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McIntyre Automobile

(Redirected from Kiblinger (automobile))

The W. H. Kiblinger Company and the W. H. McIntyre Company produced Brass Era automobiles in Auburn, Indiana from 1907 to 1915.[1]

W. H. McIntyre Company
PredecessorW. H. Kiblinger Company Auburn, Indiana
Founded1909; 115 years ago (1909)
FounderWilliam H. McIntyre
Defunct1915; 109 years ago (1915)
FateBankruptcy
SuccessorDeKalb Manufacturing Company, Fort Wayne, Indiana
HeadquartersAuburn, Indiana, United States
ProductsAutomobiles, Automotive parts
Production output
2,048 (1907-1915)
BrandsKiblinger, McIntyre, IMP

History

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Kiblinger

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The W. H. Kiblinger Company formed in 1887, manufactured buggies. After W. H. Kiblinger's death in 1894, William H. McIntyre co-purchased the company and began experimenting with automobiles as early as 1897.[2] In 1907 Kiblinger began selling high-wheelers with tiller steering and two-cylinder air-cooled engines as the Kiblinger. Prices started at $250 (equivalent to $8,175 in 2023), which the company claimed was the "lowest price successful automobile on the road'[3][1]

The company grew to occupy a total of five buildings around Auburn, Indiana and employed 400 men.[2] After producing a few hundred Kiblingers, the company building the Success high-wheeler sued Kiblinger for patent infringement. William H. McIntyre resolved the lawsuit by buying out the Kiblinger partners and forming the W. H. McIntyre Company in December, 1908.[1]

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    1907 Kiblinger Model H Advertisement

McIntyre

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W. H. McIntyre Company manufactured both buggies and high-wheelers. A line of two and four-cylinder high-wheelers on a non-patent infringing design, were offered. The McIntyre high-wheeler line of runabouts, tourers and trucks increased until ten different models were available.[1] By 1911, McIntyre introduced a line of standard vehicles by taking over the 4-cylinder 40-hp America produced by the Motor Car Company (New York City), which was marketed as the McIntyre Special. The six-cylinder 40-hp McIntyre Limited was added for 1913, but McIntyre was viewed as a high-wheeler manufacturer and these cars did not sell well.[3][1]

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    1908 full-line McIntyre advertisement
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    1910 McIntyre 20-hp advertisement
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    1911 McIntyre Special advertisement

IMP Cyclecar

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In 1913 McIntyre introduced the IMP Cyclecar with a 15 horsepower V-twin engine designed by William Stout . McIntyre IMP's sold for $375, (equivalent to $11,561 in 2023) and the sales literature stated that they cost "just a 'penny a mile' to run!"[1] Although IMP's sold well, over fifty companies had been formed during the "cyclecar craze" and by 1914 sales were ending.[3][1]

In 1914 McIntyre made a model 4-25 light car based on the IMP but production of all McIntyres soon ended.[1]

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    1913 IMP Cyclecar Advertisement
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    1914 IMP Cyclecar in London
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    1915 McIntyre Model 25 advertisement

Tudhope-McIntyre

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James B. Tudhope of the Tudhope Carriage Companyin Orillia, Ontario formed the Tudhope-McIntyre Company to build high-wheelers in 1908. Automobile parts were supplied from the W.H. McIntyre Company and the bodies were made by Tudehope's carriage company.Tudhope-McIntyres were priced at $550 CAD and production reached 514 vehicles before a fire in August 1909 destroyed the carriage factory. Rebuilding from the fire, Tudhope decided to discontinue high-wheeler production and instead acquired a license to build the Everitt 30.[3]

Model Overview, 1907–1915

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[1]
Year Model Engine type / Cyl. Power bhp (kW) Wheelbase in Cost
1907-1908 Kiblinger High-wheeler 2-cyl. 4 to 10 HP 65 $250 - $450
1908-1911 McIntyre High-wheeler 2-cyl., 4-cyl. 12 to 18.2 hp 69.5 to 75 $450 - $775
1911-1915 McIntyre Special 4-cyl. 30 bhp (22 kW) 112 $850-$1,125
1913-1914 IMP Cyclecar 2-cyl. 15 hp 100 $375
1913-1915 McIntyre Limited 6-cyl. 40 hp 120 $1,485-$1,275
1915 McIntyre Model 4-25 4-cyl, 25 hp 106 $695

Fate

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With slowing sales, by January 1915 the W. H. McIntyre Company was in receivership. The DeKalb Manufacturing Company purchased the assets and assembled some cars for another two years.[2]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kimes, Beverly Rae; Clark Jr., Henry Austin (1996). Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 (3rd ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87341-428-9.
  2. ^ a b c "Man for a New Century - Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  3. ^ a b c d Georgano, Nick (2001). The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile (3 vol. ed.). Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers. ISBN 1-57958-293-1.
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