Moline Automobile Company facts for kids
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| Automobile Manufacturing | |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Genre | Roadsters, touring cars |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Defunct | 1924 |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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United States |
| Products | Automobiles Automotive parts |
The Moline Automobile Company (1904 – 1924) was an American company that made cars. It was located in East Moline, Illinois. They were known for their "Moline" and "Moline-Knight" cars. These cars were popular during the "Brass Era," a time when cars often had shiny brass parts.
The Story of Moline Cars
In 1899, two smart engineers, W.H. Vandervoort and Orlando J. Root, started a company. It was called Root & Vandervoort Engineering. They built engines that ran on gas.
Then, in 1904, they started the Moline Automobile Company. Their goal was to make medium-sized cars. Moline was one of the first companies to build a special kind of four-cylinder engine for cars.
Their cars were advertised as Dreadnought Molines. The company's slogan was "The Car of Unfailing Service." This meant their cars were reliable and always worked well.
In 1914, W. H. Vandervoort became the President of the Society of Automobile Engineers. This was a big honor for him.
During World War I, Root & Vandervoort Engineering made their factory bigger. They helped produce things for the war. After the war, the company faced tough times. They closed down in 1924.
Types of Moline Cars
The Moline-Knight
The Moline-Knight was a special car made from 1911 to 1919. It used a unique engine called a Knight engine.
In 1911, one popular model was the Moline 35. It was a two-seat roadster. It had a gasoline engine and a self-starter. Self-starters were very new and special back then!
The Moline 35 also came with a folding top and a windshield. It even had a tank for the headlights, which used acetylene gas. All of this cost US$1700.
Besides the Moline 35, Moline also offered other cars in 1911. These included a four-passenger and a five-passenger tourer. There was also a four-passenger "toy tonneau" car. All of these models proudly featured the new "self-starting" ability.
Moline-Knight cars had some cool features. They used "sleeve valves," which made the engine very quiet. However, they also had a few downsides. They used a lot of oil, and their carburetor was sensitive to changes in altitude.
After 1919, the Moline-Knight car was renamed the R&V Knight. It continued to be made until 1924.
See also
In Spanish: Moline Automobile Company para niños
