The story of how Ferruzio Lamborghini visited Enzo Ferrari, I think everyone has heard. But a similar situation between James Packard and Olexander Winton took place at the very beginning of the 20th century. Back then Packard, being the owner of a Winton car, said that these cars were not good enough. As we know today, Packard soon began to produce some of the most luxurious cars of their time. Let me remind you that the world’s first production car with twelve cylinders was a Packard. In the future, American V12s were inspired by Enzo Ferrari himself.
But now we’re talking about the 1903 Winton 24hp. As you’ve already realized, the name of this car indicates its power. And I’d like to point out that for a 1903, that’s a very decent amount of power. The Winton was one of the most expensive and high quality cars in America at the time. And it was on such a car that Horatio Nelson Jackson, for the first time in US history, crossed the entire United States of America by automobile. The route of the trip ran from San Francisco, through Chicago and all the way to New York. This trip showed everyone how reliable and quality Winton cars are.
Today not many people remember about it, but at the beginning of the century the automobile capital of the USA was not Detroit, but Cleveland. Many, already forgotten today, car brands were assembled here. Among them was Peerless, mentioned by us recently, and the hero of today’s post – Winton.
Price and sale of 1903 Winton 24hp.
Unfortunately I have not found information about the value of Winton cars in 1903. But today the cost of well restored copies can exceed 300 thousand dollars. These are rare cars and they are highly valued among collectors.
Appearance and photo.
By the standards of its time, the 1903 Winton 24hp was a large car. Most of these cars were equipped with a windshield, which in those years could not be found on all cars. The glass was mounted vertically, but it provided good protection from headwinds, rain and snow.
A significant part of the cars were equipped with a roof with a wooden frame. This of course distinguished the Winton from the more affordable cars of its time.
The starboard side had not one, but two spare tires, which could be useful for long trips along the entire U.S. territory. Wicker baskets were attached to the sides of the sides. Such a decision was the norm at that time, because even before the appearance of a suitcase behind the body, it would take a long time. I would like to draw your attention to the presence of rearview mirrors. It may surprise many people, but already at that time, the traffic in American cities was very saturated. In addition to horse-drawn carriages, there were many electrically-powered vehicles on the streets. Internal combustion engine cars were not yet prevalent at that time. Some rich people bought fancy steam-powered cars. With such a variety of car fleet, mirrors were not superfluous, because they improved visibility and facilitated maneuverability.
According to the photo, you can notice that the front and rear wings are connected with each other.
Interior and equipment.
Control 1903 Winton 24hp is made with the help of a steering wheel, not a lever. Of course the steering wheel is a much more comfortable control. This is evidenced by the fact that it is still in use today. The steering wheel is located on the right side and tilts for easier boarding/disembarking. Also note that the steering wheel has a wooden rim finish. This emphasizes the expensive nature of the vehicle.
Engaging the front and rear speeds is done with different levers ( there are two here). By the way, – climbing into the saloon you can notice an overlay on the sill with the inscription – Winton. The interior of this car is designed for five people. It was a big car at the time. At the beginning of the century, most cars were two-seaters. Perhaps the exception to this rule were only steam-powered cars, because they were the most expensive and offered their owners spacious saloons.
Engine and specifications of the 1903 Winton 24hp.
I was a little surprised that the transmission of power to the rear wheels is carried out by a chain, and not by a cardan shaft. Such a solution was the norm at the time, but expensive cars, including Peerless, already used a driveshaft. As time has shown, this solution turned out to be better and is used even today. Suspension was in the form of elliptic leaf springs – the norm for that time.
The two-cylinder engine had a capacity of 4.3 liters and developed 24 horsepower. The manual transmission was two-speed. The cylinder diameter was 5 and ΒΌ inches, and the piston stroke was 6d.
It was a powerful and comfortable automobile. And by the way, it was much more powerful than the 1902 Peerless (16 hp). I just don’t understand why they didn’t introduce a driveshaft on such an advanced car.
This is an amazing car, it is a very interesting example of automobile construction of the very beginning of the 20th century. It must have been the dream of many boys at the time. It was a symbol of the good life and gave the opportunity to travel long distances. Unfortunately, I have not found the exact data on the speed developed, but we can guess that with such an engine Winton car was not inferior to a horse not harnessed to the carriage. And of course the car could travel at a high speed for a long time. Of course, it was possible to travel across the United States by train, but it did not give such freedom of action as a car.
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