Blue Blood from Moline
1914 Moline-Knight MK-50 Opera Sedan in Blue and Black. This car was originally used by the San Francisco Opera to transport important singers and guests around the city. Recently restored, it is one of only three 50 hp Moline-Knights to survive from 1914 and the only closed 'Opera' style Moline-Knight in the world.
The Moline Automobile Company of Moline, Illinois (from 1904 to 1919), was formed by William H. Vandervoort and Orlando J. Root in 1904. In 1914, this company acquired a license for a Charles Yale Knight-designed engine that used modern sleeve valves instead of the noisier poppet valves that were then more common. After changing the company name to Moline-Knight, their advertising declared 'More Power, More Flexibility, More Economy and More Silence.' Moline-Knights, with a variety of touring- and roadster style bodies, were all finished in this blue and black paint scheme. Additional features included electric lighting, an electric self-starter and even a speedometer.
The high-quality Moline-Knight was less expensive than other Knight-engined cars and the only one to feature thermo-syphon cooling. It also carried the first American sleeve-valve engine with its cylinders cast en bloc. In a 1913 test a Moline-Knight engine ran a remarkable 337 hours non-stop at wide-open throttle without any adjustments, setting a world endurance record. The company claimed the test demonstration the "incomparable superiority of the Moline-Knight's engine over the poppet-valve design," and led them to advertise the car as a "Wrecker of World's Records."
My internet access was off for over 5 days, so apologies to friends I couldn't acknowledge during that time.
Double click on the image to enlarge for details
AS ALWAYS....COMMENTS & INVITATIONS with AWARD BANNERS will be respectfully DELETED!
Blue Blood from Moline
1914 Moline-Knight MK-50 Opera Sedan in Blue and Black. This car was originally used by the San Francisco Opera to transport important singers and guests around the city. Recently restored, it is one of only three 50 hp Moline-Knights to survive from 1914 and the only closed 'Opera' style Moline-Knight in the world.
The Moline Automobile Company of Moline, Illinois (from 1904 to 1919), was formed by William H. Vandervoort and Orlando J. Root in 1904. In 1914, this company acquired a license for a Charles Yale Knight-designed engine that used modern sleeve valves instead of the noisier poppet valves that were then more common. After changing the company name to Moline-Knight, their advertising declared 'More Power, More Flexibility, More Economy and More Silence.' Moline-Knights, with a variety of touring- and roadster style bodies, were all finished in this blue and black paint scheme. Additional features included electric lighting, an electric self-starter and even a speedometer.
The high-quality Moline-Knight was less expensive than other Knight-engined cars and the only one to feature thermo-syphon cooling. It also carried the first American sleeve-valve engine with its cylinders cast en bloc. In a 1913 test a Moline-Knight engine ran a remarkable 337 hours non-stop at wide-open throttle without any adjustments, setting a world endurance record. The company claimed the test demonstration the "incomparable superiority of the Moline-Knight's engine over the poppet-valve design," and led them to advertise the car as a "Wrecker of World's Records."
My internet access was off for over 5 days, so apologies to friends I couldn't acknowledge during that time.
Double click on the image to enlarge for details
AS ALWAYS....COMMENTS & INVITATIONS with AWARD BANNERS will be respectfully DELETED!