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Check out the enormous length of this behemoth. It’s over 18 feet long, rivaling limousines in length. Even in an era when cars were huge, this one practically sails off the page. That boatyard setting isn’t just clever staging; it’s a wink to the era’s obsession with size. The Sierra was available in six- and nine-passenger configurations, the latter dubbed the “Spectator” wagon. This land yacht even had an "Observation Lounge," with a rear-facing third seat. It turned the back of the car into a social nook, almost like a parlor on wheels.
With the second and third seats folded down, the Sierra transformed into a cargo vessel, with 95 cubic feet of clear space. That’s nearly the volume of a small studio apartment. As to a power plant to drive this wagon, the top-tier Super D-500 packed a 383 cu in V8 with up to 345 horsepower – a beast for a family hauler. Chrysler’s TorqueFlite automatic was operated via dashboard buttons, adding a touch of Jetsons-era futurism. Some models featured front seats that rotated outward to ease entry – another nod to comfort and showmanship.
The styling was unapologetically bold, with tailfins, chrome galore, and “flair fashion” interiors with coral accents and tuxedo upholstery. Dodge’s designers divided the car’s surfaces into segments for two- and three-tone paint jobs. In short, the Sierra was loud, proud, and designed to turn heads at the marina or the supermarket. The car was one of the last to be shaped by Virgil Exner’s lavish design ethos before Chrysler shifted toward restraint in the 1960s.
[Sources: BarnFinds.com, Bing.com, En.Wheelz.me, and StationWagonFinder.com]
The Moon Sedan sounds like it was made for moonlit drives and romantic escapades. The Moon Motor Car Company, founded by Joseph W. Moon in St. Louis, had a longer run than many of its contemporaries: it operated from 1905 to 1930, which is impressive given the volatility of the early auto industry.
Their 1922 ad is a gem. It reads like a love letter to early 1920s luxury—Versailles Blue, silk-finished upholstery, and rain-proof windshield? Moon wasn’t just selling transportation; it was promising sophistication with a glint of Gatsby-era glamour.
What’s striking is how confidently it positions the Moon Sedan against its competition. The emphasis on craftsmanship—hardwood interior trim, special hardware, adjustable foot-rest—speaks directly to a consumer base chasing comfort and style, not just performance. It’s also telling how prominently St. Louis is mentioned; Moon clearly leaned into its regional identity while courting a national audience.
The company was one of nearly 100 automakers based in St. Louis during that brash and classic era of motoring. What really set Moon apart was its embrace of aesthetic appeal and national advertising. Stewart McDonald, Moon’s son-in-law and eventual company president, leaned into the power of image—placing ads in “The Saturday Evening Post” and even associating the brand with celebrities like silent film star Clara Bow.
By 1922, the Moon company was exporting to 47 countries, producing over 10,000 vehicles a year, and even offering custom coachwork. The 1922 Moon Model 6-40, likely the one featured in the ad, was powered by a 50-horsepower Continental straight-six engine and cost around $1,295—about $45,000 in today’s dollars. It had a 115-inch wheelbase and came with Lockheed hydraulic brakes, which was cutting-edge tech at the time.
Despite their reputation, Moon struggled with production capacity and financial setbacks—especially after launching the Diana and Windsor sub-brands. The final blow came with the ill-fated Ruxton, a sleek, low-slung, front-wheel-drive car. Unfortunately, these ventures strained the company’s finances. Combined with the economic crash of 1929, Moon couldn’t weather the storm and ceased operations in 1930.
[Sources: Wikipedia, and StLouis.style]
The Lexington Motor Car Company was near its peak in 1922, just before the car industry’s tides turned. The company was founded in Lexington, Kentucky in 1909 by Kinzea Stone, a racehorse promoter, and moved to Connersville, Indiana the following year.
The Lexington had flair and engineering innovations that were ahead of their time. Chief engineer John C. Moore’s 1911 design gave each cylinder its own exhaust pipe, improving power and fuel efficiency. The car’s “rigid box-section frame” helped eliminate body flex and door jamming. Lexington cars placed 1st and 2nd at the 1920 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, winning the Penrose Trophy and proving that small manufacturers could compete with the big names. The Series “U” mentioned in the ad was powered by the six-cylinder Ansted engine developed in-house. It was part of Lexington’s push to modernize and compete.
The “Minute Man Six” was one of Lexington’s most popular models, especially in the early 1920s. It was a mid-priced touring car, powered by a 47-hp Continental six-cylinder engine. Other models included “Thoroughbred Six” (a pricier, more luxurious offering), “Concord” (65-hp engine), and the Salon Sedan, Coupelet, and Sedanette (enclosed body styles). The final iteration before the company’s closure was the “Model 6-50.” The company’s production peak came in 1920, with over 6,000 cars built. It closed in 1927 after being acquired by E. L. Cord’s Auburn Automobile Company. The company’s facilites were later used to build Auburns, Cords, Packard-Darrins, and even Army Jeeps.
Lexington cars are rare today, and they’re cherished by vintage car enthusiasts and antique automobile clubs. The Penrose Trophy from the 1920 Pikes Peak win is still on display at the Fayette County Historical Museum in Connersville.
[Sources: Wikipedia and ConceptCarz.com]
The Kissel Motor Car Company, often referred to as “KisselKar,” was founded in 1906 by Louis Kissel and his sons in Hartford, Wisconsin. KisselKar wasn’t just limited to passenger cars, but also included hearses, fire trucks, taxicabs, and trucks. It gained fame in the early 1900s for its performance in races, winning the Los Angeles to Phoenix “Cactus Derby” in 1910. The Kissel Speedster, particularly the 1919-1927 model known as the “Gold Bug,” was popular among celebrities, including Amelia Earhart. Hollywood actress Anita King made history in 1915 by becoming the first woman to drive solo across the United States in a KisselKar.
Out of the approximatley 35,000 vehicles produced by Kissel, only about 200 are known to exist today. Many of these can be seen at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford. The KisselKar continues to be celebrated by vintage car enthusiasts. [Source: Wikipedia]
Sam Burrage, Owner of Santa Rosa Transmission, is one of the first to experience the combined efforts of Zenergy - Profit Boost - ESI, Ray Warner.
dealercurrent.com While the 21st century has seen a shift in how buyers get information and shop for cars there has been a dearth of companies with real ability to understand how to produce lower cost-per-car marketing costs. That game may be changing with the emergence of DealerCurrent.