Walter Lorenzo Marr
| Walter Lorenzo Marr | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 14, 1865 Lexington, Michigan |
| Died | December 11, 1941 (aged 76) |
| Occupation | Automotive engineer |
| Employer | Marr Auto-Car Company |
| Children | Walter Durant Marr |
Walter Lorenzo Marr (August 14, 1865 - December 11, 1941) was the creator of the Marr Auto-Car Company from 1903-1904.[1] He was the first Chief Engineer for Buick from 1901-1902 and 1904-1918.[2] Possibly his most noteworthy achievement was building the first automobile with an overhead-valve internal combustion engine.[3] This he did in 1898 when he built his second car—a trike that weighed 118 pounds, and whose single cylinder had a bore and stroke of 3 inches each.[3] He brought the concept of the overhead valve engine with him to Buick in 1901, where the invention was patented to David Buick in 1902. He later said he got the idea from valve-in-head European steam engines.[4]
Biography
He was born on August 14, 1865, in Lexington, Michigan.[5]
He created the Marr Auto-Car Company in 1903.[1] He was the first Chief Engineer for Buick from 1901-1902 and 1904-1918.[2]
He died on December 11, 1941.[6]
Legacy
His papers are archived at Kettering University.[7] He had a vacation home at Signal Mountain, Tennessee.[8]
References
- 1 2 "Bicycle Policemen Capture Three After Long, Hard Chases.". New York Times. January 19, 1905. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
Walter L. Marr of Detroit who has a reputation as a designer of automobiles and as a racing chauffeur, and who is exhibiting machines at the Madison Square Garden for a manufacturer, was arrested while giving a prospective customer a ride up in Lexington Avenue yesterday afternoon, charged with failing to display a license number on the machine.
- 1 2 Beverly Rae Kimes & James H. Cox. Walter L. Marr - Buick's Amazing Engineer.
- 1 2 "Walter L. Marr, Buick's Amazing Engineer", 2007, Beverly Rae Kimes, Racemaker Press, Boston, www.racemaker.com
- ↑ "The Buick, A Complete History," third ed., 1987, Terry P. Dunham and Lawrence Gustin.
- ↑ "Remembering Signal Mountain's Walter Marr". The Chattanoogan. October 13, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
Born on Aug. 14, 1865, in Lake Huron, Mich., just days after the Civil War ended, he came from humble origins, In fact, Mr. Marr began working at a young age to help support his family.
- ↑ "Walter L. Marr". New York Times. December 12, 1941. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
Walter L. Marr, pioneer automotive engineer and originator of the ... Mr. Marr was born in Lexington, Mich., and began his mechanical career in 1882 as an ...
- ↑ "Walter L. Marr". Kettering University. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
- ↑ John Shearer (October 13, 2008). "Remembering Signal Mountain's Walter Marr". Chattanoogan.
External links
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