Floyd Clymer

[Jonah D'Avella]

Who exactly was Floyd Clymer, and what stories about him are true?

[Dan Hatch]

Look up Henry’s Wonderful Model T.

[jiminbartow]

Floyd Clymer, 1895-1970, led a very full life and throughout his life was very active in automotive and motorcycle industries. He was an early motorcycle racer, an adventurer, an author and a natural salesman who, in 1909, at the age of 14 was Ford’s youngest salesman. An online search will tell you a lot more. Jim Patrick

[Dropacent]

I don’t think he was a ford salesman, but that was to his regret. Maxwell, I think. I have a couple things I’ll post here.

[John iaccino]

At age 14 he was the youngest Ford dealer. His dealership was in Colorado.

[Kerry]

A Ford dealer at 14 according to Wiki, so unless he had staff, makes him the salesman, true?

[Rich Eagle]

At ten years old "In what was formerly a dentist’s office, Berthound Auto Co. was founded, specializing in REO, Maxwell and Cadillac. In two years, the wonder kid managed to sell at least twenty six vehicles."
http://www.aacalibrary.org/articles/ant ... yd-clymer/
When I was that age there was a funny elderly lady whose house we passed on our way downtown to the movies etc. She always said Hi and wanted to visit more than we did. She turned out to be Floyd's Sister. I never did get to meet him.
Rich

[Rich Eagle]

In 1921 he manufactured these.

[Dropacent]

[Dropacent]

When he sold the lamp business it became Fyrac. Here is a NOS unit. These are much nicer than the late edition of the clymer , IMHO

[Dropacent]

Wrong ad, sorry

[Dropacent]

Fortunes earned and lost. I love this story.

[CudaMan]

http://www.aacalibrary.org/articles/ant ... yd-clymer/

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/floyd-clymer-2

The story about Floyd Clymer (age 14) and his brother Elmer (age 11) undertaking and then having to abandon a reliability run from Denver, CO to Spokane, WA in a Flanders 20 due to multiple two-speed transaxle failures is true, but it was in 1910, not 1904. A description of the trip starts on page 22 of the book "Henry's Wonderful Model T".

Because of his and many other owner's bad experiences with the two speed transaxle, Flanders recalled all the cars and fitted them with beefier three speed units at the company's expense.

[Wayne Sheldon]

In his later years, he was also the owner of a small publishing company, producing many thousands of copies of hundreds of books on many subjects. A lot of the books were written by him, on various automotive subjects. They also published books by other authors including reprints of historic automotive books. I have a copy of the 1908 around the world race reprint book that he published. The original publication by Thomas was in color, his reprint in this case was black and white.
He compiled and wrote dozens of automobile history books himself, publishing in both/either hard cover and/or paperback. While many of his automobile history books do contain errors in facts, they are still valuable reference materials (kind of like the internet of which I suspect Wikipedia may have gotten the dealership history wrong?). He was also a founding member of some of the oldest collector car clubs, and a national club president a few times.
He was apparently a good, decent man, hard working and industrious who made a well earned small fortune. He contributed a lot to the whole of society and to the early and historical automotive world in particular. He deserves to be revered, appreciated, and admired for his lifetime achievements.

[DanTreace]

And in the 1960's he bought the rights to Indian motorcycles and launched USA mini Indians. Later large model planned didn't happen as he passed away in 1970.

68E2F493-95DF-4AD1-9621-7E2ABEC5B4BD.jpeg (109.75 KiB) Viewed 3996 times

[Dropacent]

Jonah, these are great books and you can get them really inexpensively on eBay. I need to get #7 myself. I have read them all cover to cover ( lots of pics) and do refer to them all the time. Unless I missed it or have forgotten , he was never a Ford dealer. Wikipedia is a very flawed source of info. Anybody who desires can edit it. I’ll stand corrected if anyone one can find it, but I don’t remember reading that in his books anywhere.

[KWTownsend]

Here is my Floyd Clymer connection...

In mid-1910, his father, Dr. J.B. Clymer decided to move from Berthoud, Colorado to Walla Walla, Washington. Floyd (14) and his brother, Elmer (11) drove a Flanders 20 as a publicity stunt from “Denver to Spokane.” The Flanders kept breaking down and the two ended up arriving in Walla Walla by train.

Late in 1910, Floyd was hired by Harold Dahlen. Clymer helped Dahlen unload the first railcar of Model T's that came to Walla Walla and sold cars for Dahlen Ford in Walla Walla. It is not known how long Clymer was selling cars for Dahlen Ford, but he shares a story where he was on a demonstration drive during which he totaled a new car. He states that it took about a year to scrape together enough money at $12 per week and $5-per-car commission to pay off his $700 debt.

According to December, 1911 issue of the Automobile News of Walla Walla, Dahlen Ford sold 41 cars in their first year of operation.

According to the 1935 Washington State Automobile registration, my 1911 Model T was sold to Elhanen Parks of Walla Walla, Washington on December 31, 1911.

In his book, Henry's Wonderful Model T, Clymer says he started selling cars for Dahlen in 1910 and "about 1911" moved to back Colorado.

Dr. J.B. Clymer was back living in Loveland, Colorado by October 27, 1911, when the Fort Collins Weekly Courier reported that Dr. Clymer and his wife had dinner with some of their Berthoud friends.

On Feb. 16, 1912, the Loveland Herald noted that Floyd Clymer of this city [Loveland] had left for Oregon where he planned to study the "fine art of aviation."

Floyd Clymer may have accompanied his parents back to Colorado in the fall of 1911, or he may have left later. He was in Loveland by February 1912 when he left for Oregon.

So, did he really sell my car to the original owner? I don't know, but it certainly is possible. I'll let you draw your own conclusion...

: ^ )


Keith

[DanTreace]

Clymer's own bio.....he did sell a few Fords for others, but never was a dealer, but he did become a Ford salesman at age 15,

[Ed Fuller]

Here is my collection of books written and/or published by Clymer. All great reads.

Hey Tim, I’ve got #7!

[Dropacent]

Hey, there’s my #7 !! Did I loan it to you Ed? I sound like my dad. I’d been gone from home for 30 years and when I’d stop by, he’d ask if I had this tool or that tool. I miss that a lot.
That’s good reading on Floyd selling ford cars. That never stuck in my peanut brain. Again, though. Wikipedia is notorious for faulty info. Any of us can alter any info on there. You could even state a certain model automobile was so fantastic, when it was really a flop!

[jiminbartow]

I am not interested in any automotive subject other than Model T’s and have the Vol. 1 scrapbook for the Model T (see photo). For those of you with the entire collection of Floyd Clymer’s Scrapbooks, can you give me a quick synopsis of what each of the other scrapbooks contain? Are there other scrapbooks that contain information on the Model T or Model T stories or Model T accessories? Thank you. Jim Patrick

[Aussie16]

The chapter, "Model T memories" in the book, Henry's wonderful Model T gives a wonderful insight into the young man , Floyd Clymer. He lived and breathed the early days of the auto industry and saw the Model T transform the motoring world. It is compulsory reading for any Model T enthusiast and I am so glad he chose to write and publish so much model T knowledge and experience. I did not know he was the same man who sold the famous Clymer spotlight.

[jiminbartow]

In 2013, I installed a Fyrac through the windshield swivel spotlight on my 1926 coupe. The power comes from a bayonet plug that plugs into the dash light. The hardest, scariest and most challenging part was drilling the hole through the double glass. I was ready for it to crack the glass, but I was successful. A very nice and attractive accessory. Jim Patrick

[Roverdriver]

I borrowed a copy of "Henry's Wonderful Model T" from the local library in early 1959. After reading it, I wrote to Mr. Clymer and we corresponded for quite some time. I joined his "Worldwide Old Car club" and subsequently bought a couple more Model T books produced by him.
Even though I was still a schoolboy, he treated me in a very gentlemanly way and gave me much information about my own 1918 T purchase at the time.
Dane

[Original Smith]

I met Floyd Clymer when I was a teenager. He had his book store on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles as I recall.

[Dropacent]

Cool memories . Great install, Jim. That’s a dandy looking light. I wouldn’t be brave enough to drill a windshield in place.

[ModelT46]

You can drill window glass, but not tempered glass. Use a diamond edged drill and cool with water as you drill.

[ModelT46]

In the late 1940s and in the mid 1950s I wrote Clymer several times. When he answered, he illustrated the envelope with colored drawings, so I did so also when I wrote him. I have perhaps 30 of his books, the first one is scrapbook number one which I bought in 1948 new.

[OilyBill]

I remember an article Floyd Clymer wrote about the Clymer "Through The Windshield Light", and he explained the procedure for drilling the hole in the glass. It worked so well, they hardly ever broke any windshields. He said he replaced some, but he felt the instructions were so good, that most of the claims for a new windshield were NOT because they broke, but because the person wanted a new windshield. Nevertheless, they stood behind their instructions, and did replace any windshield that broke.
I have one of his lights in a box. I need to dig it out and see what kind of shape it's in.

[jiminbartow]

Here is how I did it back in 2011, not 2013: www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/211340.html. Jim Patrick

[Dropacent]

Great tutorial , Jim. Hope someone can post pics of the complete light as sold. The box packaging was also the used for drilling the glass at home. These Clymer lamps are such a neat American success story.

[Dropacent]

Just got my #7

[23ford]

In going thru my parents house I found their membership certifictes and Floyd signed them as HCCA president

[modeltspaz]

Floyd Clymer also published a "3 In One" manual on the Nash Metropolitan. It contained a reprint of the factory repair manual, a drive report written by Clymer himself, driving the car up Pikes Peak and, not positive about this, a parts manual.

If I remember correctly, Floyd was also the staff writer at, I think, Popular Mechanics magazine. He did the drive reports, like Tom McCahill did for Mechanix Illustrated.

As mentioned before, he owned an Indian Motorcycle dealership on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. I have a copy of E. B. White's "Farewell to Model T" that was given to a good friend of mine by Floyd and had Clymer's name and the address of the dealership stamped on the inside front cover. I've posted a photo of it here on the forum in the past.

Mike Spaziano.

[jiminbartow]

Anyone interested in owning a nice, working vintage 1920’s Fyrac (was Clymer) through the windshield spotlight, I will be listing one this evening 11/20/21 on eBay at 10:00pm est. Happy Thanksgiving. Jim Patrick

[Jim, Sr.]

Clymer's spotlight company made a device for cutting the hole in the windshield, It consists of a cast iron cup with a "C" clamp arrangement to clamp it on to the open windshield, It has rubber gaskets against the glass and a hole in the cup with a cork stopper. Inside the cup is a "cup shaped" cutter with a shaft sticking out to attach a drill motor. To use it , remove the cork and pour an abrasive and some water into the chamber, and grind a smooth hole in the glass. It has a brass tag attached identifying its use. I think it came with a small can of abrasive.
I had one of these devices, but I gave it to my son as a birthday gift about 10 years ago. Maybe, if he sees this posting, he will add a photo for us.

[frontyboy]

While I worked at Harrah's Automobile Collection, Floyd Clymer offered his 1909 Royal Tourist for the collection. In his later years after his publishing business folded, he was on hard times and one of his last assets was his 1909 Royal Tourist roadster. He contacted Harrah's about selling the car. It was a car that Harrah's were interested in so the price arrived at $50,000.00. This was a lot of money in the late 60's.

He showed up in Reno with the car and a news team in tow. He wanted Bill Harrah to present him with the check all time being filmed for TV so he could boast that this was the highest price ever paid for an antique car. His idea was to get one last hurrah, which he lived for all his life.

Harrah's did not want that sort of publicity and told Floyd no deal not interested!!. Floyd wanted the publicity, but needed the money ever more. So He got the check, Harrah's got the Royal Tourist and the rest is history

brasscarguy

[Burger in Spokane]

Floyd was said to spend a lot of vacation time around the Chugwater
Basin, and a regular at Ernie''s Saloon. He worked intermittently with
Kalamity Dick, brainstorming various projects and theories. The mushroom
moss barge stabilizers was just one of their joint projects.