Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Century Old Tech - The 1906 Adams-Farwell

In contrast to yesterday's 21st Century Technology with a $25 SDR, the email today was this really unique car from 1906, the Adams Farwell.  Watch it in full screen. 



The email read:
This is the ONLY 'Adams-Farwell' automobile left in existence. They were made in Dubuque, Iowa, between 1890-1913. This one uses a 50 HP rotary engine similar to engines in old airplanes but the pistons are still and the cylinders move. With 50 HP... it probably really scooted down the roads back then !!
During the video, the guy exhibiting the car said they have one spare engine, and the Smithsonian has another.  They only know of these three engines are left in existence.

The only engines remotely like this that I've ever seen operating were made by home machinists.  They're fun to watch.

5 comments:

  1. It even sounds like an airplane!

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  2. Yeah, it's really cool. Like I said, I've seen rotary engines operating at a home shop machinist show, NAMES. They're really cool to watch. Never seen one an airplane.

    But I had no idea car engines this advanced were around in 1906!

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  3. You have absolutely made Bobbi's day. :)

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  4. I saw that this past summer at the National Automobile Museum in Reno. I didn't get to see it run, though.

    Everything in that museum runs. Everything has been restored to factory specs.

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