Thanks to Barn Finds reader Rocco B. who sent us this craigslist ad listing the car for sale! The Cartercar marque has a fascinating history (more about that later), and this particular 1914 Model 7 Touring Car has the distinction of having been owned by Bill Harrah himself (you youngsters bear with me for a moment if that name means nothing to you). It’s located in Los Altos, California and is priced at $26,000.
Byron Carter founded Cartercar in 1905. The company was absorbed into a growing General Motors in 1909, and was known for its gearless “Friction Drive” transmission which allowed selection of any ratio rather than fixed gears. The advertising of the time reflected that and they became known as “The Car of a Thousand Speeds”. This Cartercar was restored in the early 1960’s and then sold to Bill Harrah (of Harrah’s Casino) and it became part of the largest auto collection in the world. After the collection was broken up and most of it auctioned off, the car went to California where it has been stored in a warehouse ever since.
The seller included an interesting but tragic piece of trivia in their ad: Byron Carter (as stated above the founder of Cartercar) stopped one day to help a damsel in distress whose Cadillac would not start. Unfortunately for him, the crank starter kicked back and it broke both his hand and jaw. After being admitted to the hospital, Mr. Carter developed pneumonia and died. Henry Leland, the president of Cadillac was friends with Mr. Carter and he was so upset about his death that he charged his engineers with eliminating the crank starter. This led to Cadillac consulting with Charles Kettering, who developed a small electric motor that could start engines without a crank!
Although the car has apparently been stored a long time, apart from a layer of dust it looks to be in pretty darned good shape.
I wonder if any of the other occupants of the warehouse are for sale? Who can name the most vehicles in the picture?
How do you like the wooden ignition wire guide?
In 1984, the car was sold for $18,000. I wonder what it will bring this time?
I’d like to know the story behind this May 1969 picture! Can anyone add details to the story of this fascinating vintage car?
Interesting story Jamie, you always learn something new on Barn Finds.
Were they all right hand drive in this era , or was this an export car originally ?
Until 1911 it seems 95% of the cars were right hand drive (as I had the same question). (Horseless) carriage position seemed to be the reason – some clarifications in the link below:
Useful link: https://books.google.ro/books?id=kdz7AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq=brass+era+cars+RHD&source=bl&ots=-40J3LpUDY&sig=r6e0AVW_NjauvZT_t_jzFL8w6go&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjA7uzvjabbAhXEKVAKHTTzCfoQ6AEwF3oECAEQAQ#v=onepage&q=brass%20era%20cars%20RHD&f=false
Enjoy the reading of cars in a fabulous era.
All the best to the bf community.
Cristian
Interesting article, thanks for posting.
That Harrah’s museum in Sparks, Nevada was spectacular. When it was sold to Holiday Inns it was dismantled. I was lucky to have seen it in all it’s glory.
Jamie it looks like no one wants to take a crack at your question but I will give it a shot. I don’t know the specific years but I think I have a good idea on some of the cars Brand.
Obviously the star 1914 Cartercar, next a Cadillac out of the mid to late fifties, the third one has me stumped but guessing maybe a Buick, next a pink Ford Falcon Ranchero, a Rolls Royce, a full size Chevy/GMC conversion van, and a green Jaguar XKE?
David, you got the same ones I did!
Third one is a Kaiser, Manhattan maybe.
Helping a lady in distress; what a terrible day for Byron Carter. How the world a tragedy turned into the invention of the electric starter is nearly incomprehensible. Yet, I still sometimes help a person in distress regardless of gender or race. I have at times been that person in distress, needing a helping hand, but those stories are not for this time.
Greetings All,
Have now seen, in the flesh, 4 cars from the collection over the years.
Harrah’s staff that restored these vehicles seemed to be unparalled in their knowledge and execution.
These vehicles still look great, after what, close to 40 years? Amazing.
Have an acquaintance, he owns a Wills St. Claire V8 from the collection.
Stunning vehicle.
I see a 1958 Cadillac, a 1955 Lincoln, a late 1950s/early 1960s Rolls or Bentley, probably a Ford van, and then a Jaguar fastback of the mid-1960s.
Ahhhh, the Harrah collection . . . .
In the mid 1970s I had been talking with Bill Harrah by mail, as he was determined to create a Packard car collection that included not just one of each year, but one of each model, for each year. I had what was [at the time] the only known example of a 1948 Packard 6-cylinder Taxicab, and he wanted it.
In 1978 my best friend from my years living in Germany, also a car nut, visited America for the first time. We did a 9,000 mile grand tour of America over a 3 week period, using my 1973 Dodge van as our transportation and hotel. When Mr. Harrah found out we were going to visit his museum, he offered to take us both on a private tour. I figured so he could work his charm and talk me into selling the Taxi.
2 days before our arrival date, Mr Harrah suddenly died. We didn’t even know it when we arrived at the museum complex in Sparks, Nevada. Instead of the personal guided tour, the General Manager of the collection gave us each a special badge that acted as a “all areas back stage pass”, and we spent 3 days at the museum, even pouring over the cars in huge warehouses awaiting restoration. The restoration facilities were nothing short of incredible, Harrah even had his own plating shop!
The Packard Taxi? Alas, it was one of many cars I lost in a massive lightning-induced fire in the mid-1990s.
What is left of the collection is in Reno and well worth a visit. Some spectacular cars, and a few “street scenes” with unrestored ordinary cars you can touch!
The dramatic “cranking death” of Mr. Carter is an oft-told tale, but probably not true. Here is an interesting article on the subject. You can decide for yourself:
http://cartercar.org/selfstarter.html