Pics of three OTHER wonderful EVs

AudubonB · Jun 19, 2015

...from the past.
Most surprisingly, Fairbanks AK has an absolutely topnotch automobile museum. It is quite focused: nothing later than early 1930s. Every single car is positioned so you can walk 360º around it; unlike most other museums you can photograph to your heart's content; they have period costumes for each era; topical slide shows or movies along the walls; you can dress up in costume and pose in one of their vehicles - it's really neat (no,this thread is not a shill for the museum).

Here are a some photos of three cars I took last summer from within their electric auto collection, and finally am taking the time to share. First up is a 1912 Rauch & Lang. See if you can find the feature it shares with the New VW Beetle.

FreeOfPge · Jun 19, 2015

Like driving your couch around town. In many ways, car interiors have become less comfortable with time... guess it is better to have a safe ride.

AudubonB · Jun 19, 2015

That Rauch & Lang also presages what a lot of speculation concerning the Model X has centered on: rear-swiveling seats! I'll have to remember to ask what that salon's foot pedal is for, as it seems to be behind the driver, when facing forward.

Next up: a 1913 Argo. Apologies for the awkward double-shot of the descriptor. Note its "combination brake-and-speed foot control". Does that sound familiar, everyone?!?! Also: I can't seem to get rid of the double photos, even with the "Manage Attachments" edit tool.

AudubonB · Jun 19, 2015

Third and final: 1903 Columbia
Another terrific feature of this museum is that not only is every single vehicle in the collection driveable, but each is taken out on a rotating basis to ensure they remain so. The first and only time we were there, I went out in a ....well, something that was noisy and red

... but, with a little planning and coaxing, I'm going to try to make sure the next time, Jenny and I get to ride in one of these beauties. And pix will follow!

I love the line: "popular...especially in large cities where battery-recharging stations were readily available". 112 years ago!!!!!!!

.

brianman · Jun 19, 2015

@AudubonB - Thanks to you and your model for sharing your pictures with us.

AudubonB · Jun 19, 2015

brianman said:
@AudubonB - Thanks to you and your model for sharing your pictures with us.

You're welcome....and I'm not sure whether Jenny is going to take your compliment in the way you and I hope she will.....:crying:

brianman · Jun 19, 2015

AudubonB said:
You're welcome....and I'm not sure whether Jenny is going to take your compliment in the way you and I hope she will.....:crying:

Bummer.

beeeerock · Jun 19, 2015

Range 'up to 75 miles'.... hmm.... it only took Nissan and their Leaf another 100 years to get into the 80 mile range. Gotta love progress...!

brianman · Jun 19, 2015

At 2-3.5 hp, all three of these vehicles surpassed the horse in power:space ratio. Correct?

Saghost · Jun 19, 2015

AudubonB said:
That Rauch & Lang also presages what a lot of speculation concerning the Model X has centered on: rear-swiveling seats! I'll have to remember to ask what that salon's foot pedal is for, as it seems to be behind the driver, when facing forward.

Looking at the available information, I'm leaning towards the car being driven from the left rear seat (the left side of the rear couch.) I'm pretty sure the object at the extreme right side of the third picture is a folding tiller arm (for steering) - you can see it has such a thing in the first shot, a handle sticking almost straight up.

Why you would build the car to be driven from the back seat, I'm really not sure. How sure are we that the two rearward facing front seats swivel to face forward?

Actually, the description text tells you the driver is at the rear: "designed for conversation, with the front passengers facing the driver in the rear." Wacky.

Walter

beeeerock · Jun 19, 2015

brianman said:
At 2-3.5 hp, all three of these vehicles surpassed the horse in power:space ratio. Correct?

Not to mention, solved the age-old conundrum experienced previously of having to decide whether to use the left, right, front or back half of the fourth horse to get to 3.5 hp... :biggrin:

wws · Jun 19, 2015

beeeerock said:
Range 'up to 75 miles'.... hmm.... it only took Nissan and their Leaf another 100 years to get into the 80 mile range. Gotta love progress...!

Ironic, isn't it? Some in the era advertised 100 miles or more. OTOH, those cars were limited to 20-25 mph.

Thanks for posting these. I am going to be in Fairbanks in a couple of months, and will see about getting over to the museum.

- - - Updated - - -

Saghost said:
Looking at the available information, I'm leaning towards the car being driven from the left rear seat (the left side of the rear couch.) I'm pretty sure the object at the extreme right side of the third picture is a folding tiller arm (for steering) - you can see it has such a thing in the first shot, a handle sticking almost straight up.

Driving position wasn't standardized back then. A lot of brass era (e.g. pre-WW 1) cars in the U.S. were RHD.

Walter

A different Walter

FreeOfPge · Jun 19, 2015

beeeerock said:
Range 'up to 75 miles'.... hmm.... it only took Nissan and their Leaf another 100 years to get into the 80 mile range. Gotta love progress...!

Haha, not an aerodynamic line on it...

AudubonB · Jun 20, 2015

OK, one last auto - and although this is OT 'cuz it's not an EV, no one had better report me or I'll go all non-mild-mannered on ya....

This is the museum's 1927 Stutz Black Hawk Boattail with a straight-8 298cu in - "Guaranteed To 80mph" Notice the position of the side view mirror!
And, hey...I've got on a checked shirt. Hmmm....

Zythryn · Jun 20, 2015

beeeerock said:
Range 'up to 75 miles'.... hmm.... it only took Nissan and their Leaf another 100 years to get into the 80 mile range. Gotta love progress...!

I'm pretty sure that was a poor attempt at a joke.
Just in case any third parties don't recognize it as such, it is a huge amount of progress when you consider the max speed, power and weight of the early Electric's compared to the Leaf, or any other modern EV.

green1 · Jun 20, 2015

Zythryn said:
I'm pretty sure that was a poor attempt at a joke.
Just in case any third parties don't recognize it as such, it is a huge amount of progress when you consider the max speed, power and weight of the early Electric's compared to the Leaf, or any other modern EV.

I think the joke is really in how long it took. Imagine the progress that would have been made if we didn't take a century off from working on electric propulsion systems wasting our time with internal combustion.

mknox · Jun 22, 2015

Recently visited the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, IN and came across 1907 and 1911 examples of EVs. I especially like the quote from J.M. Studebaker on gasoline cars.

AudubonB · Jun 22, 2015

Great quote! Have you also a pic of the entire list of advantages over horses, by the way?

mknox · Jun 22, 2015

AudubonB said:
Great quote! Have you also a pic of the entire list of advantages over horses, by the way?

No, unfortunately I don't. I had just zoomed in on that quote and didn't even realize that the list was talking about electric advantages. Will have to check my wife's phone to see if she captured it. Having looked at it now, I think #2 might be a stretch with a Tesla and it's vampire losses and all :biggrin:

- - - Updated - - -

Here are the placards from those two Studebakers:

Saghost · Jun 22, 2015

AudubonB said:
Great quote! Have you also a pic of the entire list of advantages over horses, by the way?

Came up with this after a little googling:

Alice Ramsey Centennial Drive

Pics of three OTHER wonderful EVs

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