Auto ID #148 FINISHED!

[Harry P.]

Remember, don't post any hints or answers here. PM me with year, make, and model.

The answer: 1915 Crane-Simplex Model 5

[62rebel]

no picture coming up.....

[Deano]

It's an old car with red wheels! I have no idea ...

[62rebel]

well; DON'T ask Google. they have NO idea what it is. I'm not even sure they think it's even a car. it might be a microwave oven for all they know.

[blunc]

you need to work on your "google-fu" skills.

[62rebel]

they responded with every object with 4 wheels possible. some dancing girls, a gun, and i quit asking after that. Google is getting pretty lame considering how fast i was able to find a remarkably similar car improperly identified (admittedly, not Google's fault) but once i had the make i was almost completely unable to find an exact match... Collectible Automobile used to be my default source for old American cars but even THEY have become nearly incoherent. i gave Harry my guess, and we'll see Friday how close i got.

[blunc]

I was able to get this one using google, even found the exact photo Harry used... I'm not always able to do that though. It usually takes some close guesses on body styles or years to narrow the google search.

[matthijsgrit]

I always try to find it the same way as Mike describes.

Look at the car very well, pick your words and go!

[Harry P.]

This week's car is a 1915 Crane-Simplex Model 5.

http://www.classiccarweekly.net/2012/05/29/1915-crane-simplex/

Who got it right:

MikeMc

Matt Bacon

matthijsgrit

blunc

[Danno]

I vote - It's real!

[Thom]

Are those tube shocks on the front axle?

[Matt Bacon]

This was a lucky one for me. I'd literally just seen a picture of one in a book I picked up in a charity shop a couple of weekends ago: "Great Cars: Veteran and Vintage." I was sure I'd seen that radiator before, and it took me about 5 minutes to find. The weird ?shocks/light supports? are also pretty distinctive -- if you've seen them before... ;-P

bestest,

M.

[matthijsgrit]

I Googled something like snake horn and got lucky!

[Jantrix]

The answer: 1915 Crane-Simplex Model 5

Well of course it is!

A what?

[chunkypeanutbutter]

And I thought it was French.

[62rebel]

the multiple-pane windshield threw me. i wasn't sure the shocks were a period item, and it seems that Oldsmobile copied the design of the Crane rather blatantly.... not that it wasn't fairly common practice at the time. they sure didn't make many of them, and it looks like most of them still exist.

the search might have gone better if the people archiving information were more careful about their key words; i (mistakenly) searched "1919 Oldsmobile" and got every year and model of Olds, Model T's, a few Buicks, loads of loathesome rat-rods, even the Beverly Hillbillies Oldsmobile..... of course, not one Crane-Simplex...... although, with THOSE results, it SHOULD have popped up, just due to probability.

good choice, Harry. keep us jumping!

[dimaxion]

Yes Harry . please keep us hopping . I've seen this Windshield arrangement on Hupmobiles . I have a WIP of one of these as soon as I get a Glue Bomb 1909 Hupmobile (made by Hawk or Kaysun or Strombecker) I guessed on the Year from the Military Wheels and the Tire Size . Although , I do not believe the White Walls were appropriate on the '15 My . 1913 is when Carbon Black was introduced into Tire Production . This innovation was a lab Accident while trying to develop a longer wearing , dependable Tire . Premium Tires would be all black . IMHO , the White Walls appeared around 1920 MY . I did allot of Tire Research as the Veterean and Pioneering Cars hold a special place in my Builds on display . Thanx ..