Metz
The license plate is made so air will flow through.
The guy could pass for the father of Mike Rowe of "Dirty Jobs" show
Notice that the body has no doors. This makes it an open runabout style body instead of a torpedo runabout style.
Respectfully Submitted,
Trent Boggess
Thank you Trent for the clarification.
I was going by the short running boards and the style of the fenders.
Is there a name for the style of windshield that this car has?
I respectfully disagree Trent. The definition of a torpedo seems to be a moving target, and more along a "racy look". , in my opinion. Metz did offer a torpedo roadster in 1911-12 and quite a bit different than the Metz pictured . Their torpedo had no doors, but did have the oval gas tank and a mother-in-law seat to the rear. A very racy look. I think the windshield was added in 1913, and the shift lever was moved inboard.
What I've noticed about the "torpedo" body style is that it didn't seem to be limited to roadsters or four/five passenger cars. The only limitation I've noticed is that most if not all "torpedo" styles had doors, and for the most part rounded cowling:
1910 "Goodwins" article:
Torpedo advertising:
This 1914 Metz "22" ad shows their Torpedo with "semi enclosed body" fore doors:
Language is such a fluid and ever-changing thing. Along with regional dialects and colloquialisms, it does make things confusing.
Speedster is another one to drive you mad. While we, today, tend to use it as the all-encompassing word for a model T Ford that has been cut down and rebuilt as a sports car or racing car, back in the day, it was not the preferred term for that. Terms like "bug", "cut-down", or even simply "race car" were used more often. Paige, among other automobile manufacturers, offered a model they called "speedster" in their factory brochures. To confuse it even more, a number of major manufacturers offered four-passenger touring type cars which they at that time called speedsters. A friend of mine, for several years, had a 1921 Hudson speedster. He liked to show the original literature he had. Everyone else (today) figured it was a touring. Two people I have known had Marmon speedsters, they also looked like touring cars. It was quite a sight when both of them were on a tour together.
As Rob H has said, the word "torpedo" originally was usually put to sleek, fast, cars. Or cars the manufacturer wanted to make you think were sleek and fast. Whether they were two, three, four, or even five passenger seating, a torpedo was whatever the manufacturer said it was.
Neat, if confusing, stuff.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
You contradict yourself, rob. You say most, if not all torpedos have doors, and then show a 1914 Metz 22 torpedo without doors.
I wrote "most if not all torpedoes I've seen." Of course, I don't have the level of knowledge that many on this forum do.
The ad shows a Metz Model 22 Torpedo with doors.
Sorry Rob. The Metz 22 does not have doors (I have the remains of one and a fair amount of information about them). The cowl extends all the way back to below the front of the seat, and you have to step over the side of it. The car is slightly smaller even than a model T Ford, so it is not a giant leap from the running board. They actually are quite interesting cars, and I am told fun to drive and tour with.
The first Metz model to have actual doors was the model 25 in 1915.
Anyway, nobody is perfect. And thank you Rob for a lot of otherwise excellent information above!
Drive carefully, and enjoy,W2
A few more details about the Metz. The car shown in the ad Rob posted above, is a 1914 model 22. Looking closely at the back of the car, you can see the odd turtle deck which was optional and unique to 1914 and the carryover into 1915. Metz was one of the winners in the 1913 Glidden Tour using three of the first of the Metz cars to use that trunk. The Glidden Tour was run in June 1913. The model 22 began as a 1912 model nearly identical to that '14, except without the trunk. The oval gasoline tank was hung on the back of the seat. I have never seen a '14 with the trunk up close, however, there was an original trunk at the Bakersfield swap meet a couple years ago. I understand (but will not claim to know for certain) that the trunk covers over the standard gasoline tank.
In 1913 and 1914, Metz also offered Speedster models. It was actually called "Speedster" by the company in 1914, and included wire wheels. It was quite sporty in its off-orange color. The 1913 was called a "Special" roadster, and had a lower mounted, larger, round, gasoline tank. It also looked good in its original factory red and black. Wood wheels were standard on all model 22s except for the 1914 Speedster. Some sources claim that wire wheels were a factory option, however, I have never found what I would call definitive information on that.
Looking at the photo posted by Herb, above. I believe that is the 1913 Special Roadster. It has the larger gasoline tank, mounted on the deck, not the seat. It also does not have the sides extending from the cowl to below the seat like the standard roadster had. Cannot tell if it is red or not.
The windshield and top are not usually seen on the Special roadster, but were common on Metz standard roadsters, also sometimes referred to as a torpedo.
That is a great photo for a Metz! I will bookmark it in case I live long enough to get around to restoring the pile I have.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Thanks Wayne. A sporty looking little car. A friend has an earlier roadster, and has problems with the friction drive slipping.
Thanks Wayne, the Metz is a neat car with a great history, made by a real pioneer of motorcycles and automobiles. The delay in paying for defense work by the government did the company in.
Rob, you would argue with a signpost. If your friend has one that slips it's because it's worn out. The drive wheel is easily renewed.
Who's arguing? Enjoy your weekend.