1904 Oldsmobile French Front Touring Runabout

1904 Oldsmobile "French Front" Touring Runabout

The Oldsmobile 'Curved Dash' made its introduction in 1901. It was a charming little car that was offered at a reasonable price and was perfectly suited to traverse the road conditions facing early American motorists. The single-cylinder engine had ample power and the chassis with its leaf spring frame smoothed out the bumpy roads.

The automobile industry quickly evolved. Soon, a more modern and updated version of the Curved Dash Olds was needed. Oldsmobile responded by offered a larger, more upscale version in 1904. The new Touring Runabout featured a 'French Front' and was the first Olds to feature a steering wheel. It was given a 10-inch longer wheelbase than the curved-dash Model 6C, with seating for two and a sloping rear deck. The engine was the same as the curved-dash model, using pressure-feed lubrication and jump-spark ignition. The power was sent to the rear wheels via a single chain drive. Longitudinal leaf springs were located on each side, with a small transverse leaf spring was added at the front. Customers could selected either dark red or dark green. The $750 price also included brass side lamps.

This Touring Runabout with its 7 horsepower single-cylinder engine is a development of the iconic Curved-Dash Oldsmobile. Under its hood are tanks for fuel and water as the engine is mounted under the seat in the same configuration as the Curved-Dash, giving the car its modern appearance. This is the first Oldsmobile to have a proper steering wheel and it has a longer wheelbase than its predecessor too. Priced at $750 it was also more expensive than the basic model. It is shown in its original color scheme of bright green with yellow pinstripe.

The car spent many decades in the General Motors Heritage Collection. It car was treated to a no-expense-spared restoration performed in-house at General Motors at least half-a-century ago, likely during the 1950s or 1960s. It was carefully preserved in the Heritage Collection for decades until it was sold to the previous owners in 2011. The current owners have shown it at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and at the Amelia Island Concours in 2014. It completed in the 2012 Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance as well as the 2014 Hampton Court Concours Tour.

Descriptions & pictures by conceptcarz & bonhams