[KenB]

Doing a little genealogy, this gem showed up.
Any idea of Make, model, and year

I have no idea of what car, and conflicting dates have arisen
1909 in either Detroit or Chicago area.
up to 1915 somewhere else.

I imagine the hoodline, headlamps (Powell & Hanmer???) are a big tip-off, but I have nothing. Already spent too much time searching online photos.

Not sure if anyone here can help, or whats a good on-line forum for such cars?

Thanks

[dataway]

Is that a young Albert Einstein in the photo?

[gary bennett]

Put it on the AACA website under the what is it section. Those guys are good.

[KenB]

Posted at AACA.

Not Einstein, though it is four Germans.

Thanks

[Chief of the 60's]

I'm digging the radiator cap.

[johnta1]

The Clampett's car they left behind when they went to California?

[Jack Gifford]

Hub caps back then (when they literally capped the hub) almost always were lettered with the make- perhaps you could enhance the portion of the photo with the right front hub cap?
I could be wrong, but it looks to me like there's a big clue- what appears to be a large diameter flat wheel extending below the car. Reminds me of the drive wheel used with the novel continuously-variable transmissions of a few cars in the early days. They had a smaller driven wheel (set perpendicular) that could be moved to various radii on the large wheel (and moved across center for reverse).

[dataway]

For some reason I think I recall the propeller on the radiator cap actually serving a purpose but I forget what it was .... odometer?

The circular thing sticking out the bottom is the spare tire well ... he's got two spares mounted there, the inside one is sitting down in the well.

Looks like he's got some goodies installed. Horn looks like an add on, maybe the fancy lamps, maybe the propeller cap.

[TAKerry]

Cool pic, and cool car. There were hundreds of manufacturers in that time period. It may be something made local to your area. I would think that the AACA would be of help, but also submit it to Old Cars Weekly. I too think it looks like there is an extra spare tied up to the sidemount. Old roads were hard on tires, specifically horse shoe nails. It also has acetylene lights.

[dataway]

Here is the photo enhanced a bit.

Note also that it is right hand drive, so possibly a British make.

[Chris65LeMans]

If it's early enough, they were all built right hand drive. (Google 1905 Ford.)

I think that "frameless windshield" is interesting.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by dataway

Here is the photo enhanced a bit.

Note also that it is right hand drive, so possibly a British make.

A lot of American made cars were RHD back then.

[Formulabruce]

My 2 cents.. This car looks like 1909 to me, and the propeller rotates when the car gets hot and steam exits.
Upper Lamps are Early and rare Feuerhand brass driving lamps. They are dim and hot blast style. I used to own one. I sold it long ago for almost 400 bucks.
Headlights are Acetylene Carbide and could be Belgium or German. Very cool picture !

[KenB]

Within hours of posting at AACA, a member made an excellent suggestion
1912-1913 Briton Motor Company 10/12.
Amazing considering how little I could find on Briton AFTER the answer, the German Wikipedia page had more photos (than the English language site)

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briton_Motor_Company

I found a picture of a different 1910 Little Briton using the same headlamps/sidelamps, which I think were made by an English Company.


The Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, England has the 1914 10/12 which was photographed. I emailed asking if a getting a driver side 3/4 photo would be possible. I don't expect them to reply, but if I didn't ask...

Further research into the travels of the individuals in the car discount the possibility of 1909 in USA (which is consistent with a later model Briton), as the driver did not move to the USA until 1913, and the gentleman on rear passenger side visited Europe in Summer of 1909, later Winter of 1911 (wrong season for picture) and Summer of 1913. The other two passengers resided in Germany (but had visited the USA in 1909, hence the confusion).

The driver is a Dutchman, and the license plate, while not very clear, appears consistent with the Dutch system then in use.

So its a very good chance to be a 1912-1913 Briton, with the photo taken in Summer 1913.

Again thanks

Ken

[Jack Gifford]

Thanks Ken for the good research.