Velie
Encyclopedia
Velie was a brass era American
automobile
brand produced by the Velie Motors Corporation in Moline, Illinois
from 1908 to 1928. The company was founded by and named for Willard Velie
, a maternal grandson of John Deere.
Velie founded Velie Carriage Company in 1902, which was successful, then Velie Motor Vehicle Company in 1908.
Velie ads bragged they "produce every important part" and were not simply assemblers, a lesson Ford
had taught. However, Velie's first car was assembled from suppliers' components. Velie had sold more than 1000 cars by 1910.
Beginning in 1911, Velie introduced a truck line, and began making a proprietary four-cylinder engine, though parts continued to come from suppliers.
The 1911 Velie 40 had a 334 in3 (5473 cc) (4½×5¼-inch, 114×133 mm) four-cylinder L-head four-cycle gasoline engine, fired by Splitdorf magneto
, producing 40 hp (30 kW), mated to a Brown-Lipe sliding-gear transmission
with three forward and one reverse speed). It was a four-seater with a 115 in (2921 mm) wheelbase and 34×4-inch (86×10-cm) hickory
artillery wheel
s, shod in the customer's choice of Hartford or Firestone
tires. It was priced at US$
1800, which compared against US$1500 for the Colt Runabout and US$1600 for the Oakland 40, but well below even American
's lowest-price model, at US$4250 (its highest was US$5250).
In 1914, a six-cylinder Continental joined electric start and Bosch
dual ignition. Velie production averaged about 5,000 cars a year, peaking at 9,000 in 1920. Beginning in 1916, all Velies were powered by a six cylinder engines; in 1926 a straight eight Lycoming engine was also offered. Velie chose to focus production solely on its six-cylinder OHV
Model 58 in 1922. In 1924, Velie began installing Westinghouse electric ignitions in their cars. Added to this in 1925 were four-wheel hydraulic brakes and balloon tires, both still novel.
Velie's Royal Sedan body was one of the first cars designed with a raked "A" pillar, which gave its windshield
a significant angle from the top to the base.
Beginning in 1927, the company produced aircraft. It bought out a general aviation
company, moving it to Iowa as Mono Aircraft Inc.. Under this banner, the company produced the Velie Monocoupe, which proved "an instant success". In addition, they provided engines for aircraft, including the Monocoupe 70. Velie's M-5 aircraft engine, produced in 1928, for instance, was 250 cid (4.125 by bore and stroke), producing 65 hp at 1900 rpm.
Willard Velie died in October 1928, and his son, Willard, Jr., proved unable to keep both the Velie automobile and airplane companies afloat, dropping the car in January 1929. Willard, Jr., also died, in March 1929, and Mono was sold to Phil Ball, a St. Louis business man & one of the backers of Charles Lindbergh. Monocoupes were then produced for several years in St. Louis. The car plant was purchased by Deere
.
According to the Official Velie Register, world wide 230 Velies are known to exist as of 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
brand produced by the Velie Motors Corporation in Moline, Illinois
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
from 1908 to 1928. The company was founded by and named for Willard Velie
Willard Lamb Velie
Willard Lamb Velie was a businessman based in Moline, Illinois. He was an executive at Deere & Company before starting his own companies, which grew to become Velie Motor Company. He developed advanced engines for automobiles and airplanes.-Early life & Education:W. L. Velie was born in Moline,...
, a maternal grandson of John Deere.
Velie founded Velie Carriage Company in 1902, which was successful, then Velie Motor Vehicle Company in 1908.
History
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
had taught. However, Velie's first car was assembled from suppliers' components. Velie had sold more than 1000 cars by 1910.
Beginning in 1911, Velie introduced a truck line, and began making a proprietary four-cylinder engine, though parts continued to come from suppliers.
The 1911 Velie 40 had a 334 in3 (5473 cc) (4½×5¼-inch, 114×133 mm) four-cylinder L-head four-cycle gasoline engine, fired by Splitdorf magneto
Magneto
A magneto is a type of electrical generator.Magneto may also refer to:* Magneto , permanent magnetic alternating current rotary generator* ignition magneto, magnetos on internal combustion engines...
, producing 40 hp (30 kW), mated to a Brown-Lipe sliding-gear transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
with three forward and one reverse speed). It was a four-seater with a 115 in (2921 mm) wheelbase and 34×4-inch (86×10-cm) hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
artillery wheel
Artillery wheel
The artillery wheel was developed for use on gun carriages when it was found that the lateral forces involved in horse artillery manoeuvres caused normally-constructed cart wheels to collapse. Rather than having its spokes mortised into a wooden nave , it has them fitted together then bolted into...
s, shod in the customer's choice of Hartford or Firestone
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
tires. It was priced at US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1800, which compared against US$1500 for the Colt Runabout and US$1600 for the Oakland 40, but well below even American
American Motor Car Company
The American Motor Car Company was a short-lived company in the automotive industry founded in 1906, lasting until 1913. It was based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The American Motor Car Company pioneered the "underslung" design.-History:...
's lowest-price model, at US$4250 (its highest was US$5250).
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
dual ignition. Velie production averaged about 5,000 cars a year, peaking at 9,000 in 1920. Beginning in 1916, all Velies were powered by a six cylinder engines; in 1926 a straight eight Lycoming engine was also offered. Velie chose to focus production solely on its six-cylinder OHV
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
Model 58 in 1922. In 1924, Velie began installing Westinghouse electric ignitions in their cars. Added to this in 1925 were four-wheel hydraulic brakes and balloon tires, both still novel.
Velie's Royal Sedan body was one of the first cars designed with a raked "A" pillar, which gave its windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
a significant angle from the top to the base.
Beginning in 1927, the company produced aircraft. It bought out a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
company, moving it to Iowa as Mono Aircraft Inc.. Under this banner, the company produced the Velie Monocoupe, which proved "an instant success". In addition, they provided engines for aircraft, including the Monocoupe 70. Velie's M-5 aircraft engine, produced in 1928, for instance, was 250 cid (4.125 by bore and stroke), producing 65 hp at 1900 rpm.
Willard Velie died in October 1928, and his son, Willard, Jr., proved unable to keep both the Velie automobile and airplane companies afloat, dropping the car in January 1929. Willard, Jr., also died, in March 1929, and Mono was sold to Phil Ball, a St. Louis business man & one of the backers of Charles Lindbergh. Monocoupes were then produced for several years in St. Louis. The car plant was purchased by Deere
Deere & Company
Deere & Company, usually known by its brand name John Deere , is an American corporation based in Moline, Illinois, and the leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the world. In 2010, it was listed as 107th in the Fortune 500 ranking...
.
According to the Official Velie Register, world wide 230 Velies are known to exist as of 2010.
Sources
- Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877-1925 (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950).
- Randy Robertson Velie Webmaster / Director