1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout
Add to SetSummary
When it inspires a song, you know it's popular. This Olds was the bestselling car in America from 1902 to 1905. Automobiles had an emotional appeal. A driver in 1901 said that controlling a car satisfied "an almost universal sense, the love of power." Despite the attraction, cars were not a significant player in the transportation world. In 1903 some 4,000 people bought Oldsmobiles, but more than 900,000 bought buggies and carriages.
When it inspires a song, you know it's popular. This Olds was the bestselling car in America from 1902 to 1905. Automobiles had an emotional appeal. A driver in 1901 said that controlling a car satisfied "an almost universal sense, the love of power." Despite the attraction, cars were not a significant player in the transportation world. In 1903 some 4,000 people bought Oldsmobiles, but more than 900,000 bought buggies and carriages.
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1903
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Driving America
Object ID
30.1303.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Olds Motor Works.
Material
Metal
Wood (Plant material)
Leather
Rubber (Material)
Color
Black (Color)
Maroon
Dimensions
Height: 56 in
Width: 62 in
Length: 97 in
Diameter: 23 in
Wheelbase: 67 in
Inscriptions
Oval insignias on each side (one under crank): OLDSMOBILE/DETROIT
Specifications
Make & Model: 1903 Oldsmobile runabout
Maker: Olds Motor Works, Detroit and Lansing, Michigan
Engine: 1-cylinder, L-head valves, 95 cubic inches
Transmission: 2-speed manual
Height: 56 inches
Wheelbase: 66 inches
Width: 62 inches
Overall length: 97 inches
Weight: 650 pounds
Horsepower: 4.5 at 600 revolutions per minute
Pounds per horsepower: 144.4
Price: $650
Average 1903 wage: $489 per year
Time you'd work to buy this car: about 1 year, 4 months
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