Partin Manufacturing Company (automobile company) facts for kids
| Industry | Automobile manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1913 |
| Headquarters | , |
The Partin Manufacturing Company was an American company that made cars a long time ago. This was during a period known as the "brass era" of automobiles. Their main office was in Chicago, Illinois.
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History of Partin Manufacturing
The Partin Manufacturing Company began as a large business that sold cars in Chicago. In 1913, they joined forces with the Palmer Motor Car Co. This company was owned by Henry Palmer and was based in Detroit.
Together, they planned to build small, light cars called "cycle cars." They first made a car named the "Pioneer." Then, they created a model 45 called the "Partin" and a model 38 named "Partin-Palmer." The "Partin" model was not made for very long. Soon, all their cars were known as "Partin-Palmers."
The company later moved to Chicago. They took over the factory where the Staver-Chicago automobile company used to build cars. By 1914, both Partin and Palmer had left the company. The company then moved to Rochelle, Illinois. Here, the Geo D. Whitcomb Company helped put the cars together.
In 1915, the company faced money problems in Chicago. Because of this, the car's name was changed to Commonwealth (1917–1922). Production of the cars moved to Joliet, Illinois. In 1922, a person named Leland Goodspeed designed a new car for the company. This new car became the famous Checker Cab.
Today, you can see a restored Partin-Palmer car. It is on display at the Flagg Township Museum in Rochelle, Illinois.
Partin-Palmer Car Models
The Partin-Palmer 20 Car
In 1914, the company offered a car called the Partin-Palmer 20. This was a tourer, which is a car designed for long trips. It had a four-cylinder engine that was cooled by water. This engine produced 22 horsepower.
The car came with a Gray and Davis generator. You could also choose to add an electric starter from Gray and Davis. This was quite new for cars at that time. The car also used a shaft drive, which was still unusual back then.
The Partin-Palmer 20 had a wheel track of 56 inches (142 cm). Its wheelbase was 96 inches (2438 mm) long. It used special springs called ¾-elliptic springs. The front axle was an I-beam type. This type of axle was even used on Ford pickups many years later.
This car came with many features as standard. It had electric lighting and a horn. It also had a folding top with side curtains and a cover to keep dust out. A speedometer was included, along with a tool kit, a jack, and a tire patch kit. All of these features were offered for US$495.
To give you an idea of the price, here's how it compared to other cars around that time:
- The Oldsmobile Runabout cost US$650.
- The Ford Model S was US$700.
- The Model T was US$550.
- A Brush Runabout cost US$485.
- The Metz Model 22 was US$475.
- Western's Gale Model A cost US$500.
- The Black car started at a lower price of US$375.
- The Success car was very cheap at US$250.
The Partin-Palmer 38 Car
In the same year, the company also offered a larger car. This was the Model 38. It could carry six passengers. This model had a longer wheelbase of 115 inches (2921 mm). It was sold for US$975.
