Kirk Manufacturing Company (automobile company)
Encyclopedia
Kirk Manufacturing Company was a pioneer brass era American
automobile
company, built at 958 Oakwood Avenue, Toledo
, Ohio
, from 1902 until 1905.
A manufacturer of bicycle
s, in 1899 Kirk announced it would begin building cars. They introduced the Yale in 1902. Describing it as "the Beau Brummel of the road", it had the choice of two gasoline
engine models: a two-cylinder 14 hp (10 kW) side-entrance tourer
for US$1000 and a four-cylinder 24 hp (18 kW) for US$2500. This compared to US$650 for the high-volume Oldsmobile
Runabout
, the $700 Ford
Model S, US$1500 for the Colt Runabout and Cole 30, the US$1600 Oakland 40 the FAL at US$1750, and the Enger 40 and Ford Model F
at $2,000. Even so, the Yale was well below even Lozier
's lowest-price Light Six Metropolian tourer and runabout
, at US$3,250, American
's entry-level car, at US$4250 (its highest was US$5250), or the Lozier Big Six, starting at US$5,000.
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...
company, built at 958 Oakwood Avenue, Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, from 1902 until 1905.
A manufacturer of bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s, in 1899 Kirk announced it would begin building cars. They introduced the Yale in 1902. Describing it as "the Beau Brummel of the road", it had the choice of two gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
engine models: a two-cylinder 14 hp (10 kW) side-entrance tourer
Touring car
A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...
for US$1000 and a four-cylinder 24 hp (18 kW) for US$2500. This compared to US$650 for the high-volume Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
Runabout
Oldsmobile Curved Dash
The gasoline powered Curved Dash Oldsmobile is credited as being the first mass-produced automobile, meaning that it was built on an assembly line using interchangeable parts. It was introduced by the Oldsmobile company in 1901 and produced through 1907...
, the $700 Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
Model S, US$1500 for the Colt Runabout and Cole 30, the US$1600 Oakland 40 the FAL at US$1750, and the Enger 40 and Ford Model F
Ford Model F
The Ford Model F is an automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company. It was a development of the Model A and Model C, but was larger, more modern, and more luxurious. It was a four-seater phaeton with running boards and a side-entrance tonneau standard. Production started in 1905 and ended in 1906...
at $2,000. Even so, the Yale was well below even Lozier
Lozier
The Lozier Motor Company was a brass era producer of automobiles in the United States of America. The company produced luxury automobiles from 1900 to 1915, with a factory at 3703 Mack Avenue, Detroit, Michigan....
's lowest-price Light Six Metropolian tourer and runabout
Runabout (car)
Runabouts were a popular car body style at the beginning of the 20th Century. They were small, inexpensive, open cars. Most runabouts had just a single row of seats, providing seating for two passengers. Many also had a tonneau at the rear to provide optional seating for four or five...
, at US$3,250, American
American Motor Car Company
The American Motor Car Company was a short-lived company in the automotive industry founded in 1906, lasting until 1913. It was based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The American Motor Car Company pioneered the "underslung" design.-History:...
's entry-level car, at US$4250 (its highest was US$5250), or the Lozier Big Six, starting at US$5,000.
Sources
- Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877-1925. New York: Bonanza Books, 1950.
- Kimes, Beverly Rae. "Kirk", in The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1805-1942, p. 774. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications, 1989.