Black Motor Company

For the Indianapolis company, see Black (automobile).
Black
Overview
Manufacturer Black Motor Company
Body and chassis
Body style roadster, surrey
Powertrain
Engine two-cylinder air-cooled gasoline

The Black was a brass era United States automobile, built at 124 East Ohio Street,[1] Chicago, Illinois, in 1906.

It was a high wheeler buggy priced at a surprisingly low US$375-$450,[2] when Gale's Model A was US$500,[3] the high-volume Oldsmobile Runabout went for US$650,[4] and the Ford "Doctor's Car" was US$850.[5]

The Black featured a 10 hp (7.5 kW) two-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine, chain drive, wheel steering and (unusual for the era) double brakes.[6] It bragged speeds of 2-25 mph (3.2–40 km/h) and mileage of 30mpg (12.75 l/100 km).[6]

Surreys and "top motor buggies" were also advertised.[6]

Black Crow and Chicago Motor Buggy

From 1909 to 1911, Black sold a rebadged Crow-Elkhart automobile as the "Black Crow".[7] In addition to Black and Black Crow names, during 1908 and 1909,[8] the company also sold a two-cylinder, high-wheeler under the Chicago Motor Buggy name.[7]

See also

References

  1. Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877–1925 (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950), p.32.
  2. Clymer, p.31.
  3. Clymer, p.51.
  4. Clymer, p.32.
  5. Clymer, p.37.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Clymer, p.61.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Kimes, Beverly (1996). standard catalog of American Cars 1805-1942. Krause publications. ISBN 0-87341-428-4.
  8. Kimes, Beverly. Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1996), p.303, calls them the Black Manufacturing Company.

Sources