1908 Stevens-Duryea Model U Limousine
Add to SetSummary
Early car buyers knew what motor vehicles should look like -- carriages, of course! But automobiles need things carriages don't: radiators, windshields, controls, horns, and hoods. Early automakers developed simple solutions. Brass, often used for carriage trim, was adopted for radiators, levers, and horns. Windshields were glass plates in wood frames. Rectangular sheet metal covers hid engines. The result? A surprisingly attractive mix of materials, colors, and shapes.
Early car buyers knew what motor vehicles should look like -- carriages, of course! But automobiles need things carriages don't: radiators, windshields, controls, horns, and hoods. Early automakers developed simple solutions. Brass, often used for carriage trim, was adopted for radiators, levers, and horns. Windshields were glass plates in wood frames. Rectangular sheet metal covers hid engines. The result? A surprisingly attractive mix of materials, colors, and shapes.
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1908
Creators
Place of Creation
United States, Massachusetts, Chicopee Falls
United States, Ohio, Cleveland
Creator Notes
Chassis made by Stevens-Duryea Company, Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts; body made by Winton Motor Carriage Company in Cleveland, Ohio.
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Driving America
Object ID
25.88.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Sheldon A. and Albert F. Wood
Material
Metal
Wood (Plant material)
Brass (Alloy)
Glass (Material)
Leather
Color
Maroon
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 89.25 in
Width: 65.5 in
Length: 163 in
Diameter: 26.5 in
Inscriptions
Plate on dash: THREE POINT SUPPORT UNIT POWER PLANT [in circle] STEVENS-DURYEA / MANUFACTURED BY / THE STEVENS-DURYEA COMPANY / CHICOPEE FALLS, MASS. Radiator: STEVENS-DURYEA Lanterns on sides of dash: C.M. HALL LAMP CO. / DETROIT, MICH. U.S.A. / MODEL 144-E (in diamond)
Specifications
Make & Model: 1908 Stevens-Duryea Model U limousine
Maker: Stevens-Duryea Company, Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts
Engine: inline-6, L-head valves
Transmission: 3-speed manual
Height: 89 inches
Wheelbase: 114 inches
Width: 65.5 inches
Overall length: 163 inches
Weight: 3400 pounds
Horsepower: 35
Pounds per horsepower: 97.1
Price: $4,500
Average 1908 wage: $519 per year
Time you'd work to buy this car: about 8 years, 9 months
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