Velie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1915 Velie as advertised in the Literary Digest
The 1915 Velie as advertised in the Literary Digest

The Velie was an automobile brand produced by the Velie Motors Corporation of Moline, Illinois (United States) from 1908 to 1929. The company was founded by and named for Willard Velie, a maternal grandson of John Deere.

Velie produced 9,000 vehicles in 1920. During the 1920s, Velie's were powered by an L-head six cylinder Continental engine; in 1926 a straight eight Lycoming engine was also offered. In 1924, Velie began installing Westinghouse electric ignitions in their cars. 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.

Willard Velie died in 1928, and his family discontinued the Velie automobile in January 1929. Velie's son, who had hoped to enter the airplane business, died four months after his father.

According to the Velie Register, 217 Velies are known to exist as of 2000.

[edit] References

  • Kimes, Beverly R., Editor. Clark, Henry A. (1996). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1945. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-428-4. 

[edit] External links