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1899 Hart Steam Car project
Posted by: Jeff Theobald (IP Logged)
Date: January 02, 2003 07:42PM
<HTML>Hi All,<p>
I am getting down to the restoration of the 1897/8 Hart Steam Carriage, I am still having trouble proving the date it was built, as there are a lot of conflicting claims.
Firstly I am sure that the car was built by Frederick Hart between 1895 to 98, but by 1946 the son of Mr Hart a Frederick H.M. Hart was presenting the car to the "Automobile Old Timers, Inc" claiming that he had built the car, he would have been about 20 years old in 1900, that is the first confusing part.
Secondly the Feb 1905 "The Horseless age" states a "a steam carriage built a year or so ago by Frederick Hart" which would put the car around 1902-ish, depending how long a year or so is.
Thirdly there is a picture of the car in the Bridgewater Car Museum & Bellamy stating that it is 1904, at the same time in the picture the car has a sign on it which says "1898 Hart Steamer"
We know this is his second car his first three wheeled steam machine was completed by 1895, both cars were made in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. his works are listed in the 1897 City Directory although he was supposed to have started in the works in 1995 but I have not been able to prove that, we also know he made parts for the Lane Brothers steam cars who started in 1895 two factory units away from Hart, the questions are...does anyone have any pictures of the car during it's time in museums between 1946 and 1990, or any other time come to that, or has anyone any further information they think may help, there are pictures of the car where it can be seen how early it looks, as it is today on John's site.
I hope someone can help.
All the best,
Jeff.
[steamgazette.com];
I am getting down to the restoration of the 1897/8 Hart Steam Carriage, I am still having trouble proving the date it was built, as there are a lot of conflicting claims.
Firstly I am sure that the car was built by Frederick Hart between 1895 to 98, but by 1946 the son of Mr Hart a Frederick H.M. Hart was presenting the car to the "Automobile Old Timers, Inc" claiming that he had built the car, he would have been about 20 years old in 1900, that is the first confusing part.
Secondly the Feb 1905 "The Horseless age" states a "a steam carriage built a year or so ago by Frederick Hart" which would put the car around 1902-ish, depending how long a year or so is.
Thirdly there is a picture of the car in the Bridgewater Car Museum & Bellamy stating that it is 1904, at the same time in the picture the car has a sign on it which says "1898 Hart Steamer"
We know this is his second car his first three wheeled steam machine was completed by 1895, both cars were made in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. his works are listed in the 1897 City Directory although he was supposed to have started in the works in 1995 but I have not been able to prove that, we also know he made parts for the Lane Brothers steam cars who started in 1895 two factory units away from Hart, the questions are...does anyone have any pictures of the car during it's time in museums between 1946 and 1990, or any other time come to that, or has anyone any further information they think may help, there are pictures of the car where it can be seen how early it looks, as it is today on John's site.
I hope someone can help.
All the best,
Jeff.
[steamgazette.com];
Re: Imformation Wanted
Posted by: Howard Randall (IP Logged)
Date: January 03, 2003 11:07AM
<HTML>Jeff, I have quite a few issues of "The Horseless Age" from its beginning to 1901. I will look to see what might be in them. They are all great reading. This was such a fertile time in the history of the automobile. Lots going on. The early history of the Stanley / Locomobile is well documented.</HTML>
Re: Imformation Wanted
Posted by: Mike Clark (IP Logged)
Date: January 07, 2003 08:43PM
<HTML>Jeff
Nice picture of the Hart! I'm amazed it had double helical gears - wasn't the idea to get the quiet running of single helical without the side thrust - I'll have to ask Andre Citroen! Surprising refinement for a steamer of that age isn't it?
I see Hart chickened out from making them in one piece - I never could fathom out how that was done.
Mike</HTML>
Nice picture of the Hart! I'm amazed it had double helical gears - wasn't the idea to get the quiet running of single helical without the side thrust - I'll have to ask Andre Citroen! Surprising refinement for a steamer of that age isn't it?
I see Hart chickened out from making them in one piece - I never could fathom out how that was done.
Mike</HTML>
Re: 1899 Hart Steam Car project
Posted by: Pat Farrell (IP Logged)
Date: January 08, 2003 04:20PM
<HTML>In 1898 -1899, The Hart steam vehicle was built according to a recently acquired list of mine, of early day automobile manufacturers. It is a crude list of unknown orgin. In the "Standard Catalog of American Cars", There was also a Hart gas car built in Detroit, Michigan in 1898 by Hart and Company of Detroit who manufactured cabinet hardware. Henry C. Hart built several gas carriages. "The Standard Catalog of American Cars" however states: Hart Steam- Poughkeepsie New York-(1903-1904) Fredrick Hart built in his labratory a car of your description and he had road tested it with 3,000 miles over rough and hilly roads without any failures. In the "Horseless Age", an extensive article was written about Fredrick Hart's steamer in Poughkeepsie, New York. There was no mention made in the extensive article about the car regarding any intention of Fredrick Hart to manufacture it. Your Hart may be the one and only Hart Steamer built in 1903-1904.</HTML>
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