MTFCA Forum

[image][/image]

Way Cool!

Super rare! Guessing it's a one of. Not one of 100. Way less. One of 10 known?

Any other pictures?

For a 1915 model, that is a most advanced looking car. It took many manufacturers 8-10 years to produce vehicles with similar lines and features.

Allan from down under.

Here are more pictures

Nice condition for a car in the teens and obviously a rare one. It must have moved from the location where it was found.
Wherever it was it was kept out of the weather.

It is so nice to see those photos.
Thanks
Rich

This car is going up for auction this coming week to settle an estate

Does anybody know if there are other cars like this still in existence? Probably a few. It is a rare car. Wonder if there is surviving sales literature.
Going to swap meets over the years and seeing trailers of old car parts makes me wonder about the parts that people couldn’t identify and scratch their head.

What they are advertising in the auction it also come with a lot of literature

Here is some info on The Thomas B. Jeffery Co. Kenosha, WI 1914-1917 https://www.american-automobiles.com/Jeffery.html
Initial selling price for a 1914 Touring $1035.00

I started reading more and I think that you'll find the DNA surprising. The Jeffery was a great ancestor to American Motors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_B._Jeffery_Company had a model called a "Rambler"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Williams_Nash Buys Jeffery - 1st job paid $8/month - died worth over 1/2 Billion in today's dollars
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Motors Nash-Kelvinator
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_ ... orporation

There is also another DNA trail. In 1912, Nash, President of GM, hired Walter P. Chrysler - Yes that Chrysler
Many pages for Jeffery brochures (and others)
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/N ... 14-15.html

Any info on the auction itself? I have a friend with one. My brothers and I have a Jeffery quad truck. Any info would be appreciated!

There was a similar Jeffery (may have been a year or two newer) for sale a few years ago near Sacramento Califunny. A friend of mine considered buying it, but didn't. I saw pictures, but I never saw the car myself.
The Jeffery company built Rambler bicycles, then Rambler automobiles. As I recall, after the death of the founding family member, the car's name became Jeffery, then after only a few years, some selling and trading, and dealing, the cars became Nash in the very late '10s. Nash survived the depression, and the war, but was in a weak position to become really competitive in the post war market. They merged with Hudson (also in a weak position), and became American Motors, bringing back the Rambler name. Sort of full circle. (All from memory, how did I do?)

Wow...the level of preservation is exceptional.

That's the kind of car I dream about reviving....just gently cleaning everything and making the mechanicals near perfect.

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

-Roger.

For those of you who are cheating on their Model T and like their things a little on the Rambler/Jeffery side, my friend Ed writes up the Rambler/Jeffery newsletter. The group is associated with the Horseless Carriage Club and they are always looking to add a Rambler or Jeffery owner though they will try and talk you into joining the HCCA. Still a small group and Ed is always looking for people to talk about their cars in print. Contact me and I'll send you through to Ed.

Hi Wayne, You did pretty good. Thomas B. Jeffrey founded the company and he died in about 1913. At that time his two sons took over the company and changed the name from Rambler to Jeffrey in their fathers honor. In 1916 Charles Nash bought the company as the two Jeffrey sons wanted out. Nash rebadged the 1916 Jeffrey cars as Nashes for 1917. Nash had been President of the GM Buick Division. He was a self made man and he knew and understood cars, their marketing and engineering. He made Nash Motors a successful company. He ran it until 1937 and wanted to semi retire and simply be Chairman of the Board. He wanted to hire George Mason to run Nash Motors, but Mason wanted to stay in Detroit running the Kelvinator Company, so Nash bought Kelvinator in order to get George Mason, and it worked. Mason ran Nash until 1954 when he died suddenly from a heart problem, I think. After George Mason, George Romney took over at the new American Motors Company which was a merger of Nash and Hudson.

So, yes,Wayne, you did pretty good. Since I live in Kenosha and worked at AMC for a couple of years and even owned a Nash and a Rambler at one time, I kind of picked up these facts along the way.

Keith

Thank you Keith G! Automotive history has been a passion of mine since I was a kid. A long-time good friend has a Rambler ('11 or "12 I think) in his fabulous collection, sharing space with Pierce Arrows, Stutzs, and so many fantastic cars (I got to sit in the Rambler once, ridden in about half the Pierce and Stutz cars). That big Rambler is an incredible car! Looks right at home next to a '10s Pierce Arrow.

I wish I could afford to bid on this Jeffery. I really need to replace a few cars I had to sell to help family, and that Jeffery would do fine.

this auction is on Tuesday evening 7/16 just outside Rochester, NY Henessey Auction house

Hi Wayne, I really enjoy automotive history also. It's a tangent to our interest in cars and for me Model T's in particular. I know my limit and another collector car is not really in the picture.... well, except maybe a '26 - '27 Touring... if the right one comes along...

Keith

If you like Automotive History you should click on the links I sent earlier (below) - they would have validated memories and provide new information.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_B._Jeffery_Company had a model called a "Rambler"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Williams_Nash Buys Jeffery - 1st job paid $8/month - died worth over 1/2 Billion in today's dollars
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Motors Nash-Kelvinator
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_ ... orporation

There is also another DNA trail. In 1912, Nash, President of GM, hired Walter P. Chrysler - Yes that Chrysler
Charles Nash on the left and Charles Jeffery on the right

Hi Frank, Thanks for the additional information on Charles Nash and Nash Motor Co. This is an interesting study and those of us in Kenosha enjoy it.
BTW, in the picture above, Charles Nash is on the right wearing light colored clothing.

Keith

Please fill us in on the particulars of this Jeffery if you would.
I remember Dale running the Jeffery Quad Truck thru its paces.

The Jeffery is now being auctioned off online only through Henessey Auction House it ends at 4pm est

Still $3200 high bid.

3 minutes to go
$6000

Sold sold sold $6000 great buy for someone

That's a steal.

If my garage wasn't already bursting at the seams, I'd have joined in on the auction. This is exactly the type of car that I love.

As it is, I can't squeeze another can of oil in right now, much less another car.

One of the main reasons it went cheap is a lot of people don t understand the online auctions

KeithG you are correct Nash on the right. Copied the photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_B._Jeffery_Company -- dyslexia happens

My buddy Jeff was heart broked he was not high bidder.