St. Louis Motor Company
Encyclopedia
St. Louis Motor Carriage Company was a manufacturer of automobiles at 1211–13 North Vandeventer Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri
founded by George Preston Dorris (later credited with developing and patenting the float-carburetor) and John French in 1898, with French taking charge of marketing and Dorris heading engineering and production. St. Louis Motor Carriage was the first of many St. Louis automakers and produced automobiles from 1899 to 1907.
In 1900, John French drove the St. Louis on the first automobile trip between St. Louis and Chicago. In 1901 he was one of only three drivers to finish in a New York-to-Buffalo race.
The St. Louis Motor Carriage Company moved to Peoria, Illinois
in 1905, and Dorris started his own car company, the Dorris Motor Car Co. in the former St Louis Motor Carriage plant in 1906 that would stay in business until 1926.
The 1904 St. Louis line included runabout
and touring car
models. Both could be equipped with a tonneau
, with seating for up to five passengers. The runabout sold for US$1200 and used a 9 hp (6.7 kW) engine. The touring car was priced at US$1500. It used a flat-mounted, water-cooled, single-cylinder engine, situated amidships of the car, producing 10 hp (7.5 kW). A two-speed transmission was fitted, and the angle iron-framed car weighed 1650 lb (748 kg).
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
founded by George Preston Dorris (later credited with developing and patenting the float-carburetor) and John French in 1898, with French taking charge of marketing and Dorris heading engineering and production. St. Louis Motor Carriage was the first of many St. Louis automakers and produced automobiles from 1899 to 1907.
History
The St. Louis Motor Carriage Company moved to Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
in 1905, and Dorris started his own car company, the Dorris Motor Car Co. in the former St Louis Motor Carriage plant in 1906 that would stay in business until 1926.
The 1904 St. Louis line included runabout
Runabout (car)
Runabouts were a popular car body style at the beginning of the 20th Century. They were small, inexpensive, open cars. Most runabouts had just a single row of seats, providing seating for two passengers. Many also had a tonneau at the rear to provide optional seating for four or five...
and touring car
Touring car
A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...
models. Both could be equipped with a tonneau
Tonneau
right|thumb|260px|1903 [[Ford Model A |Ford Model A]] rear-door TonneauTonneau cover , describes a hard or soft cover used to protect unoccupied passenger seats in a convertible, roadster, or for a pickup truck bed. Hard tonneau covers open by a hinging or folding mechanism while soft covers open...
, with seating for up to five passengers. The runabout sold for US$1200 and used a 9 hp (6.7 kW) engine. The touring car was priced at US$1500. It used a flat-mounted, water-cooled, single-cylinder engine, situated amidships of the car, producing 10 hp (7.5 kW). A two-speed transmission was fitted, and the angle iron-framed car weighed 1650 lb (748 kg).