Buckeye (Peoples Automobile Company)
The People's Automobile Company and also as Buckeye Automobile Company was an early American manufacturer of buses and light passenger cars and one of the first companies to offer automobiles as a kit car . The brand names was as People's and Buckeye.
History
The company was founded in 1900 in Cleveland , Ohio . Paul Gaeth was hired as a designer. The goal was the production of buses . In the same year began the production of passenger cars and buses . From 1901, another model supplemented the range, which was marketed as Buckeye and was also available as a kit car . In January 1902, the bankruptcy began .Gath later founded the Gaeth Motor Car Company .
In the year 1900, a long strike of local tram staff took place in Cleveland. This gave resident business people the idea of building buses to carry passengers. The People's Automobile Company was for this purpose with a capital of 50,000 US dollars with the "People's Rail-less Streetcar" It seems that the company approached something naïve; the striking workers barely allowed any alternative means of transport to undermine their strike. The proposed bus was with a length of 6,71 m (22 feet) and 26 seats hopelessly too heavy for the single-cylinder engine with up to 3 hp The designer of the Rail-less Streetcar was the local engineer Paul Gaeth , who had previously built his own car with the Gaethmobile. However, he had great difficulty getting a first prototype up and running. Finally, a few copies were completed. The anticipated problems with underpowering occurred; it was probably sold a few of these buses.
Most, however, the engine was removed to use it in a light, two-seat runabout . But the lying under the seat mounted engine was far better suited. The People's Runabout was a conventional construction with wire spoke wheels , a drive chain that ran longitudinally centered to the differential on the rear axle , and the usual steering lever; Steering wheels prevailed later. A contemporary shot shows no drumsat the wheels, suggesting that the lever mounted to the right of the driver acts to slow down either the transmission or the differential (or both). The vehicle was sold for $ 650; a price equivalent to that of the popular Oldsmobile Curved Dash with initially 4 ½ hp, six cars of this brand were created.
As the Brand name Buckeye Here, the single-cylinder engine made 2.75 hp. The engine was mounted under the seat. The steering lever was in the middle of the vehicle. The vehicle had wire spoke wheels. Body shape was a two-seat runabout. The kit included all items except the body and the tires. The price was $ 447.50. As a complete vehicle, the company demanded $ 1,000. A source suspects that the large price difference should encourage those interested to buy the kit instead of the complete vehicle.
It appears that a subsidiary, the Buckeye Automobile Company , was founded to do so . The customer could order the car for $ 1,000 ex works or as a kit (without body and wheels) for $ 447.50.
There was no link to the Logan Construction Company and the Buckeye Wagon & Motor Car Company , which used the same brand name Buckeye .
