American Simplex
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with S&M Simplex/Simplex/Crane-Simplex
Billed as "a motor-car symphony", the American Simplex was an American
automobile
manufactured in Mishawaka, Indiana
, USA, from 1906 to 1915 by the Simplex Motor Car Company; the company shortened its product's name to Amplex in 1910 to avoid confusion with the better-known, New York-based Simplex car, made by the Simplex Automobile Company. This change also coincided with a reorganization of the company. Originally the company manufactured a two-stroke four-cylinder 50hp
model, later upsized to 6.8 liters and still rated at 50 hp. In 1910, three open-roof models and two enclosed models were offered, costing up to $5,400; the newly introduced 30/50hp Toy Tonneau, a long, sleek four door touring car, sold for $4,300. The Amplex's most distinctive feature was its valveless motor, which the company claimed would offer more continuous pulling power and greater reliability. The 1910 models also offered self-starting, a feature that would not be available from major competitors, such as Cadillac, for another year or two.
They were expensive cars - large, luxurious and handsomely designed, a limousine being offered at as much as $5,600. Yet the firm kept using the 2-stroke engine after it had become obsolete; a 4-stroke was offered unsuccessfully in 1913. Gillette Motor Co took over the Amplex manufacturing facilities in 1916, but refused to manufacture conventional engine-valving, persisting with a rotary Sleeve valve
engine.
Crane-Simplex
Not to be confused with American SimplexCrane-Simplex is a defunct car manufacturer, operating in New York City, USA at the beginning of the 20th century.-History:...
Billed as "a motor-car symphony", the American Simplex was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufactured in Mishawaka, Indiana
Mishawaka, Indiana
Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River and a Twin city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 48,252 as of the 2010 Census...
, USA, from 1906 to 1915 by the Simplex Motor Car Company; the company shortened its product's name to Amplex in 1910 to avoid confusion with the better-known, New York-based Simplex car, made by the Simplex Automobile Company. This change also coincided with a reorganization of the company. Originally the company manufactured a two-stroke four-cylinder 50hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
model, later upsized to 6.8 liters and still rated at 50 hp. In 1910, three open-roof models and two enclosed models were offered, costing up to $5,400; the newly introduced 30/50hp Toy Tonneau, a long, sleek four door touring car, sold for $4,300. The Amplex's most distinctive feature was its valveless motor, which the company claimed would offer more continuous pulling power and greater reliability. The 1910 models also offered self-starting, a feature that would not be available from major competitors, such as Cadillac, for another year or two.
They were expensive cars - large, luxurious and handsomely designed, a limousine being offered at as much as $5,600. Yet the firm kept using the 2-stroke engine after it had become obsolete; a 4-stroke was offered unsuccessfully in 1913. Gillette Motor Co took over the Amplex manufacturing facilities in 1916, but refused to manufacture conventional engine-valving, persisting with a rotary Sleeve valve
Sleeve valve
The sleeve valve is a type of valve mechanism for piston engines, distinct from the usual poppet valve. Sleeve-valve engines saw use in a number of pre-World War II luxury cars and in USA in the Willys-Knight car and light truck...
engine.