-Whitney | England | 1899–1900 | See Whitney |
Buard | France | 1896–1914 | Concentrated on steam powered bicycles[6] |
Burgett and West | USA | 1899 | C E Burgett and William S West of Middleburgh, New York made a steam car prototype. This vehicle was exhibited in 1901 at the Schoharie County Fairgrounds. No more were known to have been made.[31][6] |
Cameron | USA | 1899 | An alternative name for the Eclipse[32] |
Cederholm | Sweden | 1892 | Painter Joens Cederholm and his brother, André, a blacksmith, designed their first car, a two-seater, introducing a condensor in 1894. It was not a success.[33] |
Century | USA | 1899–1903 | Century Motor Vehicle Company (1899–1903) was a manufacturer of electric and steam automobiles in Syracuse, New York. The company switched to gasoline-fuelled internal combustion engine-powered automobiles in January 1903, and went out of business later that year.[11] |
Clark | USA | 1895–1909 | Edward S Clark made several experimental steam powered wagons in Boston before in 1900 he began manufacturing steam cars at Dorchester. His steam engine was a horizontally-opposed 20 hp 4-cylinder engines of 20 hp which was centrally mounted and had the flash boiler located at the front. He also made steam powered delivery wagons.[11][34] |
Cross | USA | 1897 | Only one Cross was made. L F N Baldwin of the Cruickshank Engine Works, Providence, Rhode Island made the steam engine, Alonza Cross of the Cross Writing Instrument Company made the chassis, and the body was made H M Howe, a carriage maker. It was the first car made in Rhode Island. Construction began in October 1897 and its first trial run was March 1898.[6][7] |
Crouch | USA | 1897–1899 | Three steam powered cars are believed to have been made by W E Crouch, a machinist from New Brighton, Pennsylvania. His third and final car made in Baltlimore still exists and is believed to have been made from parts used in his first two vehicles. The steam engine is thought to be a converted marine engine. The cars body was an angle iron frame with aluminum cladding.[11][35] |
Ernest and Ofeldt | USA | 1898 | see Ofeldt |
Eclipse | USA | 1899–1903 | Eclipse Automobile Company bodies were made in Amesbury by Currier, Cameron, and Company.[36] |
Electrobat | USA | 1895-1897 | see Morris and Salom |
Ellis | England | 1899–1902 | Probably prototypes only.[6] |
Europeenne | France | 1899–1901 (possibly as late as 1905) | In early 1899 La Societe Europeene d' Automobiles made a two-seat runabout and a four-seat dogcart. The patent was in the names of Tatin and Taniere.[6][37] |
Everett | USA | 1899 | See Whitney |
Fawcett-Folwer | England | 1897 | A steam car produced by Fawcett Preston & Co. Ltd[38] |
Gaeth | USA | 1898 | An experimental steam car. Paul Gaeth went on to make petrol engined cars at Cleveland, Ohio from 1902 to 1911.[6][11] |
Gardner-Serpollet (see Serpollet) | France | 1899–1907 | Serpollet's were made up to 1899, when the Frank Gardner became involved and the make changed to Gardner-Serpollet. The first cars sold under the new name were in 1900.[6] |
Gautier–Wehrlé | France | 1894–1898 | Their first cars were steam powered but by 1898 they were using petrol engines.[6] |
Grout | USA | 1899–1905 | Their first cars were called New Home. Manufacturing was located in Orange, Massachusetts and the company run by Carl, Fred and C.B. Grout in partnership with Thomas H White. William H Grout, their father, set up the company. The name changed to Grout in 1899.[11] |
Hartley | USA | 1895–1899 | The Harley Power Supply Company made a cart powered by a rotary steam engine. IT participated in the 1895 Chicago Times Herald motor race. The company withdrew from vehicle manufacture in 1899.[6][11][39] |
House | England | 1899–1902 | See Lifu |
Kensington | USA | 1899–1902 | The Kensington Automobile Manufacturing Company manufactured steam cars until 1902. In 1903 the company went out of business after unsuccessfully seeking a licence to manufacture Darracq's.[6][11][40] |
Keystone Steamer | USA | 1899–1900 | The Keystone Match and Machine Company of Lebanon, Pennsylvania made three cylinder steam powered car until 1900, when it returned to manufacturing matches and manufacturing machinery.[11][41] |
Lamplough | England | 1896 | A shaft driven steamer created by Frederick Lamplough, who went on to make a steam powered car in 1903 for Albany Manufacturing. |
Lane | USA | 1899–1910 | Manufactured in Poughkeepsie, New York.[6][11] |
Leach | USA | 1899–1901 | A 2 or 4 seat buggy for use on good roads.[11] |
Lifu | England | 1899–1902 | Lifu and House steam cars designed by Henry Alonzo House were manufactured by Liquid Fuel Engineering Company of East Cowes, Isle of Wight. The cars may have been manufactured under license. Most Lifu steam powered vehicles were commercial trucks, buses, and vans. House had made a steam carriage with his brother in 1866.[6][42][43][44] |
Locomobile | USA | 1899–1903 | Locomobile acquired the right to make Stanley's in 1899. They were a well-known lightweight and relatively low-cost steam car, although widely criticised for poor performance. In 1904 Locomobile switched to gasoline engines. The company remained in business until the 1920s.[11][45] |
Loomis | USA | 1896 | A single steam powered car made by Gilbert J Loomis. In 1900 Loomis went on to build a line of gasoline powered cars[46] |
Malden | USA | 1898 | Light steam cars made by the Malden Automobile Company of Malden[11] |
Malevez | Belgium | 1898–1908 | Malevez were agents for Lifu commercial steam powered vehicles. They are known to have manufactured cars, but sources do not state their motive power.[6] |
Marlboro | USA | 1899–1902 | The Marlboro Steam Stanhope was built by Orrin P Walker of Boston with assistance from William B Mason who provided the engines. The car was similar in design to Stanley's and Locomobile's of the period. After an initial period of success the company ceased trading in 1903.[11][47][48] |
Marsh | USA | 1899 | Marsh Motor Carriage Co Brockton MA<refname=Early/> |
Mason | USA | 1898-1899 | William B Mason of Milton MA[49] |
Miesse | Belgium | 1896–1926 | The first Miesse steam car La Torpille was made in 1896 by Jules Miesse. In 1903 the company licensed Turner's of England to manufacture its cars under licence. These were marketed as Turner-Miesse. In 1910 the company branched into steam powered commercial vehicles. The final steam cars were made in 1926, many were used a taxi's in Brussels. From that point forward the focus was on petrol and diesel engined commercial vehicles.[6][50][51] |
Mobile | USA | 1899–1903 | The Mobile Company of America was manufacturer by John B Walker in 1899 after a fallout with Locomobile's Amzi L Barber, whose financing had earlier allowed Walker to purchase the Stanley Steamer concern. By 1903, the Mobile Company of America was out of business.[11][52] |
Montier & Gillet | France | 1897 | The Montier & Gillet was a French automobile manufactured only in 1897. A steam Wagonette steered by a tiller, it featured an odd-looking boiler. |
Morris and Salom | USA | 1895 1897 | Morris and Salom Philidelpia[49] |
New England | USA | 1899–1900 | The New England Motor Carriage Company made a steam powered runabout. It was lever steered. The company began manufacturing Comet bicycles and sold the steam car business to Stanton Company.[11] |
New Home | USA | 1897–1898 | See Grout |
Ofeldt | USA | 1899–1902 | F. W. Ofeldt and Sons built steam cars in Brooklyn, New York from 1899 to 1900 and Newark, New Jersey from 1901 to 1902. The first cars were also known as Ernest and Ofeldt.[6] |
Orient | USA | 1898–1899 | A steam buggy made by Waltham's.[53] |
Ovenden | USA | 1899 | W C Ovenden of West Boylston made a light steam buggy. Only one was sold.[6] |
Overman | USA | 1899-1904 | Overman Wheel Company, later the Overman Automobile Company of Chicopee Falls MA[49] |
Rand & Harvey | USA | 1899 | A light steam buggy made in Lewiston. Probably only a prototype.[6] |
Schöche | Germany | 1895 | Gustav Adolf Schöche in 1895 designed steam car.[54] |
Scotte | France | 1892–1901 | A steam car that competed in the 1894 Paris ro Rouen car race. No further detail is known. |
Shaver | USA | 1895 | A steam buggy made by Joseph Shaver of Milawaukee. Only one was made.[30] |
Simmonds | USA | 1893 | A two-seat steam carriage that ran on bicycle wheels.[7] |
Simpson | England | 1897–1904 | A series of experimental vehicles made by John Simpson of Stirling.[6][55] |
Squier | USA | 1899 | A small steam carriage built by W E Squier of Virginia City.[6][11][56] |
Stanley | USA | 1897–1925 | Twins Francis E Stanley and Freelan O Stanley produced their first car in 1897. During 1898 and 1899, they produced and sold over 200 cars then selling to rights to Locomobile. In 1902 they formed the Stanley Motor Carriage Company which operated from 1902 to 1924. The cars made by the company were colloquially called Stanley Steamers, although several different models were produced.[11] |
Stanley-Whitney (normally called Whitney) | USA | 1899 | See Whitney[6] |
Strathmore | USA | 1899–1902 | Two types of car were made by the Strathmore Automobile Company of Boston. The company was founded as the International Automobile Company but changed its name in 1901.[6][11][57] |
Sweany | USA | 1895 | Only a prototype was made by Charles S Caffrey Co for Dr F L Sweaney of Philadelphia. The car had four small steam motors, one driving each wheel, that could be driven individually or in combination. One, two, three, or four wheel drive could be selected by moving a lever. The car weighed 1350 pounds. It had a foot brake that also cut off steam and steam power steering.[6][58][59] |
Terwilliger | USA | 1898–1903 | A series of prototypes made by William H. Terwilliger prior to launching the Empire Auto Company of Amsterdam, New York in 1904.[6][11] |
Thomson | Australia | 1896–1901 | Herbert Thomson of Armadale, Melbourne, built steam cars around 1900. He tested them on the hill of Kooyong Road in nearby Caulfield, where in 1971 the Pritchard steam car was also tested.[6][60] |
Tinker and Piper | USA | 1898–1899 | See Waltham |
Toward & Philipson | England | 1897 | A coke-fired wagonette with a three-stage tubular boiler, and that could seat six. It made in a joint venture between Toward and Comopany, engineers of St Lawrence, and Atkinson and Philipson, Newcastle carriage manufacturers of Tynside[61] |
Victor | USA | 1899–1904 | In 1899 A H Overman of Chicopee Falls, a bicycle manufacturer, made a steam car called the Victor. Overman named his steam car after the bicycles he made. In 1901 Overman reorganized his company as The Overman Automobile Co and continued to produce the Victor Steam Carriage. About 50 were made by 1901. In 1904 Overman merged with Locomobile.[11][62] |
Waltham | USA | 1898–1903 | In 1898 engineers George M Tinker and John W Piper of the Waltham Manufacturing Company build a light steam buggy. It was exhibited at the 1898 Boston Automobile Show in 1898. Two more steam cars were built under the Tinker and Piper name. In 1899 Tinker and Piper set up the Waltham Automobile Company which made steam cars until 1902 or 1903.[6][11] |
Waverley | USA | 1896-1901 and 1909-1916 | Waverley Co of Indianapolis became International Motor Car Co in 1901 and revived in 1909[49] |
West and Burgett | USA | 1899 | see Burgett and West |
Weston | England | 1897–1905 | Rebadged Grout's sold in England under licence. |
1900 to 1913 – Volume production
The early years of the 20th century, prior to World War 1, were the heyday of the steam car.
Make | Country | Years active | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Albany-Lamplough | England | 1903 | Designed by Frederick Lamplough and better known as the Lamplough-Albany, it was only made in 1903. Albany also made petrol powered cars.[6] |
Altmann | Germany | 1905–1907 | The Altmann was an automobile made by Kraftfahrzeug-Werke GmbH, Brandenburg/Havel from 1905 to 1907. See also the American Aultman[6] |
AMC | England | 1910 | The Automobile Manufacturing Company (AMC) was a short-lived British steam car manufactured in London in 1910. |
Anderson | USA | 1901–1902 | Steam cars made by the Anderson Steam Carriage Company of Anderson[6][63] |
Arden | England | 1908 | Steam cars made by the Arden Steam Car Company, Halifax probably not produced commercially [6] |
Artzberger | USA | 1903–1905 | See Foster[6] |
Aultman | USA | 1901–1902 | The Aultman was a 1901 American automobile manufactured in Canton, Ohio[6] |
Ball | USA | 1902 | Miami Cycle and Manufacturing Company Middletown Ohio[49] |
Barton | USA | 1903 | Barton Boiler Company Chicago, Illinois made steam cars to order[49] |
Binney-Burnham | USA | 1901–1902 | A steam automobile built in Boston from 1901 to 1902 by James L Binney and John Appleton Burnham.[11] |
Bliss | USA | 1901 | A steam car made by the Bliss Chainless Automoile Company of Attenborough. The drive train was spur geared to the rear axle rather than chain drive.[6][64] |
Bolsover | England | 1902 | Only made a prototype. No production model made. Best known as makers of the Bolsover Express boiler, used for steam launches and as a replacement boiler for Stanley steam cars.[6][65] |
Bon-Car | England | 1905–1907 | No series production cars made.[6][65] |
Boss | USA | 1903–1907 | A steam car made by the Boss Knitting Machine Works of Reading[6][64] |
Brecht | USA | 1901–1903 | Steam powered cars made by the Brecht Automobile Company of St Louis[6][64] |
Breer | USA | 1900 | A steam powered car made by Carl Breer, an engineer who later went on to work for Chrysler and is credited with providing much of the aerodynamic design to the Chrysler Airflow.[64] |
Buffard | France | 1900–1902 | Details unknown—named in list of steam car makes[6] |
California | USA | 1903–1905 | Maker of steam, electric, and gasoline automobiles based in San Francisco[6] |
Campbell | Australia | 1901 | A steam car made by Archie M Campbell of Liverpool Street, Hobart[66] |
Cannon | USA | 1902–1906 | Details unknown—named in list of steam car makes.[6] |
Capitol | USA | 1902–1903 | A steam built by the Capitol Automobile Company of Washington DC and based on a Frank Goodwin model developed from experiments that commenced in 1889.[11][64] |
Central | USA | 1905–1906 | A rotary steam engine powered vehicle made by the Central Automobile Company of Providence, Rhode Island.[64] |
Chaboche | France | 1901–1906 | Chaboche made steam cars and a steam wagon with a 2.5 ton carrying capacity/[6]/[67] |
Chautauqua | USA | 1911 | A car made by the Chautauqua Motor Company, Dunkirk, New York[6] |
Chelmsford | England | 1901–1903 | The company exhibited two cars and a van at the 1903 motor show. They were made at the Moulsham Works in Chelmsford.[6][68] |
Chicago | USA | 1905–1907 | A steam car made by the Chicago Automobile Company.[6][64] |
Cincinnati | USA | 1903–1905 | A two-seat steam powered car made by the Cincinnati Automobile Company of Ohia.[6][11][64] |
Clark | USA | 1900–1909 | Advanced flash boiler steam cars made by Edward S Clark Steam Automobiles of Dorchester.[6][64] |
Cloughley | USA | 1902–1903 | A four-seat steam powered surray made by the Coughley Motoer Vehicle Company of Parsons[11][64] |
Connor | Switzerland | 1903 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Conrad | USA | 1900–1924 | A variety of 2 and 4 seat models plus a dos-a-dos [6][11][69] |
Cook | England | 1901–1902 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Cotta | USA | 1901–1903 | A 4-wheel drive and steering steam car made by Charles Cotta's Cotta Autombobile Company of Lanark, Illinois.[11][70] |
Covert | USA | 1901–1907 | B. V. Covert and Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in Lockport, New York from 1901 to 1907. The company started as a manufacturer of steam-powered cars, but later switched to gas-powered vehicles. Some Coverts were exported to England as Covert-Jacksons.[6] |
Cremorne | England | 1903–1904 | A steam car made by the Cremorne Motor Manufacturing Company of Chelsea[6][65] |
Crompton | USA | 1903–1905 | A steam car made by the Crompton Motor Carriage Comoany of Worcester [6][11] |
Dawson | USA | 1900–1902 | A steam car made by George Dawson's Dawson Manufacturing Company at Waynesboro (then known as Basic City). Only one was completed and sold.[6][11][71] |
Desberon | USA | 1901–1904 | The Desberon was an American automobile manufactured from 1901 until 1904. The company initially built steam trucks, and later branched out into making 4 hp gas-driven "pleasure carriages" built along "French lines".[6] |
Doble | USA | 1906–1930 | The first Doble was made from wrecked White with a Doble steam engine. Two more prototypes were made with production starting with the Model B. The most technically sophisticated of the steam car manufacturers. Even after they had been supplanted by petrol engines for use in automobiles, Abner Doble continued to sell his experience in designing water-tube boilers to railway locomotive manufacturers, such as Sentinel.[11] |
Eastman | USA | 1900–1903 | Henry Eastman and Jay Hayes formed the Eastman Automobile Company in Cleveland to make steam cars. At the end of 1900 Eastman and Hayes sold the company to the Benson Automobile Company.[11] |
Eclipse | USA | 1900-1903 | Eclipse Automobile Company Boston[49] |
E.J.Y.R | England | 1907 | see Rutherford |
Elberon | USA | 1903 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6][11] |
Electronomic | USA | 1900–1901 | The Electromagnetic Steamer was manufactured by the Simplex Motor Vehicle Company. The company was incorporated in 1900, but made its first car in 1899.[6][72] |
Elite | USA | 1900–1901 | A model built by D B Smith and Company, Utica, New York[11][69] |
Empire | USA | 1901 | Built by Empire Manufacturing Company of Stirling, Illionois also known as the Stirling steam car[6][69] |
Empire | USA | 1904–1905 | A steam-driven car designed by William H Terwilliger of the Empire Auto Company of Amsterdam, New York. Several experimental models were made from 1898 but production only started in 1904.[11] |
English Mechanic | England | 1900–1905 | Do-it-yourself steam car and tricycle designed by Thomas Hyler White for the The English Mechanic and World of Science magazine. He also designed petrol cars—pictured.[6] |
Essex | USA | 1905–1906 | A 4-cylinder steam car made by the Essex Motor Car Company of Boston[6][11][72] |
Federal | USA | 1901–1903 | A steam car made by Federal Motor Vehicle Company of Brooklyn, New York [6][11] |
Fidelia | France | 1905–1906 | A steam car produced by Voitures Fidelia of Angers, Maine-et-Loire; France[6] |
Filtz | France | 1901–1910 | Mostly commercial vehicles[6] |
Foster | USA | 1900–1903 | The Foster Automobile Manufacturing Company of Rochester, New York produced 165 vehicles before bankruptcy in 1903. One of the investors in the company William H. Artzberger, an artist of Allegheny acquired the rights, and founded the Artzberger Automobile Company. Re-launching the cars as improved Foster's on 1903. The company ceased auto production in 1905.[11][73] |
Fraser | England | 1911 | Possibly only a prototype made[6][65] |
Friedmann | USA | 1900–1903 | A steam car made by the Friedmann Auotmobile Company of Chicago[6] |
Gage | USA | 1903 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Geneva | USA | 1901–1904 | The Geneva Steamer was made in 1901 by the Geneva Automobile and
Manufacturing Company of Geneva, Ohio. One is on display at the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan. Geneva also made the Turtle, a racing car. In 1904 the company was sold to the Colonial Brass Co.[11] |
Henrietta | USA | 1901 | A steam car made by the Henrietta Motor Company of New York[6] |
Hess | USA | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[11] | |
Hidley | USA | 1901 | Between one and four were made by the Hidley Automobile Company of 257 Broadway, Troy, New York |
HLB | England | 1914 | Possibly only a prototype made by HLB Motors; Islington Green, London[6][65] |
Hoffman | USA | 1902–1904 | A light steam car made by The Hoffman Automobile and Manufacturing Company at Cleveland, Ohio. From 1904 the company switched to petrol powered vehicles, the Royal Tourist.[11] |
Holland | USA | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[11] | |
Hood | USA | 1900–1901 | Steam car made by Ralph Hood of Danvers associated with the Simplex Motor car company.[11][72] |
Houghton | USA | 1900-1901 | A steam car made by H R Houghton's Houghton Automobile Company of West Newton[6] |
Howard | USA | 1900–1902 | Steam cars built by the Howard Automobile Company of Trenton, New Jersey[11] |
Howard | USA | 1901-1903 | A chainless steam car built by William S Howard's Trojan Launch and Automobile Works of Troy, New York[74] |
Hudson | USA | 1901–1902 | A steam car designed by Howard Coffin and built by Bean-Chamberlain Manufacturing Company [11][69] |
Hythe | England | 1903 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
International | USA | 1903 | In Toledo became the International Motor Car Company for a time before becoming Pope Motor Car Company[11] |
Jaxon | USA | 1903–1904 | Steam cars made by Jackson Automobile Company of Jackson, Michagin[11] |
Johnson | USA | 1905–1907 | Steam cars made by Professor Warren F Johnson's Johnson Service Company
of Milwaukee until 1907 when the company switched to petrol powered vehicles. The company ceased business after Johnson died in 1912.[6][11] |
Keene | USA | 1900–1901 | The Keen Steammobile was built by the Trinity Bicycle Company of Keene. In 1901 the company changed name to the Steammobile Company of America and the cars name also changed to Steammobile.[75] |
Keenelet | England | 1904 | Possibly only a prototype built by Keene's Automobile Works of London[6][65][76] |
Kellogg | USA | 1903 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6][11] |
Kent's Pacemaker | USA | 1900 | An unusual steam car made by A W Kent's Colonial Company of Boston. It had a wheel for steering at the front and three rear wheels, one of which propelled the car while the other two could be lifted making it more like a motorbike. |
Kidder | USA | 1900–1901 | Three styles of Kidder's were made including a delivery wagon[11][77] |
Knoller | Austria | 1904-1910 |
Steam cars made by Max Friedmann of Vienna. Very few were made |
Kraft | USA | 1901 | A steam car made in St. Louis, Missouri.[6][11] |
L'Autovapeur | France | 1905–1906 | A Parisian steam car make powered by a Gardner-Serpollet engine[6] |
Lamplough-Albany | England | 1903 | see Albany-Lamplough |
Lane | USA | 1900 | Steam cars made by Lane Motor Vehicle Company of Poughkeepsie, New York[6][69] |
Liquid Air | USA | 1901-1902 | Liquid Air Power and Automobile Company Boston[49] |
Locke | USA | 1901 | see Puritan [11] |
Lozier | USA | 1901–1902 | A Lozier Motor Company prototype steam car. The production cars, commencing in 1905, had petrol engines only.[6] |
Lyons | USA | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[11] | |
Maryland Steamer | USA | 1900–1901 | A steam car made by the Maryland Automobile Manufacturing company of Luke, Maryland |
MCC | England | 1902–1904 | Motor Construction Company of Nottingham steam cars sold as Vapomobile [6][51][78] |
McCurdy | USA | 1901 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
McKay Steam Buggy | USA | 1900–1902 | Renamed Stanley-Whitney made by Frank Forrester Stanley's Stanley Manufacturing Company. Stanley's reverted to manufacturing shoes and in 1920 were taken over by the A G Walton Shoe Co.[6][11][72] |
Meteor | USA | 1902–1903 | Reading steam cars were built by the Meteor Engineering Company from 1902 after the company acquired the Steam Vehicle Company of America[11][79] |
Miller | USA | 1903 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Mills | USA | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[11] | |
Milwaukee | USA | 1900–1902 | A steam stanhope made by the Milwaukee Automobile Company[11][69] |
Moncrieff | USA | 1901–1902 | J. A. Moncrieff Company of Pawtucket, Rhode Island[11] |
Morriss | England | 1906-1912 | Only four cars were made at Sandringham. Only one survives.[6][65][80] |
Morse | USA | 1904–1909 | Made by the Morse Motor Vehicle Company of Springfield. In 1909 the company became the Easton Machine Company, which made a petrol powered vehicle under the Morse name.[6][11][81] |
Neff | Canada | 1901 | A steam buggy built Benton Neff of Port Colborne and displayed at the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum.[82] |
Neustadt-Perry | USA | 1901–1903 | J.H. Neustadt and Perry was partnership. In 1904 Neustadt bought out Perry forming the Neustadt Automobile and Supply Company located in St Louis, Missouri. From 1904 it made petrol powered cars[6][11][83] |
New Home | USA | 1901 | See Grout[6] |
Ophir | USA | 1901 | Made by the Century Motor Vehicle Company of Syracuse, New York[6] |
Ormond | USA | 1904–1905 | Made by United Motor and Vehicle Co of Boston[6][11] |
Overholt | USA | 1909 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6][11] |
Oxford | USA | 1900–1904 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[11] |
Paridant | Belgium | 1903–? | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Parker-Wearwell | England | 1901 | Thomas Hugh Parker of Wearwell Motor Carriage Company, Wolverhampton made a steam car. Only one seems to have been made with Wearwell concentrating on petrol powered motor bikes.[6][84] |
Pawtucket | USA | 1901–1902 | A single seat car made by the Pawtucket Steam Boat Company of Providence, Rhode Island[6][11] |
Pearson-Cox | UK | 1908–1916 | Pearson and Cox were steam and petrol powered car makers from Shortlands, Kent[85] |
Phelps | USA | 1901 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Pierce | USA | 1900 | The first car made by George N Pierce and Co was steam powered but a failure. They switched to petrol cars.[46] |
Pope | USA | 1903-1904 | The Pope Motor Car Company replaced the International Motor Car Company making Toledo's.[86] |
Porter | USA | 1900–1901 | Steam cars made by Porter Motor Company of Boston[11][69] |
Prescott | USA | 1901–1907 | The steam cars were made by A L Prestcott's Prescott Automobile Manufacturing Company, 09 Chambers Street, New York. The company closed in 1907 after an employee stole most of its cash.[11][87] |
Puritan | USA | 1902–1903 | Albert Locke's Lock Regulator Company of Salem, Massachusetts built a four passenger steam runabout named the Puritan.[6][11] |
Ramapaugh | USA | 1902 | Charles A Ball's Miami Cycle and Manufacturing Company decided to build automobiles in 1902. The name Ramapaugh came from an old Indian chief who lived near Ball in New York. Ball bought the first and only vehicle completed.[88] |
Randall | USA | 1902 | A steam carriage made by G N Randall[6] |
Randolph | USA | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[11] | |
Reading | USA | 1900–1902 | A steam car made by Steam Vehicle Company of America, Reading. The company was sold to Meteor Engineering Co in 1902.[11][89] |
Reid | New Zealand | 1903-1905 | Made three steam cars which used engines imported from the United States |
Rexer | France | 1905-1910 | see Weyher et Richemond |
Richmond | USA | 1902–1903 | A steam car made by the Richmond Automobile Company of Richmond, Indiana[11] |
Riley & Cowley | USA | 1902 | A steam car made in Brooklyn, New York[6] |
Rochester | USA | 1900–1901 | A steam buggy made by Rochester Carriage Motor Company of Rochester, New York[11] |
Ross | USA | 1905–1909 | A steam car made by Louis S Ross of Newtonville[11][69] |
Rutherford (also known as E.J.Y.R.) | England | 1907–1912 | The car was designed by E J Y Rutherford and George Hamilton of the Highclere Motor Car Syndicate Ltd, and was first known by Rutherford's initials as the E.J.Y.R.[6] |
Safety | USA | 1901 | Safety Steam Automobile Company Boston[49] |
Schirmer | Switzerland | 1903–1904 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Seely | USA | 1900's | A double engined steam car made by F L Seely. Only one is believed to have been built.[69] |
Shatswell | USA | 1901-1903 | A kit steam car sold by H K Shatswell and Co Dedham MA[49] |
Sheppee | England | 1912 | A steam automobile made in York by Colonel F H Sheppee's Sheppee Motor Company. Only two were made. Prior to this Sheppee made commercial vehicles. The company still exists but no longer makes vehicles[6] |
Siemens-Halske | Germany | 1900–1905 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Simons | USA | 1903 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6][11] |
Simpson | India | 1903 | Samual John Green of Simpson & Co, Madras produced the first Indian steam car in 1903. The made were very few as the company specialised in coachmade bodies for imported motor car chassis.[90][91] |
Skene | USA | 1900–1901 | Steam cars made by Skene American Automobile Company of Springfield[11][69] |
SM | England | 1904–1905 | A steam car that may never have got beyond prototype.[65] |
Springer | USA | 1904–1906 | Steam car made by John H Springer's Springer Motor Vehicle Company of New York[6][11] |
Springfield | USA | 1900–1904 | The Springfield Motor Car Company mae a steam powered van in 1901, but no details of a steam powered car found[6][11][92] |
Stammobile | USA | 1902–1905 | A steam buggy made by the Stammobile Manufacturing Company of Stamford, Connecticut[6] |
Standard | USA | 1902–1905 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Stanton | USA | 1901 | Stanton Manufacturing Co acquired the New England steam car business in 1901. They continued to make the cars with some improvements but ceased business the same year.[6][11] |
Steamobile | USA | 1901–1902 | The renamed Keene. In 1902 the factory closed because of over-production.[6][11][75] |
Stearns | USA | 1900–1904 | E C Stearns of Syracuse, New York owned a huge automobile parts supply store and as owner of the Stearns Automobile Co made Stearns Steam Carriages. He made the automobile company a subsidiary of E J Pennington's Anglo-American Rapid Transit Co which drained money from Stearns company making it went bankrupt.[11][93] |
Sterling | USA | 1901–1902 | see Empire[11] |
Stesroc | England | 1905–1906 | A steam car made by Johnson Brothers; Knaresborough, Yorkshire[6] |
Stolz | Hungary | 1911–1915 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Storck | USA | 1901–1903 | Steam cars made by Frank C Storck of Red Bank, New Jersey[6][11][69] |
Stringer | USA | 1901 | Prototype only made by Stringer Automobile Company of Marion, Ohio.[6][11] |
Strouse | USA | 1915 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6][11] |
Sunset | USA | 1901–1904 | A steam car made by Dorville Libby Junior's Sunset Automobile Company of San Francisco until they switched to petrol engines[11] |
Taunton | USA | 1901–1904 | A steam runabout built by Everitt Cameron. Cameron went on to build petrol powered cars under his name.[6][11] |
Thompson | USA | 1900–1902 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6][11] There was a Thompson Automobile Company of Providence Rhode Island that made a six passenger steam car in 1906[49] |
Toledo Steam Carriage | USA | 1901–1903 | A steam car first made in September 1900 by the American Bicycle Company of Toledo, Later by the International Motor Car Company, then by Pope in 1903. Production ceased in 1903 and Pope contracted the Manhattan Supply Company to dispose of the remaining cars. The last were sold in 1904 at below cost.[11] |
Tractobile | USA | 1900–1902 | The Tractobile was built by E J Pennington's company of Carlisle between 1900–1902. While a car with that name could be ordered it was more an engine and wheels on a removable frame that could be attached to a carriage instead of horses. Very few were built.[6][11][94] |
Trinity | USA | 1900 | Possibly a name for Keene's as they were made by the Trinity Cycle Manufacturing Company[6][11] |
Triumph | USA | 1900 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6] |
Turner-Miesse | England | 1902–1913 | Miesse's from Belgium built under licence in England.[6][51][95] |
Twombly | USA | 1904, 1910 | The first of Williard Twombly's three attempts to make a car. The steamer was too expensive to produce so he turned to petrol. This to proved two expensive. His 1910 version had a quick replacement engine and a body that could be changed. Unfortunately Twombly could not raise funds to manufacture the car. He tried again in 1914 with a petrol powered cyclecar, but this suffered the same fate.[7][11] |
Vapomobile | England | 1902–1904 | See MCC [6][51] |
Xander | USA | 1901–1902 | The Xander automobile company was founded in 1901 by John G. Xander in Reading, Pennsylvania. His first cars were steam, then gasoline engines were used. He only built his car custom order. In 1902, he stopped. |
Warfield | England | 1903 | Possibly only a prototype[6][65] |
Watch City | USA | 1903 | Steam car made by Watch City Automobile Company of Waltham, Massachusetts[6] |
Watt | USA | 1901 | Named in list of steam cars—details unknown[6][11] |
Webb-Jay | USA | 1908 | Racing specials largely of White Motor Company origin[6][11] |
Westfield | USA | 1902–1903 | Steam cars made by C J Moore Manufacturing Company of Westfield[11][69] |
Weyher et Richemond | France | 1905–1910 | Steam cars made by Automobiles Weyher et Richmond of Pantin, Seine. Probably no private cars built after 1907. Also known as Rexer[6] |
White | USA | 1900–1911 | The White Motor Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer from 1900 until 1980. The company also produced bicycles, roller skates, automatic lathes, and sewing machines. Before World War II, the company was based in Cleveland, Ohio. From 1900 to 1911 White produced steam powered cars before switching to gasoline.[6][11] |
Wood | USA | 1902–1903 | A steam car made by the Wood Vapor Vehicle Company of Brooklyn, New York[11] |
Wood-Loco | USA | 1901–1902 | A steam car made by Wood-Loco Vehicle Company of Cohoes, New York[6] |
1914 to 1939 – Decline
The steam cars of this era up until the 1930s were the last steam powered production cars. The power advantages that steam had possessed were overtaken by the improvements to the petrol powered internal combustion engines.
Make | Country | Years active | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Alena | USA | 1922 | The Alena Steam Products Company of Indianapolis, Indiana began making steam trucks in 1920.[96] The Alena Steam Car was an American car planned for manufacture in 1922. Only two cars were built, both touring models; each had a wheelbase of 126 inches (3,200 mm). The company went into receivership and closed in 1923.[97] |
American | USA | 1922–1924 | The American Steam Car's were production cars of various makes retrofitted with steam engines of the American Steam Automobile Co, West Newton, Massachusetts, from 1924 to 1948. It was built by Thomas S. Derr, a former faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[11] |
American Steamer | USA | 1922–1924 | Steam cars manufactured by the American Steam Truck Co. of Elgin, Illinois[6] |
Baker | USA | 1917–1924 | Steam cars made by Dr Hartley O Baker's Baker Steam Motor Car and Manufacturing Company of Pueblo and Denver, Colorado[6] |
Barlow | USA | 1922 | Steam cars made by L P Barlow's Barlow Steam Car Company - also known as Barlow Steam Engineering Company, the Barlow-Detroit, and the Barlow Steam Engineering Syndicate.[6] |
Brooks | Canada | 1923–1926 | A Detroitsteam car made by Brooks Steam Motors Limited.[6] |
Bryan Steam Car | USA | 1918–1923 | Steam cars made by Bryan Steam Motors of Peru, Indiana. Only six were built.[6][64] |
Clermont | USA | 1922 | A short lived steam car company.[6][11][98] |
Coats | USA | 1922–1923 | Steam cars made by Coats Steam Car Company of Chicago, later models called Stewart-Coats[11][69] |
Davis | USA | 1921 | The Davis Steam Motors Inc of Detroit may have built a steam car. The company was formed in March 1921 by Merrill Davis, E M Bliss, F D Sieberg, and A B Eggert. |
Delling | USA | 1923–1927 | A steam car developed by Eric H. Delling of the Delling Steam Motor Company West Collingwood, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsilvania.[6][11] |
Derr | USA | 1926–1931 (possibly as late as 1935) | see American [6] |
Detroit | USA | 1922 | The Detroit Steam Motors Corporation of Detroit made steam cars called Trask-Detroits in 1922. The company became Brooks Steam Motors maker of the Brook steam car.[11] |
Endurance | USA | 1924–1925 | A steam car built by the Endurance Steam Car Company of Los Angeles, California and later Dayton, Ohio[6][11] |
Gearless | USA | 1921–1923 | Made by Peterson-Culp Gearless Steam Autmobile Company, Denver, Colorado[11] |
Lutz | USA | 1917 | proposed car by Lutz Motor Co Buffalo New York [49] |
MacDonald | USA | 1923–1924 | Steam cars made by MacDonald Steam Automotive Group of Garfield, Ohio[6][11][69] |
Marion-Handley | USA | 1916-1919 | Mutual Motors Company, Jackson MI [49] |
Mercury | USA | 1923 | Steam car made by the Mercury Steam Car Corporation of San Francisco [11] |
Remal-Vincent | USA | 1923 | A steam car made by the Steam Car Corporation of California based in San Francisco[6][11] |
Scott-Newcomb | USA | 1921–1922 | See Standard[11] |
Standard | USA | 1920–1921 | Manufactured by the Standard Engineering Company of St Louis, Missouri from 1920 until 1921. Also known as the Scott-Newcomb [11] |
Stewart-Coats | USA | 1923 | see Coats[11] |
Super-Steamer | USA | 1918-1919 | see Gearless[11] |
Trask-Detroit | USA | 1922–1923 | See Detroit[6] |
Windsor | USA | 1922-1923 | See Detroit[49] |
1940 to date – Renewed interest
Makes in this era are generally prototypes or experimental.
Make | Country | Years active | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Aerojet | USA | 1972 | Aerojet Liquid Rocket Company of Sacramento were contracted by the Californian Assembly to develop a steam powered car. Aerojet retrofitted a steam turbine into a Chevrolet Vega.[99] |
Autocoast Vaporizer | USA | 1969 | A retrofitted Indy Car by Ernest Kanzler which was to attempt to set a new steam car speed record driven by Skip Hedrick at Bonneville on 19 October 1969 .[100] |
Crank | USA | 1977 | see Steamin' Demon |
Detrick | USA | 1957 | Forrest R Detrick's S-101 prototype |
Dutcher | USA | 1972 | Steam Power Systems of San Diego were contracted by the Californian Assembly to develop a steam powered car. They build the Dutcher, a car named after the company's founder, Cornelius Dutcher. It is on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles[99] |
Enginion | Germany | 1996 | An R&D subsidiary of the Volkswagen group developing a system called ZEE (Zero Emissions Engine). It produced steam almost instantly without an open flame. |
General Motors | USA | 1969 | Two experimental steam powered cars. The SE 124 based on a converted Chevrolet Chevelle and the SE 101 based on the Pontiac Grand Prix. |
Healy | England | 1970 | Donald Healey decided to make a basic steam-car technology more in line with Stanley or Doble and aimed at enthusiasts. |
Inspiration | England | 2009 | The British Steam Car Challenge broke the record for a steam vehicle setting a new speed record of 238.679 km/h (148.308 mph) |
Keen | USA | 1940–1973 | Completed two experimental cars and was constructing a third at the time of his death. |
Lear | USA | 1969 | A retrofited Chevrolet Monte Carlo and an Indy Car prototype |
Likamobile | USA | 2005– | A steam powered replica of the Locomobile Style 2 (1900–1901) that is made in kit-form by Modelworks.[101] |
Minto | USA | 1970 | A variant of the steam car made by Wallace L.Minto, using Ucon U-113 fluorocarbon as the working fluid (instead of steam) and kerosene, gasoline, or the like as a fuel. |
Paxton | USA | 1953–1954 | A prototype called the Phoenix was created by the Paxton Engineering Division of McCulloch Motors Corporation, Los Angeles base around Abner Doble's Doble Ultimax engine.[102] The project was eventually dropped in 1954.[103] |
Peterson | Stanley powered | ||
Pellandine | Australia | 1970's-2012 | Peter Pellandine conducted experiments with a steam car for the South Australian government. He made an attempt on the steam speed record in 1976 and continued his interest in developing steam powered cars until his death in 2012 |
Pritchard | Australia | 1972 | Edward Pritchard created a steam powered 1963 model Ford Falcon in 1972. |
Ranotor | Sweden | 2000's | After Leaving Saab, Dr Ove Platell started a company Ranotor with his son Peter Platell to develop a steam hybrid that uses the exhaust heat from an ordinary petrol engine to power a small steam engine to reduce fuel consumption |
Saab | Sweden | 1974 | A project codenamed ULF headed by Dr Ove Platell made a prototype steam-powered car. After Saab dropped the project Platell started his own project - see Ranotor |
Steam Speed America | USA | 2014 | A speed record attempt car by Chuk Williams of Team Speed America. It crashed on its first run after reaching 147 mph. |
Steamin' Demon | USA | 1985 | Barber-Nichols Engineering of Denver used a steam turbine they had designed for Lear and the Los Angeles city bus program to attempt to gain the steam powered land speed record. It reached 145.607 but only completed one pass due to a fire. The cars body was a Fiberfab Aztec 7 and had originally been completed by James Crank for his 1977 steam record attempt.[104] |
Williams | USA | 1957-1968 | Calvin C William's Williams Engine Company Incorporated of Ambler began advertising steam car retrofits or complete cars in 1957. At least one original car was built, using a Victress S4 body. They were offering a steam converted Chevrolet Chevelle for $10,250. Nine were ordered along with a Ford Fairlane from the Ford Motor Company. Cost of components delayed the project causing the Williams' to close in 1968. |
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Steam automobiles. |
References
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/austin.html
- ↑ "The Blackburn Car". Stamford Mercury. 6 December 1878. Retrieved 13 August 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2014/04/springfields_thomas_blanchard_inventor_of_the_lathe_used_to_manufacture_gun_stocks_in_the_19th_centu.html retrieved 21 August 2015
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20051124040052/http://www.ntm.cz/ntext/ak-42-b.htm retrieved 12 August 2015
- ↑ Callihan's Infernal Machine, Roger Holtzmann, South Dakota Magazine, retrieved 14 July 2015
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 Lord Montagu of Beaulieu & Anthony Bird, St. Martin's Press, Inc., 1971. "Appendix A". Steam Cars 1770–1970: 215–221.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles2.htm retrieved 3 July 2015
- 1 2 "De Dion Steam Tricycle". Light Steam Power XXI (1): 43. January–February 1972.
- ↑ "Evolution of the Automobile". Kansas City Journal. October 17, 1899. p. 4. Retrieved August 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Steam carriages on common roads, Year Book of Facts in Science and Art, John Timbs, Publisher: Simpkin, Marshall, and Company, 1859, pages 27-28
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 "Steam Cars Made in North America". Light Steam Power XXV (3): 186.
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobles.htm retrieved 10 August 2015
- ↑ The intermediate period, W. Worby Beaumont, Volume 1 of Motor Vehicles and Motors, Cambridge University Press, 2014, pages 34-36, ISBN 1108070604, 9781108070607
- 1 2 (Italian) Innocenzo Manzetti - Le invenzioni
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- ↑ "De Dion-Bouton et Trépardoux steam quadricycle". Steam Car Club of Great Britain. External link in
|publisher=
(help) - ↑ Chapter 2 Motoring Pioneers, Million Cars for Billion People, Gautam Sen, Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd, 2014, ISBN 938402774X, 9789384027742
- ↑ Lowell Daily Citizen and News (Lowell, Massachusetts) (2050), 6 January 1863,
S. H. Roper, of Roxbury, has invented a steam wagon for common roads, which stops, turns corners, backs, 'keeps to the right as the law directs,' and does many other intelligent things under the hands of a skilful driver.
Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ↑ "Miscellaneous Items; Mr Sylvester H Roper of Roxbury, Mass has invented a steam carriage…", New Haven Daily Palladium (New Haven, Connecticut) (52), 3 March 1863
- 1 2 Pearson, Drew (16 May 1965), "Ford Museum Houses U.S. History", Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal, p. 8, retrieved 2011-02-06
- 1 2 McCann, Hugh (2 April 1972), "Museum Traces History of Wheels", The New York Times, pp. IA27
- ↑ See also:
- "An improved steam carriage," Scientific American, new series, vol. 8, no. 11, page 165 (14 March 1863).
- "New steam carriage," Scientific American, new series, vol. 9, no 22, page 341 (28 November 1863).
- ↑ Johnson, Paul F., Sylvester Roper's steam carriage, Smithsonian Institution, retrieved 2011-02-06
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles2.htm retrieved 13 July 2015
- ↑ http://www.manchesterhistory.org/reprints/MHS3_Spencer_Carriage.html retrieved 21 August 2015
- ↑ Schultz, Jonathan (February 12, 2015). "Old gold: The Henry Seth Taylor steam buggy". BBC Autos. BBC. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Henry Seth Taylor Steam Buggy, 1867". Virtual Museum. Canada Science and Technology Museum. 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.steamautomobile.com/ForuM/read.php?1,21097 retrieved 3 July 2015
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/1890b.htm
- 1 2 http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/1890a.htm retrieved 10 August 2015
- ↑ Cobleskill Times June 20,1926
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/massautos.htm retrieved 14 August 2015
- ↑ G.N. Georgano Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985).
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/clark_edward_s_steam_automobiles.html retrieved 3 July 2015
- ↑ http://rmauctions.com/hf14/hershey/lots/1899-crouch-steam-runabout/1070560 retrieved 24 July 2015
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/massautos.htm retrieved 8 August 2015
- ↑ The Automobile Magazine, Volume I, October, 1899 to March, 1900
- ↑ http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/63cf02c5-36af-4556-a937-034ff51842c7
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/hartley_steam_motorcycle.html retrieved 31 July 2015
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/kensington_automobile_mfg_co.html retrieved 31 July 2015
- ↑ "The Standard Catalogue of American Cars", Kimes, Beverly Rae (editor) and Clark, Henry Austin, jr., 2nd Edition, Krause Publications, Iola WI 54990 (1985), ISBN 0-87341-111-0
- ↑ http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Liquid_Fuel_Engineering_Co retrieved 4 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/lifu_steam_wagonette_house_henry_alonzo.html retrieved 4 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.farmcollector.com/steam-traction/the-lifu-steam-car.aspx retrieved 4 August 2015
- ↑ Wise, David B. (1974). Northey, Tom, ed. British Steam-Car Pioneers. World of Automobiles. Volume 11. London: Orbis Publishing. p. 1207.
- 1 2 http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles6.htm retrieved 12 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.steamcar.net/hyman-3.html retrieved 4 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.classiccarweekly.net/2014/01/28/marlboro-steam-car/ retrieved 4 August 2015
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 http://www.american-automobiles.com/Steam-Automobile-Manufacturers.html retrieved 11 March 2016
- ↑ http://thetransportjournal.com/tag/automiesse/ retrieved 4 August 2015
- 1 2 3 4 G.N. Georgano, Dutton Press, New York, 2nd ed. (Hardcover) 1973, ISBN 0-525-08351-0. "Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars, 1885 to the Present". Complete Encyclopedia (1973).
- ↑ 100 Years of the American Auto Millennium Edition, Copyright 1999 Publications International, Ltd.
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles4.htm retrieved 10 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.verkehrsmuseum-dresden.de/en/steam-powered-car.html retrieved 10 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/File:Im19030131Auto-Simpson.jpg
- ↑ The car solution: the steam engine comes of age, Gary Levine, Horizon Press, 1974, page 48, ISBN 0818017074, 9780818017070
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/massautos.htm retrieved 5 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/c/caffrey/caffrey.htm
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/sweany_the_charles_s_caffrey_co.).html retrieved 5 August 2015
- ↑ "Pritchard steam car". Light Steam Power XXI (2): 59. March–April 1972.
- ↑ http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Atkinson_and_Philipson
- ↑ http://www.american-automobiles.com/Steam-Cars/Victor-Steam-Car.html
- ↑ http://www.dillsborolegion.org/inautomobiles.htm retrieved 7 August 2015
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Cars, Lou Phillips, Xlibris Corporation, 2011, ISBN 1456892940, 9781456892944
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Appendix 3, The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895-1975, David Culshaw and Peter Horrobin, Veloce Publishing Ltd, 1998, ISBN 1874105936, 9781874105930
- ↑ The Campbell Locomobile, The Mercury, Hobart, 28 November 1901, page 2
- ↑ Miesse and Chaboche Steam Cars, W Worby Beaumont, Steam Automobile Vol 24 no 4 1982, page 38-39
- ↑ Kennedy, Modern Engines, III, pp. 195-205
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Floyd Clymers Steam Motor Scrapbook, Clymer Motors, 1945
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/cotta_automobile_co.html
- ↑ http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public4/virginia-cars.cfm
- 1 2 3 4 http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/massautos.htm
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/foster_automobile_manufacturing_company.html
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/1903.htm
- 1 2 http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles5.htm retrieved 5 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.bedfordparkresidentsassociation.org.uk/component/content/article/8-page/91-soapsud-island-to-mowtown retrieved 18 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles16.htm retrieved 12 August 2015
- ↑ Kennedy, Rankin (1912 edition of 1905 book.). Steam Autocar Engines. The Book of Modern Engines and Power Generators. Vol. III. London: Caxton. pp. 185–186. Check date values in:
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(help) - ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/reading_steam_vehicle_company_of_america.html
- ↑ http://www.prewarcar.com/magazine/previous-features/steam-driven-023872.html
- ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/morse_motor_vehicle_company.html
- ↑ http://www.niagarathisweek.com/community-story/4047065-steam-buggy-a-forgotten-part-of-local-history/ retrieved 18 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.rmsothebys.com/hf10/vintage-motor-cars-of-hershey/lots/1902-neustadt-perry-na/563942
- ↑ http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Wearwell_Motor_Carriage_Co
- ↑ The Autocar (Ninth edition, circa 1919). Autocar Handbook. Autocar Handbook. London: Iliffe & Sons. pp. 258–259. Check date values in:
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(help) - ↑ http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/toledo_steam_carriage.html
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles16.htm
- ↑ http://middletownlibrary.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/Crout/id/2158/rec/6 retrieved 7 August 2015
- ↑ 100 Years of the American Auto Millennium Edition,. Publications International. 1999. p. 24.
- ↑ General History of the Company, Industrial Relations, Venkatraman P, APH Publishing, 2007, page 92, ISBN 8131300722, 9788131300725
- ↑ First wheels roll into India, S Muthiah & K N Gopalan, Chennai, December 23, 2008 Last Updated at 00:00 IST
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/workpage.htm retrieved 21 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles5.htm retrieved 10 August 2015
- ↑ http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles5.htm retrieved 10 August 2015
- ↑ Autocar Handbook p. 254
- ↑ "Buys factory site". The Franklin Evening Star. July 17, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved June 23, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "And thus endeth the Alena Steam Products". The Franklin Evening Star. April 14, 1923. p. 2. Retrieved June 23, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ The Clermont Steam Automobile, Steam Automobile Magazine 1971 Vol. 13, No. 2, pages 6-7
- 1 2 On the Road – Peterson Museum, June 26, 2007, retrieved 25 June 2015
- ↑ "Beach car builder, driver steamed up - ready to go". Independent Press-Telegram. November 30, 1969. p. 26. Retrieved June 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ http://www.steamcar.net/modelworks.html
- ↑ "A Modern Automotive Steam Power Plant Part IV". James L. Dooley, Vice President, McCulloch Corp, The Steam Automobile, Vol. 5, No. 3, 1963, page 12
- ↑ "The True Story of the Paxton Phoenix". Road and Track: 13–18. April 1957.
- ↑ http://www.oiccam.com/reno/car_museum/racecars/1977_steamin_demon.shtml retrieved 25 August 2015