Oldsmobile Limited Prototype 1908, Estados Unidos
Fotografia
THE OLDSMOBILE
LIMITED: KING OF THE BRASS ERA
The Limited,
as one historian put it, was not your father’s Oldsmobile, unless your father
happened to be a Carnegie or a Vanderbilt. It has been called the most
prestigious Oldsmobile of its era, but in reality it was the most prestigious
car ever built under the name—a true world-beating luxury car developed to
challenge Packard, Peerless, and Pierce-Arrow, then the “Three Ps” that
signified the height of American motoring.
It was the
latest evolution of an Olds that, in the Brass Era, had grown increasingly
larger, more powerful, and bolder. In its initial 1910 form, it was based upon
the prior Model Z, with the same 130-inch-wheelbase chassis and 505-cubic-inch,
60-horsepower T-head six-cylinder engine. Already, however, it had gained the
stature that would make it famous, thanks to immense 42-inch wheels, among the
largest fitted to any production automobile, making the Limited literally tower
above its brethren.
The Limited
was beautifully engineered and exquisitely built, but Oldsmobile soon saw the
writing on the wall that less expensive models were the way of the future. It
was produced for only three seasons, 1910 through 1912, and afterward Olds
models grew progressively more modest, returning to the company’s roots.
Today the
Limited is exactly that. Only thirteen examples have survived: a pair of 1910s,
ten 1911s, and a single 1912, in addition to the early prototype offered here.
Of this group, the vast majority are in either museums—including the Nethercutt
Collection, and General Motors’ own Heritage Collection—or in long-term private
ownership.
THE LIMITED
PROTOTYPE
The example
offered here is recognized as having been one of the two Model Z–based 1908
Limited prototypes and is the only one of these known extant today. According
to the recollections of Mr. Pollard’s son, it seems to have been sold “out the
back door” of General Motors to Barney Pollard via a well-connected friend. Mr.
Pollard was one of the most famous names in early American collecting—and we do
mean early, as he began gathering significant automobiles in the 1930s. He
filled several Detroit warehouses with his finds, eventually stacking them on
end and hanging others from the ceiling to maximize the use of space. To
facilitate his vertical storage, many of the automobiles had their original
bodies removed, and such appears to have been the case with this fascinating
Oldsmobile. In this form the car was registered to Mr. Pollard by its engine
number in 1978 and was eventually united with a later touring car body during
its time in his collection.
The Limited
was eventually acquired from a friend of the Pollard family by Ron Carey and
Bob Sullivan of Washington State, who undertook a comprehensive full
restoration at the hands of respected craftsman Allan Schmidt’s Horseless
Carriage Restorations in Escondido, California. Unfortunately, the Pollard
body, removed for restoration, was caught in one of the Southern California
wildfires and destroyed. The coachwork was thus replaced with the present body,
a design based upon the best features of other large Oldsmobiles of the era.
These include an externally braced top with isinglass windscreen and
“flying”-style fenders. The Limited reportedly retained all of its original
mechanical components, including the engine, transmission, suspension,
steering, and brakes, and was fitted with correct magneto and carburetor.
The completed
restoration was shown to much acclaim, including at the Kirkland Concours
d’Elegance in 2010, where it received the Children’s Hospital Award for its
rarity and general level of restoration. A year later it was acquired for the
Muckel Collection, where it has continued to be well maintained in beautiful
overall condition and treasured for its significance.
There are very
few extant examples of the Olds Limited, one of the premier American
automobiles of its time—unparalleled in size, power, and craftsmanship. None
can match the flamboyance of this car, the sole surviving original 1908
prototype for the model, magnificently restored.
In 1908,
Oldsmobile set their sights on creating a world-class luxury car to challenge
America’s most prestigious manufacturers of the era: Packard, Peerless, and
Pierce-Arrow. Oldsmobile models had been growing steadily in the Brass Era
since 1899, when Olds Motor Vehicle and Olds Gasoline Engine Works of Lansing
merged to form the marque. Each model grew in stature and power, with each
design bolder than the last. The Limited was soon to become the crowning
achievement of their efforts as the largest and most opulent model to ever wear
the Oldsmobile name. This example is one of only thirteen Limiteds to remain in
existence today and is the sole surviving example of the two 1908 prototypes.
No other Brass
Era car is as large or impressive as the Limited, and the few examples
remaining are among the most significant artifacts of early American motoring.
The Limited’s
name was selected because of the amount of time required to produce each model,
resulting in very limited quantities and a price tag ranging from
$4,600–$5,800. Oldsmobile’s records indicate that, in its short three-year
production span, a total of 325 were completed for 1910, 196 in 1911, and only
117 in 1912. Only two prototypes were completed, based on the 1908 Model
Z—Oldsmobile’s flagship touring model at the time. Today only thirteen examples
remain in existence: a pair of 1910s, ten 1911s, and a single 1912 model, as
well as the early prototype offered here.
The Limited’s
wheels measure 42 inches, among the largest ever to be fitted to a production
automobile. Its tremendous wheels and tires were fitted to the Model Z’s
130-inch-wheelbase chassis with longitudinal leaf springs and live front and
rear axles, giving the Limited the imposing stature that it would become famous
for, literally towering above the rest.
Beneath the
hood is the 453-cubic-inch T-head six-cylinder inline engine capable of
producing 60 horsepower, allowing the Limited to easily reach speeds of 70 mph.
Power is driven through a three-speed manual gearbox and is brought to a halt
by an expanding rear-wheel hand brake and external contracting on the rear
wheels.
Amazingly, the
Limited retained all its original mechanical components. The engine,
transmission, suspension, steering, and brakes, as well as the correct magneto
and carburetor that were fitted, are all believed to be original to the
vehicle.
The Oldsmobile
Limited was built with the open road in mind—large, fast, and well equipped for
long journeys. Their unparalleled quality and craftsmanship have allowed the
surviving examples to be reliable enough to effortlessly conquer 1,000-mile
tours. This example, courtesy of its magnificent restoration, will be a fine
candidate for both the show field and for any Brass Era touring event.
Fonte: https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/hf19/hershey/lots/r0152-1908-oldsmobile-limited-prototype/797163
