The Winnipeg was a Canadian
automobile
A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...
manufactured in
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
, in the early 1920s. The backers of the car were brothers Frank and Dave Ogletree, EL Herbert and Louis Arsenault.
A factory was purchased, and a pilot model was built for promotional purposes. The car was actually a
badge engineered Hatfield Model A-42 tourer, manufactured in
Sidney, New York
Sidney is a town in Delaware County, New York, United States. The population was 5,536 at the 2020 census. The town is at the northwestern corner of the county and contains the village of Sidney.
History
The town was formed in 1801 from the ...
.
The Hatfield was shipped in pieces to Winnipeg, reassembled, and fitted with a Winnipeg radiator emblem and hub caps.
Additional features were a set of chains for the wheels and a non-burstable radiator.
The car was promoted using the slogan "As Good As The Wheat".
The car was driven extensively in order to persuade potential investors to buy stocks in the company.
By 1923, Hatfield had stopped producing 4 cylinder cars, so Winnipeg decided to produce a 6-cylinder car. Still not having enough money to build their own cars, they again imported a car.
This time the George W Davis Motor Company of
Richmond, Indiana
Richmond () is a city in eastern Wayne County, Indiana, United States. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 35,720. It is the principal c ...
, provided enough parts for 10 tourers, which again featured Winnipeg badges and hub caps.
Money for the assembly was provided by a syndicate headed by George Shutler, who took a
lien
A lien ( or ) is a form of security interest granted over an item of property to secure the payment of a debt or performance of some other obligation. The owner of the property, who grants the lien, is referred to as the ''lienee'' and the pers ...
on the 10 cars as security.
The company closed down when employees and creditors petitioned to receive moneys owed to them.
Frank Ogletree attempted to refinance the company, but to no avail. Shutler disposed of the Davis-based cars, while Frank Ogletree drove the 1921 prototype back to the family farm at
Dresden, Ontario
Dresden is an agricultural community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Chatham-Kent in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Located on the Sydenham River, it is named after Dresden, Germany. The main field crops in the area are dent corn, g ...
. Louis Arsenault would try again with the
Derby
Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
.
References
External links
Photo of Hatfield Model A-42 tourer, on which the Winnipeg was based{Canada-stub
Vintage vehicles
Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of Canada