Standard (1912 automobile)

The Standard was an American automobile manufactured in Butler, Pennsylvania from 1914 until 1923 by the Standard Steel Car Company.

History

Standard Steel Car Company, whose primary business was railroad rolling stock, announced in the summer of 1913 that a new $2,000,000 factory was nearing completion for the production of automobiles. The first Standard was a six-cylinder which began limited production in early 1914. This was joined by an eight-cylinder in 1915. This was a 29- hp engine of 4.6-liters and was joined by a 34-hp V-8 in 1917. In 1918 both engines were replaced by a larger 5.2-liter V-8 of 70-hp. "Monarch of the Mountains" became a company slogan, later replaced with the tagline "A Powerful Car".

From 1917, only the 70-hp eight-cylinder cars were produced. All cars were given a twenty-five mile road test in the Butler area before distribution. In 1916 Standard Steel purchased the Model Gas Engine Company factory and assets to expand production.

Standard's best year was 1917 when about 2,300 cars were built. The standard Eight was initially a mid-priced car growing annually until by 1920, the lowest priced Standard Eight Touring Car was $3,000, () with the limousine model luxury car priced at $4,300, .

The Post-World War I recession and Depression of 1920-21 hurt Standard Steel Car Company and in January 1921, bankers from New York joined Standard Steel, which included Don C. McCurd, formerly with American Mercedes, Flanders and Willys. In 1923 Standard Steel Car Company divested itself of any interest in the Standard automobile and McCurd reorganized the automobile division as the Standard Motor Car Company. McCurd announced the Standard Eight and a new lower priced four-cylinder model would be produced, but the four-cylinder never arrived, and the Standard Eight production ceased by year's end.

The factory in which Standard cars had been built was sold six years later and a new car called the American Austin was built there.

Models Gallery

File:1917 Standard Eight Touring F in Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg, 1917 Standard Eight Model F Touring Car
File:1918 Standard Eight Touring G in Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg, 1918 Standard Eight Model G Touring Car
File:1919 Standard Eight Touring - Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg, 1919 Standard Eight Model I Touring Car
File:1920-21 Standard Eight Coupe I - Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg, 1920 and 1921 Standard Eight Model I Coupe
File:1920-21 Standard Eight Vestibule Sedan I - Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg, 1920 and 1921 Standard Eight Model I Vestibule Sedan
File:1922-23 Standard Eight Touring Sterling Model - Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg, 1922 and 1923 Standard Eight Touring - Sterling Model

Production

Annual automobile production

Advertisements

File:1915 Standard Eight advertisement in Automobile Trade Journal.jpg, 1915 Standard Eight and Six advertisement
File:1919 Standard Eight advertisement in Review of Reviews.jpg, 1919 Standard Eight advertisement
File:1920 Standard Eight advertisement Harpers Monthly.jpg, 1920 Standard Eight advertisement
File:1921 Standard Eight advertisement Harpers Monthly.jpg, 1921 Standard Eight advertisement
File:1922 Standard Eight advertisement Motor Age.jpg, 1922 Standard Eight advertisement

References

External links

1917 Standard Eight at ConceptCarz.com
{{Commons category, Standard Steel Car Company

Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States
Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Pennsylvania
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1914
Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1923
Cars introduced in 1914
Vintage vehicles
1910s cars
1920s cars
Luxury vehicles