Pope-Tribune
Pope-Tribune was part of the Pope automobile group of companies founded by Colonel Albert Pope manufacturing Brass Era automobiles in Hagerstown, Maryland.[1] With an initial price of $650, it was cheapest model of the Pope automobiles.
The factory was set up in the old Crawford bicycle factory and run by Harold E. Pope,[2] the colonel's son.
The first Pope-Tribune, a single-cylinder runabout, was introduced in 1904. It was to the design of Hiram Percy Maxim, son of Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (the inventor of the Maxim gun). The model that is on display in the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, is an early model with a single cylinder and shaft drive. Model II also had a front-mounted, vertical, single-cylinder engine (with a 4.5in bore and a 4in stroke), wheel steering, sliding pinion gearbox, shaft drive and a bevel rear axle with a differential.
In 1905, the price of the car was reduced from $650 to $500, and a 12 hp two cylinder model was added.
Production continued until 1908, but by then the cars had become larger and more expensive. The final models, with four-cylinder engines, were a 16/20 hp selling for $1750, and a 30 hp for $2750. The company closed in November 1908.[2]
External links
- About.com Classic Cars / 1904 Pope-Tribune 6hp
- Bonhams / 1904 Pope-Tribune Model II 6hp Two-seater Runabout
- History of Early American Automobile Industry / Chapter 5
References
- ↑ "American Automobiles - Manufacturers". Farber and Associates, LLC - 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- 1 2 Georgano, N. (2000). Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. London: HMSO. ISBN 1-57958-293-1.