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Home Made Automobile Built Nearly 30-Years Ago (1928)

Contributed by Alan Flood. (December 2006)

The Bay City Sunday Times - May 27, 1928.

30-Year-Old Car, Built In Bay City, Still Functions.
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Here stands Bay City's oldest automobile. The passengers and spectators include John Glockaine, Anton Zucker, Arthur Jordan and Frank Gust.

Look closely, and you will see that this isn’t a buggy without it shafts. It’s an automobile born and bred in Bay City. The precise date of its creation is obscure,but reports have it that a man named Williamson made this motor car in his local machine shop 30 years ago.

It appears that this man was Henry Williamson, manager of Joseph Williamson’s machine shop at 116-118 North Water street. Perhaps he constructed this horse-less wagon to test his skill in his craft. The thing from top to bottom is his own design. Even now, the automobile stands as it was then, except that a Ford carburetor has been installed.

Most of the engineering is confined to the motor. It is peculiarly unique, but it goes. In the picture of the rig, you will see a sort of hood at the front end; under this the motor rests. Only a little tinkering was required to start the engine, and then some tuning was done by mechanics at the Home Garage, 1206 Columbus avenue.

There are no stream lines to the body, and Fisher didn’t build it. Williamson did all that in his machine shop. Much like a buggy, it diverges from the general run only enough to meet the necessity of installing working parts. The wheels are leathered tires, strips being nailed into the wood.

Connecting the motor driveshaft and the back wheels is a chain working on sprokets, obviating the present day transmissions and rear axles.

The brakes work on the shaft which carries the drive chain. The device is a band of leather, much like a pulley, which tightens on the drive shaft as one steps on the pedal.

To start the motor, a person turns on the motor oiling system. Several thin lines of copper run to critical spots in the motor, carrying oil force into them by gravity to the thirsty spots. There is an ignition switch on the dashboard. Taking a small crank, the motorist steps to the side of the motor car, back of the rear wheels, and fits it on, gives a few turns, and the engine roars.

The gear shift at the side of the automobile can be seen in the picture. There are two speeds ahead and one reverse. The clutch is of special design.

For many years the car ran the streets, it is said, but for the past 18 years it has been stored in a barn at Eleventh and Jefferson streets. Two young men, Arthur Jordan, 218 North Sherman street and Thomas Callahan, 213 North Madison avenue, obtained the car several weeks ago, but were unable to put it into operation. The Home Garage lent a hand, and has negotiated to buy the relic.