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Magnificent
Doble E-23
photos by Jim Crank
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excerpt from an email-
I believe Jim's car is E-23, built in 1925. It is not the 75 horsepower "E" boiler with electric blower but has all the later improvements of the bigger "F" boiler and exhaust turbine draft booster that can get horsepower up to about 200!!!
Jim's description is as follows:
Chassis #23 Model E, completed Oct 26, 1925.
Murphy folding top five passenger phaeton.
The last series E Doble constructed.
Ordered by the Maharajah of Alwar, India. Order cancelled before delivery.
Then sold to William Besler.
Extensively overhauled and modernized by the factory for Besler in 1928.
Equipped with F generator, special F draft booster turbine, foot throttle, enlarged condenser,
four wheel Bendix brakes, heavy Timken front axle.
Then sent to Murphy company for a padded fixed top and modernization.
Then owned by Harrah,
then to Lucas, then in partnership with Crank-Lucas
.....I did a theoretical research paper on his Doble a few years ago showing performance in 80/60/40% cutoffs with his limitations on steam chest pressure and a maximum 23 gallon per hour burn rate. It was rather astounding, included was a plot of its performance. Jim was very impressed with the completed engineering analysis of his car. This 6000#+ car with its huge wind resistance could maintain 110mph (Jim has pushed it over 120mph on reserve) and great acceleration.
Jim was with Barney Becker in his E-14 "Betsy" twice when challenged by a huge Duesenberg collector; the Duesy had new high compression aluminum pistons, Isky camshaft, new carbs and with supercharger wailing "Betsy blew the doors of the Duesy twice!! I get goosebumps remembering this story.
George