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Hupmobile
Hupmobile was a line of automobiles built from 1909 through 1939 by the Hupp Motor Car Company of Detroit. The prototype was developed in 1908.
In 1909, Bobby Hupp co-founded Hupp Motor Car Company, with Charles Hastings, formerly of Oldsmobile, who put up the first US$8,500 toward manufacturing Hupp's car. They were joined by investors J. Walter Drake, Joseph Drake, John Baker, and Edwin Denby. Drake was elected president; Hupp was vice president and general manager. Emil Nelson, formerly of Oldsmobile and Packard, joined the company as chief engineer. Hastings was named assistant general manager. In late 1909 Bobby's brother, Louis Gorham Hupp left his job with the Michigan Central Railroad in Grand Rapids and joined the company.
Hupp Motors obtained $25,000 (equal to $874,907 today) in cash deposits at the 1909 automobile show (the lowest capitalization of Detroit's eight major car makers) to begin manufacturing the Hupp 20. The first cars were built in a small building at 345 (now 1161) Bellevue Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The company immediately outgrew this space and began construction of a factory a few blocks away at E. Jefferson Avenue and Concord, next to the former Oldsmobile plant. The company produced 500 vehicles by the end of the 1909 model year (the fall of 1909). Production increased to more than 5,000 in the 1910 model year.
The Model 20's pricing was set at $900. The touring automobile was built on the same principles as the roadster. The Touring was nearly identical to the runabout aside from a longer wheelbase, a stronger frame, a stronger rear axle, and other critical pieces.
The four-cylinder engine had a bore of 3+1⁄4 inches and a stroke of 3+3⁄8 inches and was rated at 16 to 20 horsepower. The valves were on the engine's left side, with spark plugs over the inlets and relief cocks over the exhaust. The flywheel also served as a fan, and cars delivered to hot areas were equipped with an extra belt-driven fan. The engine was lubricated with a unique Hupp system containing enough oil for a 250 to 300-mile trip. The car had a 110-inch wheelbase and was fitted with 30 × 3+1⁄2-inch tires in front and 31 × 3+1⁄2-inch tires in the rear. This model never became popular partly because of the low power and only a two-speed transmission with very wide-spaced ratios. The low-speed ratio was 2.7 to one, and the high speed was direct. Reverse had the same ratio as the low, which meant that the car moved quite fast when it went backward. It had a distinct selling value in that the car was guaranteed to be free of material and workmanship problems. Furthermore, the manufacturer would replace any damaged material at no cost except for the tires.
In 1911 Hupp became one of two automakers pioneering the use of all-steel bodies, joining BSA in the U.K.
Nelson approached Hale & Kilburn Company in Philadelphia looking for help with developing an all-metal body for the Hupp 32. Hale & Kilburn had pioneered the replacement of cast iron with pressed steel for many parts for the interiors of railway carriages. According to Nelson, "None of the Detroit plants would contract" to make an all-steel body for the Hupp 32. Edward Budd and Joseph Ledwinka were employed at Hale & Kilburn at the time, Budd as the general manager and Ledwinka as engineer. Budd was interested in the project. Hale & Kilburn had built some body panels for King and Paige but Budd had grander aspirations the Hupp project would permit him to pursue.
Budd and Ledwinka worked with Nelson to develop means to manufacture Nelson's design for this body. They devised a system where the body's numerous steel stampings were welded together by hand and supported by a crude system of angle iron supports that held the welded subassemblies together. The disassembled bodies were shipped by rail to Detroit where they were put back together, painted and trimmed in the Hupmobile factory. Both the touring car and a coupe were made by this process and even one Hupmobile limousine. In 1911 no one, not Nelson, Ledwinka or Budd, thought to patent the process to manufacture all-steel bodies.
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Hupmobile AI simulator
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Hupmobile
Hupmobile was a line of automobiles built from 1909 through 1939 by the Hupp Motor Car Company of Detroit. The prototype was developed in 1908.
In 1909, Bobby Hupp co-founded Hupp Motor Car Company, with Charles Hastings, formerly of Oldsmobile, who put up the first US$8,500 toward manufacturing Hupp's car. They were joined by investors J. Walter Drake, Joseph Drake, John Baker, and Edwin Denby. Drake was elected president; Hupp was vice president and general manager. Emil Nelson, formerly of Oldsmobile and Packard, joined the company as chief engineer. Hastings was named assistant general manager. In late 1909 Bobby's brother, Louis Gorham Hupp left his job with the Michigan Central Railroad in Grand Rapids and joined the company.
Hupp Motors obtained $25,000 (equal to $874,907 today) in cash deposits at the 1909 automobile show (the lowest capitalization of Detroit's eight major car makers) to begin manufacturing the Hupp 20. The first cars were built in a small building at 345 (now 1161) Bellevue Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The company immediately outgrew this space and began construction of a factory a few blocks away at E. Jefferson Avenue and Concord, next to the former Oldsmobile plant. The company produced 500 vehicles by the end of the 1909 model year (the fall of 1909). Production increased to more than 5,000 in the 1910 model year.
The Model 20's pricing was set at $900. The touring automobile was built on the same principles as the roadster. The Touring was nearly identical to the runabout aside from a longer wheelbase, a stronger frame, a stronger rear axle, and other critical pieces.
The four-cylinder engine had a bore of 3+1⁄4 inches and a stroke of 3+3⁄8 inches and was rated at 16 to 20 horsepower. The valves were on the engine's left side, with spark plugs over the inlets and relief cocks over the exhaust. The flywheel also served as a fan, and cars delivered to hot areas were equipped with an extra belt-driven fan. The engine was lubricated with a unique Hupp system containing enough oil for a 250 to 300-mile trip. The car had a 110-inch wheelbase and was fitted with 30 × 3+1⁄2-inch tires in front and 31 × 3+1⁄2-inch tires in the rear. This model never became popular partly because of the low power and only a two-speed transmission with very wide-spaced ratios. The low-speed ratio was 2.7 to one, and the high speed was direct. Reverse had the same ratio as the low, which meant that the car moved quite fast when it went backward. It had a distinct selling value in that the car was guaranteed to be free of material and workmanship problems. Furthermore, the manufacturer would replace any damaged material at no cost except for the tires.
In 1911 Hupp became one of two automakers pioneering the use of all-steel bodies, joining BSA in the U.K.
Nelson approached Hale & Kilburn Company in Philadelphia looking for help with developing an all-metal body for the Hupp 32. Hale & Kilburn had pioneered the replacement of cast iron with pressed steel for many parts for the interiors of railway carriages. According to Nelson, "None of the Detroit plants would contract" to make an all-steel body for the Hupp 32. Edward Budd and Joseph Ledwinka were employed at Hale & Kilburn at the time, Budd as the general manager and Ledwinka as engineer. Budd was interested in the project. Hale & Kilburn had built some body panels for King and Paige but Budd had grander aspirations the Hupp project would permit him to pursue.
Budd and Ledwinka worked with Nelson to develop means to manufacture Nelson's design for this body. They devised a system where the body's numerous steel stampings were welded together by hand and supported by a crude system of angle iron supports that held the welded subassemblies together. The disassembled bodies were shipped by rail to Detroit where they were put back together, painted and trimmed in the Hupmobile factory. Both the touring car and a coupe were made by this process and even one Hupmobile limousine. In 1911 no one, not Nelson, Ledwinka or Budd, thought to patent the process to manufacture all-steel bodies.