By the end of the nineteenth century it was apparent to many entrepreneurs that automobiles might be the way of the future. Freelan Oscar Stanley and Francis Edgar Stanley, twin brothers who had created a successful business in manufacturing photographic plates, began to tinker with some possible automobile designs and produced their first steam powered automobile in 1897. In November, 1898, they opened an automobile business. Their new vehicle caught the attention of John Brisben Walker, publisher of Cosmopolitan magazine, who inquired about buying the business. The brothers set a ridiculously high price--$250,000—and, much to their surprise, Walker bought the business. Walker’s partner in the new business was Amzi Lorenzo Barber, commonly known as “The Asphalt King” as he had made a fortune in paving U.S. cities.
The name Locomobile came from “locomotive” and “automobile.” The partnership between Walker and Barber did not last long (two weeks according to some sources). Barber took the Locomobile name and moved the production of the new cars to Watertown, Massachusetts. The Stanley twins stayed with the Locomobile Company of America as general managers.
The first Locomobiles were steam cars, but soon proved to be somewhat unreliable, finicky to operate, and prone to fires. They had small water tanks and could get only about 20 miles per tank. Steam cars had to be warmed up for about a half-hour before being driven. They also needed kerosene to heat the water and gasoline for the pilot light. By 1902, 4,000 Locomobile Steam Cars had been produced.
Shown above is the 1899 Locomobile Style 2 Steam Car displayed at Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon.
Shown above is an ad for the Style 2 Steam Car.
During the Boer War (1899-1902) in southern Africa, the Locomobile became the first automobile to be used in a war. In addition to serving as a catering vehicle, a generator, and a searchlight tractor, the steam powered Locomobile also made it easy for the British to quickly brew a cup of tea by tapping the boiler.
In 1900, Locomobile moved its production to Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Stanley twins left the company in 1902 to founded the Stanley Motor Carriage Company which became a major rival to Locomobile.
In 1902, the Locomobile began using a gasoline internal combustion engine and the following year the Stanley brothers were able to purchase back the rights to the steam engine which they had originally developed. Locomobile’s gasoline engine was designed by Andrew Lawrence Riker and soon had a reputation for durability and power.
The 1904 Locomobile Touring Car, powered by a 16 horsepower water-cooled straight-four engine, had space for five passengers and a price tag of $4,500. By 1905, Locomobile no longer offered a Steam Car and had switched completely to gasoline engines.
Shown above is the 1907 Locomobile Type E Touring.
While Locomobile became involved in automobile racing in 1905, they didn’t win until 1908 when a Locomobile, nicknamed Old 16, won the Vanderbilt Cup (11 laps, 258.5 miles long, on Long Island). This win enhanced their reputation as a well-built, speedy luxury car. Their advertising claimed that the Locomobile was “Easily the Best Built Car in America.” The 1908 Locomobile 40 Runabout had a 60 horsepower engine and sold for $4,750 (this would be about $100,000 in today’s dollars).
In 1919, Locomobile introduced the Model 48 which featured a straight-six engine and a price tag of about $10,000 (at this time a Ford Model T Phaeton sold for about $300).
The 1920 Locomobile seven passenger Touring Car is shown above in a magazine advertisement.
Shown above is the 1923 Locomobile, Model 48, Sportif displayed at Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon. In addition to the Sportif, the Model 48 was available as Seven Passenger Touring, Touring Limousine, Brougham, Victoria Sedan, Enclosed Drive Limousine, and Cabriolet. The Model 48 continued to be produced until 1929.
In 1922, Durant Motors acquired Locomobile and continued to use the Locomobile brand name for their top of the line automobiles until 1929. Until 1925, the Model 48 was the only Locomobile model. Durant then brought out the Locomobile 8-66 Junior Eight with a straight-eight engine and the more modest price tag of $1,785.
By 1929, Durant Motors was failing. In an attempt to save the company, they brought out the Locomobile models 8-86 and 8-88, but it was too late. The last Locomobile was made in 1933.