Brass Era Project Car: 1913 Abbott-Detroit Speedster

It is hard to believe just how long cars have been around.  Carl Benz is credited with producing the first workable automobile that could be mass-produced in 1886.  While Benz soon had a lot of competition, the general thinking on these early automobiles is reflected in their name at the time: horseless carriage.  These early cars are also lumped into a category called brass-era cars.  Generally considered as vehicles produced from 1886 through 1915, they were called such because many of the parts on these vehicles were cast in brass.  Examples that were water-cooled also typically had radiator shells made of the easy-to-work-with material.  The 1913 Abbott-Detroit speedster you see here is a typical example of a brass-era car that was later modified to look like more famous cars from that period.

Abbott-Detroit was just one of hundreds of different automakers in America during that hectic early period in the history of the automaker.  Produced first in Detroit, Michigan along with many other early manufacturers and their suppliers, the company was fairly successful at manufacturing luxury automobiles.  Their first cars were made in 1909 and were designed by John G. Utz.  Utz had formerly worked at Chalmers, Olds, and Autocar and was considered an industry veteran.  They used Continental engines and were fast cars compared to their competition.

By 1911, the company set its sights on producing 3,000 automobiles that year.  By 1913 they were so convinced of the car’s superiority in the marketplace that they offered a lifetime warranty.  The company desired to produce more automobiles per year which led them to a new, larger factory in Cleveland, Ohio in 1916.  The costs of the move, the crowded market, and the financial pressures of a larger factory sank their chances of success.  The company declared bankruptcy in April 1918.  Abbott-Detroit was one of many companies that simply couldn’t handle competing against automakers that were larger and better able to adapt to a fast-growing market.

The 1913 Abbott-Detroit you see here is one of a handful of survivors from that manufacturer.  Part of a long-term collection, this car was restored in the 1950s.  Unfortunately, whoever restored the car altered it to look like a Mercer Raceabout or a Stutz Bearcat.  Those modifications consisted of ditching the luxury car body and making it into a speedster.  Speedsters were the sports cars of the time.  To make such a car, the heavy, original body was discarded, and two small seats were attached to the frame with a gas tank strapped behind them.  You see this type of modification on Model T Fords a lot.  The difference is that there were a whole lot of Model Ts made.  Abbott-Detroits are much rarer and harder to find in their original condition.  Whoever restored this car and did the modifications should have known better.

The seller has recently purchased seven new tires (four in the usual places and I guess three spares), a muffler, a magneto, and an updated carburetor.  While the car does not run at the moment, the seller is certain that the car will run if you flush out the fuel tank and lines and time the engine correctly.  The fenders are original, and they still wear the black paint from the 1950s restoration.  The only issue is that the paint is starting to peel in one area.  The dash components, the wheels, and the acetylene headlight setup are original to the car as well.

This looks like a fun car to own if you have the mechanical abilities to repair and operate a car from this era.  If you would like to dip your toes in the world of brass-era automobiles, this 1913 Abbot-Detroit is for sale on Craigslist in Omaha, Nebraska with an asking price of $19,950.  Thanks once again to Gunter K. for this unique find!