1 Steam Cars : Phorum
General Steam Car topics
Hart Steam Car
Posted by: Jeff Theobald (IP Logged)
Date: January 11, 2002 09:58PM
<HTML>Hi all,
I wonder if anyone can help, a friend of mine who has recently bought the Hart Steam Car, we think there was only one? he is trying to find out more about the car which was built by Frederick Hart, of Poughkeeosie, N.Y., the car is mentioned in "The Horseless Age" magazine dated February 8th 1905, it is believed to be quite a bit earlier than this, has anyone got an original copy of this magazine that they could scan the two pictures on page 184 and email them to me, as we only have a very poor photocopy which is almost impossible to make out the pictures, also has anyone seen mention of the car before this date, (or after) many thanks, Jeff.</HTML>
I wonder if anyone can help, a friend of mine who has recently bought the Hart Steam Car, we think there was only one? he is trying to find out more about the car which was built by Frederick Hart, of Poughkeeosie, N.Y., the car is mentioned in "The Horseless Age" magazine dated February 8th 1905, it is believed to be quite a bit earlier than this, has anyone got an original copy of this magazine that they could scan the two pictures on page 184 and email them to me, as we only have a very poor photocopy which is almost impossible to make out the pictures, also has anyone seen mention of the car before this date, (or after) many thanks, Jeff.</HTML>
Re: Hart Steam Car
Posted by: David K. Nergaard (IP Logged)
Date: January 23, 2002 11:41AM
<HTML>I requested and received a copy of the Horseless Age article via interlibrary loan system, but it was sent by facsimile. The pictures are hardly visible. I am going to ask that xerographs be sent by mail. I will keep you posted.
From the description, I would say this was a successful "one off" car, possibly two years old when written up and never duplicated. A lot of people assembled their own cars at that time, my own grandfather among them.</HTML>
From the description, I would say this was a successful "one off" car, possibly two years old when written up and never duplicated. A lot of people assembled their own cars at that time, my own grandfather among them.</HTML>
Re: Hart Steam Car
Posted by: Jeff Theobald (IP Logged)
Date: January 23, 2002 07:03PM
<HTML>Hi David, Thanks for taking the trouble to get some information for us, on more carefull inspection we have now found a date which reads.. Pat. Dec. 14th. 1897. this was stamped on the drive shaft, the quality of the machining on all the parts of the car is to be admired, how they did such work in those days always amazes me, the information this end so far is that, the car was to complicated and only covered 200 miles or so, Mr Hart was trying to make a automatic steam car!!!! water level in the boiler was self controlled by an amazing arrangment with two boilers one over the other, the top one being a preheater keeping the main boiler feed with water automatically, with a steam donkey pump for water and air, and some amazing arrangments to recover the exhaust heat, the engine is a twin double acting, piston valve, with no gasgets, all metal to metal seals arranged so a small leak does not escape outside the engine casing, it's a fascinating car.</HTML>
Re: Hart Steam Car
Posted by: Christopher W. Roberts (IP Logged)
Date: January 24, 2002 12:07AM
<HTML>where is the car located. I have never herd of one.</HTML>
Re: Hart Steam Car
Posted by: David K. Nergaard (IP Logged)
Date: January 24, 2002 11:07AM
<HTML>The article I got says the car had been driven more than 3000 miles without any mechanical problems. Quite a performance if the car was built in '97. Is it possible the patent refers to some feature of the system that had nothing to do with automobiles? For example, the engine may have been intended for some other use and later found usefull in the car.</HTML>
Re: Hart Steam Car
Posted by: Jeff Theobald (IP Logged)
Date: January 24, 2002 09:17PM
<HTML>Hi all, I aggree about the date, I think it is a pattern date for the unusual universal joint, and as you say I do not think the car had covered 3000 miles by late 1904, the info we have states that the car was constructed between 1899 and 1900, on inspection there is no sign of wear on any parts, and as the only brake is a brass band squeesing directly on the top of the teeth of the main drive gear, ( yes you did read it correctly ) it only has slight marks on the band!!!!, the interesting thing is that the whole history of the car is known, and it was only used by Mr Frederick H. M. Hart from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where he ran his machine shop, his company later became closely associated with the Computing Tabulating Recording Co. (CTR), which in 1924 became IBM. the rest of the time the car was stored by Mr Hart and after 1946 on display in museums, it came to the UK in the late eighty's and was bought by a gentlman who with his son, set about a sympathetic restoration, unfortunatley his son was involved in a bad car accident which has left him unable to ever drive the car, so it has lain partly dismantled stored away for the last 10 years, it has just been purchased by my freind who will continue the restoration, it still has most of the original paint which will be cleaned and stablised, a new set of tyres have been specially made, the rears being 41" and the front's 35" in diameter bolted to the rims, they look like a heavy duty inner tubes, the same as early Locomobiles, any further info would be much appreciated, Jeff.</HTML>
Re: Hart Steam Car
Posted by: Jeff Theobald (IP Logged)
Date: February 14, 2002 09:47PM
<HTML>Hi All,
I have been to see how the Hart's restoration is progressing, and we have been able to work out a few more of the pipwork connections, and what Mr Hart intended, we have now identified the burner as a Lane burner, with the steam automatic controlling a high or low fire, no pilot, has any one got any info or good pictures of this type of burner?
Jeff.</HTML>
I have been to see how the Hart's restoration is progressing, and we have been able to work out a few more of the pipwork connections, and what Mr Hart intended, we have now identified the burner as a Lane burner, with the steam automatic controlling a high or low fire, no pilot, has any one got any info or good pictures of this type of burner?
Jeff.</HTML>
Re: Hart Steam Car
Posted by: David K. Nergaard (IP Logged)
Date: February 15, 2002 11:31AM
<HTML>See Papers column of NorthEast page on SACA web site: www.steamautomobile.com. Arthur Eldredge wrote up the burner of his 1901 Lane. I have other data in my collection, if you need more.</HTML>
Re: Hart Steam Car
Posted by: Jeff Theobald (IP Logged)
Date: March 31, 2002 07:47PM
<HTML>Hi David,
I wondered if you had any luck getting the copies of the Horseless Age article on the Hart steam car, I have now become the proud owner of the car and will start a thorough research before completing the car, if anyone reading this message can help with any other infomation it would be much appreciated, Regards, Jeff.</HTML>
I wondered if you had any luck getting the copies of the Horseless Age article on the Hart steam car, I have now become the proud owner of the car and will start a thorough research before completing the car, if anyone reading this message can help with any other infomation it would be much appreciated, Regards, Jeff.</HTML>
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.