The Eldredge was an American

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded ...

manufactured from 1903 until 1906. A product of the

National Sewing Machine Company National Sewing Machine Company was a Belvidere, Illinois-based manufacturer founded in the late 19th century. The company manufactured sewing machines, washing machines, bicycles, an automobile, home workshop machinery, and cast-iron toys and nove ...

Belvidere, Illinois Belvidere is a city in Boone County, settled on the Kishwaukee River in far northern Illinois, United States. Known as the 'City of Murals', Belvidere is home to several public art installations throughout the North and South State Street hist ...

, it was a

light Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 te ...

, two-seater runabout with left-hand drive or two-row

tonneau A tonneau ( or ) is an area of a car or truck open at the top. It can be for passengers or cargo. A tonneau cover in current automotive terminology is a hard or soft cover that spans the back of a pickup truck to protect the load or to improve ...

. The 1904 ''Eldredge Runabout'' was a runabout model. It could seat 2 passengers and sold for

US$ The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

750. The horizontal-mounted

flat-2 A flat-twin engine is a two-cylinder internal combustion engine with the cylinders on opposite sides of the crankshaft. The most common type of flat-twin engine is the boxer-twin engine, where both pistons move inwards and outwards at the same ti ...

, situated at the center of the car, produced 8 hp (6 kW). A 3-speed transmission was fitted. The armored wood-framed car weighed 1150 lb (522 kg) and used platform springs. The 1904 ''Eldredge Tonneau'' was a tonneau model. It could seat 5 passengers and sold for

2000. The horizontal-mounted

flat-4 A flat-four engine, also known as a horizontally opposed-four engine, is a four-cylinder piston engine with two banks of cylinders lying on opposite sides of a common crankshaft. The most common type of flat-four engine is the boxer-four engine, ...

, situated at the front of the car, produced 16 hp (11.9 kW). The angle steel-framed car weighed 2300 lb (1043 kg). It was a modern touring car design with a cellular radiator (with fan), and semi-elliptic springs, but sold for far less than competing models.

References

* ''Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly'' (January, 1904) * David Burgess Wise, ''The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles''. Veteran vehicles Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Illinois Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States {{brass-auto-stub