Detroit Auto Vehicle Company was a short-lived early automobile manufacturer established in the summer of 1904 with a capital stock of US$150,000. Based in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

in the old Detroit Novelty Machine Company building, it also had a foundry in

Romeo, Michigan Romeo is a village in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,767 at the 2020 census. Romeo is located on the rural-urban fringe of the Detroit metropolitan area, and many of its residents commute to jobs closer to th ...

. It ceased operation in October 1907 following bankruptcy.

Company history

The company was fighting during the short time of its existence against litigation by stockholders of the predecessor company Detroit Novelty Machine Company, who were decidedly against the production of an automobile. Finally, the company went into bankruptcy in 1907. In 1908 bond holders in the bankrupt company were paid 24 percent on each $100.00 and the affairs of the company were closed. Two of the most influential personalities in the early American automobile business were involved with the company. One was

John North Willys John North Willys (; October 25, 1873 – August 26, 1935) was an American automotive pioneer and diplomat. His company, Willys-Overland Motors, became the second largest carmaker in the United States after the Ford Motor Company. Early life B ...

, who soon after bought the Overland Automotive Division from the Standard Wheel Company which became the ''Willys-Overland Motor Company''. The other gentleman was Josepf L. Hudson, a Detroit business man who earned a fortune with his department store. He backed Roy D. Chapin with the money needed to form an automobile company. Chapin named it in his honor the ''

Hudson Motor Car Company The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other branded automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., from 1909 until 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). The Hudson name was continued through ...

''.

Vehicles

In 1905 the company had three vehicles on sale all with a two-cylinder engine. The 12 HP Crown Runabout priced at US$750, the 16 HP Crown delivery car featuring a payload of 1500 lbs and a 24HP five-passenger

Touring Car Touring car and tourer are both terms for open cars (i.e. cars without a fixed roof). "Touring car" is a style of open car built in the United States which seats four or more people. The style was popular from the early 1900s to the 1930s. The ...

. It seems that management was not satisfied with the performance of their products. So, early in 1906 they called in Edward T. Ross from

Cadillac Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...

who developed a new car. His prototype drove in August, 1906, and the automobile was ready for sale for the 1907 model year. It was a two-cylinder automobile with a wheelbase of , featuring a 22/24 hp engine. It was dubbed the Model Two, but was also referred to as the "Crown-Detroit" or just "Detroit". Available were a ''runabout'' for US$1,500 and a ''touring'' for US$1,600. The company claimed its two-cylinder engine was as smooth as any four- or six-cylinder engine. The whole production run for 1907 was sold in advance to

Elmira, New York Elmira () is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in and the county seat of Chemung County, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses Chemung County. ...

who became the exclusive selling agent, and referred to the 24HP car as the Detroit.The Automobile March 1907 page 80

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Detroit Auto Vehicle Company Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Detroit Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1904 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1907 1900s cars 1904 establishments in Michigan 1907 disestablishments in Michigan Defunct manufacturing companies based in Detroit