1903 Cadillac

edited by David Barth, 15 March 2009.
Courtesy Antique Car Museum of Iowa at 860 Quarry Road, Coralville, Iowa, 52241 USA.
Photos were taken in March 2009.

The 1903 Cadillac had the same body as the 1903 Ford, but used the Leland and Faulconer "Little Hercules" engine. Although it is a single-cylinder engine, it outclassed many other engines of the time. This four passenger runabout has a 72 inch wheelbase with a rear-entrance tonneau. The steering wheel is right-mounted and has adjustable rack and pinion steering. The horizontally-mounted case iron single cylinder motor is water cooled by a copper water jacket. It uses planetary transmission and has two forward spees and one reverse.

The 1903 Cadillac was innovative because it had interchangeable parts. During the model year, 2,497 were produced and were priced at $850. The overall length of the car is nine feet, three inches. The tire size is 28 x 3.

The car became known for its reliability, ease, and economy of maintenance. It also had a remarkable climbing and pulling capabilities. This Cadillac weighs 1,480 pounds. All lights were optional, at additional cost. Gas is fed to the engine through a mixer instead of a carburetor. Spark is provided by a two-plug system. Each plug holds one electrode and is positioned near the other plug to allow the spark to jump between them. The car used a battery ignition.