Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres.

Made:
1899 in United States

This Stanley steam car was built in 1899 in Massachusetts, US in 1899 by Francis and Freelan Stanley, the eventual founders of the Stanley Motor Company in 1902.

The car is a four-wheel, two seat vehicle powered by a two-cylinder, double acting steam engine which has 2-½ inch bores and 3-½ inch strokes. This engine could produce around 6 horsepower, and achieve a maximum speed of approximately 15 mph. The engine was fed by a 5-gallon fuel tank and a 15-gallon water tank. Whilst the car could achieve 10 miles per gallon, it also consumed approximately 1 gallon of water per mile, which was very high-water consumption for a steam car. The car has elliptical spring suspension positioned above the front and back axles of the vehicle, and the wheels are covered by pneumatic rubber tires which are inflated by an internal airtube. The drum brakes for the wheels are controlled with a combination of a hand brake and a pedal.

This car went through a significant restoration and rebuilding period between 1984 and 1985 to bring the vehicle to working order. Its original paintwork was red but has since been redone several times throughout the late 20th century. The car is currently painted black and has registration plates which read: FC 153,

Whilst petrol engine cars would eventually dominate the 20th century motor industry, during the early years of automobile history, steam cars were also considered a viable and popular design of car. Steam cars were especially popular in the United States where various models were being designed and sold.

Steam cars would begin to decline in popularity as newer designs of petrol engine cars like the mass-producible Ford Model T in 1908 quickly outcompeted all other types of cars in affordability and ease of maintenance.

The Stanley steam car was one of the first models produced by the Stanley Motor Carriage Company in 1899. It is one of the earliest steam cars to be produced in notable numbers, with a few hundred being built between 1898 and 1899.

This Stanley automobile is a light open-topped vehicle with a body design like horse drawn gigs and buggies from the period. A similar model was used by Freelan Stanley (co-inventor of the Stanley steam car) and his wife to climb to the top of the 6288-foot Mount Washington in two hours and ten minutes. No other car had achieved anything like this previously.

Details

Category:
Road Transport
Object Number:
1942-65
type:
private cars and steam road vehicles
credit:
Major G.W.G. Allen.

Parts

Stanley Steam Car with Early Type Pneumatic Tyres.

Stanley Steam Car with Early Type Pneumatic Tyres.

This Stanley steam car was built in 1899 in Massachusetts, US in 1899 by Francis and Freelan Stanley, the eventual founders of the Stanley Motor Company in 1902.

The car is a four-wheel, two seat vehicle powered by a two-cylinder, double acting steam engine which has 2-½ inch bores and 3-½ inch strokes. This engine could produce around 6 horsepower, and achieve a maximum speed of approximately 15 mph. The engine was fed by a 5-gallon fuel tank and a 15-gallon water tank. Whilst the car could achieve 10 miles per gallon, it also consumed approximately 1 gal...

This car went through a significant restoration and rebuilding period between 1984 and 1985 to bring the vehicle to working order. Its original paintwork was red but has since been redone several times throughout the late 20th century. The car is currently painted black and has registration plates which read: FC 153,

Measurements:
overall: 1670 mm x 1530 mm x 2280 mm,
Materials:
wood (unidentified) , metal (ferrous) , metal plated (unknown) , copper (alloy) , rubber (unidentified) , textile and glass
Object Number:
1942-65 Pt1
type:
car
Boiler from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Boiler from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Boiler removed from Stanley Steam Car. Inv.1942-65 pt.1 during restoration in 1985

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt2
type:
components
Wooden under-floor panel from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Wooden under-floor panel from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Wooden under-floor panel removed from Stanley Steam Car Inv.1942-65 pt.1 during restoration in 1985

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt4
type:
components
Wooden offside boiler support  from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Wooden offside boiler support from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Wooden offside boiler support removed from Stanley Steam Car Inv.1942-65 pt.1 during restoration in 1985

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt5
type:
components
Wooden seat cross-member from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Wooden seat cross-member from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Wooden seat cross-member removed from Stanley Steam Car Inv.1942-65 pt.1 during restoration in 1985

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt6
type:
components
Plastic sheeting from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Plastic sheeting from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Plastic sheeting removed from upholstery in Stanley Steam Car Inv.1942-65 pt.1 during restoration in 1985

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt7
type:
components
Cardboard Box of Components from Stanley Steam Car

Cardboard Box of Components from Stanley Steam Car

Cardboard box containing small parts (mainly bearings), removed from Stanley Steam Car Inv.1942-65 pt.1 during restoration in 1985

Measurements:
overall: 250 mm x 430 mm x 300 mm, 11.5 kg
Object Number:
1942-65 Pt8
type:
components
Spare steam safety blow-off valve from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Spare steam safety blow-off valve from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Spare steam safety blow-off valve, related to Stanley Steam Car Inv.1942-65 pt.1, but not removed from it during restoration in 1985

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt9
type:
components
Spanner from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Spanner from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Spanner, related to Stanley Steam Car Inv.1942-65 pt.1, but not removed from it during restoration in 1985

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt10
type:
components
Steam escape unit from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Steam escape unit from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Steam escape unit from Stanley Steam Car. Inv.1942-65 pt.1.

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt11
type:
components
Wooden handled rod from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Wooden handled rod from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Wooden handled rod object from Stanley Steam Car. Inv.1942-65 pt.1.

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt12
type:
components
Small screw-top-lid canister from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Small screw-top-lid canister from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Small screw-top-lid canister from Stanley Steam Car. Inv.1942-65 pt.1.

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt14
type:
components
Hollow rod from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Hollow rod from Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres

Hollow rod object from Stanley Steam Car. Inv.1942-65 pt.1.

Object Number:
1942-65 Pt15
type:
components
Key for Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres.

Key for Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres.

Key for Stanley steam car with early type pneumatic tyres.

Object Number:
1942-65/16
type:
key -hardware