Concours d'Elegance Logo

The Brass Era 1886-1915




Click any picture below to view a larger version
Then click the Browser's Back button to return


1913 Mercer Indy Car
 
This 1913 Mercer Indianapolis Race Car was actually entered in the Race Car category instead of Brass. I somehow managed to miss any other photos of that group. Too bad because it also included a 1911 Franklin and an exact replica of a 1903 Packard that once held the land speed record for a few weeks at 77 mph. The tires appeared to be almost 4 feet tall and it was reported that it took 5 miles to get it up to that record speed. As there were no surviving examples, the current owner obtained a set of original factory engineering drawings and hand built the car from those, including casting the 4 cylinder engine.


1913 American Underslung 1913 Mercer Raceabout
 
Next is a blue 1913 American Underslung. You can't really see it in this photo but the frame is hung under the axles, hence the Underslung name. Below is a 1913 Mercer Raceabout, probably a more familiar car to most of us than the previous ones. Oops, looks like it may be dripping a bit of oil. The happy looking kid there is my grandson. We'll see that car on the other side next.


1911 Speedwell Duck Boat 1915 Stutz Bearcat
 
This blue car is a 1911 Speedwell Duck Boat. I can't imagine where, how or why the builders came up with such a name. It is a classy looking car and, though not as low as the Mercer, still a pretty sporty car for its era, I think.

The last photo from the Brass era is of a 1915 Stutz Bearcat, a name that almost everyone will recognize. Here is a beautifully restored example of one of the most famous "sporty" cars of the time.



 
1886 Benz
The last photo probably should have been first and I wish I had taken one from the rear as that is by far the more interesting view of this 1886 Benz, generally recognized as the "first automobile" built by Karl Benz, This is a truly fantastic replica, reproduced down to the tiniest detail, including a single horizontal cylinder and chain drive. Yes, looks like grandson again.


There were many more fine examples from Fords to Popes to Cadillacs to Packards and several other marques, including one Stanley Steamer that the owner actually fired up for the eager crowd. There was so much more to show but I have a limited amount of space here so this is all for the Brass Era.