Apperson
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The Apperson was a brand of American automobile manufactured from 1901 to 1926 in Kokomo, Indiana.
Company historyEdit
The company was founded by the brothers Edgar and Elmer Apperson shortly after they left Haynes-Apperson; for a time they continued to use a FR layout-mounted flat-twin engine, following it with a horizontal four.
Apperson carsEdit
In 1904, Apperson offered vertical fours in two models. The 1904 Apperson Touring Car was a touring car model. Equipped with a tonneau, it could seat 6 passengers and sold for US$6000. The vertical-mounted straight-4, situated at the front of the car, produced 40 hp (29.8 kW).<ref name="oldcarbrochures.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A 4-speed transmission was fitted. The steel-framed car weighed 2800 lb (1270 kg). The wheel base was 96 inches.<ref name="oldcarbrochures.com"/> The Apperson offered electric lights, a novelty for the time, and used a modern cellular radiator. The 25 hp (18.6 kW) version weighed 1800 lb (816 kg) and sold for US$3500.
In 1906 the company cataloged a 95 hp (71 kW) four at $10,500. The next year the first of the famed Jackrabbit speedsters rolled off the line; this was a 60 hp (45 kW) that sold for $5000. For a time, the entire range was known as the "Jack Rabbit" - in 1913 a 32.4 hp (24 kW) four and a 33.7 hp (25 kW) six were listed, and a 33.8 hp (25 kW) 90-degree V-8 of 5.5 L (5502 cc/335 in3) followed in 1914.
Roadplane models introducedEdit
In 1916 the company announced production of the "Roadplane" six and eights. The term "Roadplane" did not refer to a specific model but was a marketing concept devised by Elmer Apperson that was applied to the "Chummy Roadster" and the "Touring" car. Elmer took the unusual step of patenting the "Chummy Roadster" design (see:"U.S. Patent 48359").
The "Silver-Apperson", designed by Conover T. Silver, was launched in 1917; the model was known as the "Anniversary" after 1919. A sedan proprietary with six cylinders of 3.2 L (3243 cc/197 in3) appeared in 1923, and a Lycoming eight-cylinder was offered beginning in 1924.
Final productionEdit
By 1924, Apperson and Haynes were both losing sales; a rumored remarriage came to naught, and Apperson folded for good despite the introduction of four-wheel brakes on the 1926 models.
Apperson production modelsEdit
For specifications on various Apperson models:
- Apperson Model A <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Apperson Model B <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Apperson Model C <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Apperson Model D <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Apperson Model Special <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Apperson Six Sport Sedan
- Apperson Model M <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Apperson Model O <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Apperson Model 4-30 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Apperson Model Jack Rabbit 4-30 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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ReferencesEdit
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- Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly (January, 1904)
- Madden, W.C. (2003) Haynes-Apperson and America's first practical automobile : a history, Jefferson, N.C. ; London : McFarland & Co., Template:ISBN