High wheeler

Design

High wheelers were derived from horse-drawn wagons, and often were conversions of these. Similarly to these wagons, they often had wood-spoke wheels, suspensions, and boxy wooden bodies.

The large-diameter slender wheels provided ample ground clearance on the primitive roads of the late 19th century, and frequently had solid rubber tires.

These cars were produced in many body styles. The most common were the motorized wagon (utility vehicle) runabout, roadster and buggy, some with detachable tonneaus.

File:International Torpedo - Coupe Florio 2015 01.jpg|International Harvester Auto-Buggy File:1911 International Wagon.JPG|1911 International Harvester Auto Wagon File:Vintage International Harvester Auto Buggy (5043226321) (cropped).jpg|International Harvester Auto Wagon File:Sears Model L.JPG|Sears Model L Image:Patent, Duryea Road Vehicle, 1895.png|Patent drawing for the Duryea Road Vehicle, 1895 File:George B Selden driving automobile in 1905.jpg|George B. Selden driving an automobile in 1905 File:Lenoir Hippomobile.jpg|Lenoir Hippomobile, 1863

History

Before gasoline engines became widely available, high wheelers were powered by electric motors or steam engines.

The decline of the high wheeler began when standard automobiles became more sophisticated and inexpensive. The end came with the popularity of the Ford Model T. The last high wheelers were built around 1915.

Manufacturers

The following companies produced high-wheeler cars:

• ABC
• Anchor Buggy
• Åtvidabergs Vagnfabrik
• Best
• Black
• Buckeye
• Clymer
• Cole*
• Columbia Electric*
• De Schaum
• DeWitt
• Duryea
• Electrobat
• Eureka
• Fuller*
• Hatfield
• Haynes-Apperson*
• Hobbie Accessible
• Holsman
• Holyoke
• International Harvester*
• Jeannin
• Jewell/Jewel*
• Keystone
• Kiblinger
• King*
• Lindsley
• Luverne*
• McIntyre*
• Reliable Dayton
• Schacht*
• Sears
• Single Center
• Sperry Electric
• Staver
• Success
• Waverley Electric*
• Woods*

• Companies which also produced cars other than high wheelers

References

Sources

• Kimes, Beverly Rae and Clark Jr, Henry Austin. Standard Catalog of American Cars: 1805-1942 (Third Edition). Iola, WI: Krause. 1996.

References

1. (1913). "A Dictionary of Automobile Terms".
2. "1915 International MA: High-wheeling into history".
3. Haajanen, Lennart W.. (2003). "Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles". McFarland.
4. (20 September 2010). "Car of the Week: 1910 IHC Auto Wagon".
5. (23 September 2013). "IHC Delivery Car".
6. (24 September 2013). "A Pair of Schachts".
7. (7 October 2015). "1908 Holsman High-Wheel Runabout".
8. (5 June 2015). "Car of the Week: 1908 Sears Motor Buggy".
9. (27 August 2013). "1908 Chicago Motor Buggy Type 112".
10. G.N. Georgano, G.N.. (1985). "Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886–1930". Grange-Universal.
11. "Lindsley".
12. [http://www.classiccarweekly.net/2014/10/23/sperry-electric/?doing_wp_cron=1620610825.5576500892639160156250 Sperry Electric]
13. Beverly Rae Kimes, Henry Austin Clark Jr.: Standard catalog of American Cars. 1805–1942. Digital Edition. 3. Publisher: Krause Publications, Iola 2013, ISBN 978-1-4402-3778-2, Page 1494
14. Marián Šuman-Hreblay: Automobile Manufacturers Worldwide Registry. McFarland & Company, London 2000, ISBN 978-0-7864-0972-3, Page 293
15. [https://www.google.com/search?q=waverly+electric+car&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=PGzXde0-zivJDM%252C0EWGEyDWEJhnGM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kSc_uaEmg75TXOUar93IxTbuY5n-A&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiV3pG3zr3wAhWtneAKHZBDBlYQ_h0wAHoECBoQAw&biw=1366&bih=625#imgrc=PGzXde0-zivJDM Waverley Electric]