1907 Economy

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.

In the early 1900s, the Economy Motor Buggy Company of Fort Wayne, Indiana, moved to Joliet, Illinois to avoid legal troubles due to patent infractions. Meanwhile, from 1908 to 1911, they produced high-wheeler motor buggies with one and two-cylinder engines.

This 1908 Economy is a two-cylinder, 10 horsepower, air-cooled engine, and a 60-inch wheelbase. It is chain driven and built on a buggy chassis. The front wheels did not turn independently. Note the straight, up and down steering wheel and the wood and steel buggy axle. The rear wheels are controlled by the chain drive jackshaft to distribute the power of the motor.

This model feature two pedals on the floor plus a foot feed to control gas to the engine. Note that there are no windshield or doors. The price in 1908 was $450.

By 1900 the name of the company was changed to Economy Motor Car company, and most of the firm’s production during 1910 and 1911 was centered on commercial vehicles. The company used its own two-cylinder engine. The wheelbase is 86 inches.