Covert (automobile)
The Covert Motor Vehicle Company, before Byron V. Covert & Company was an American manufacturer of automobiles and light Voiturettes at the beginning of the 20th century.
The company was founded in 1902 to produce a steam car that BV Covert had previously developed. Ultimately, he refrained and instead began in Lockport (New York) with the production of a light car with a petrol engine. According to company documents, the seat of administration in Rochester was (New York). Despite changing the original planning of the Covert 3 HP Runabout an office in New York City, Fickling & Fulton went in late summer of 1902 in series, to the 248 West / 54th Street, established himself in the fall.
The car had a lying housed under the driver's seat single-cylinder engine with a power of 3 hp according to former formula, usually by NACC ( National Automobile Chamber of Commerce) or ALAM ( Association of Licenced Automobile Manufacturers ). It is interesting Cooling: air for the cylinder and water ( Thermosiphonkühlung ) for the cylinder head. The radiator seems to have been mounted under the floor, because on a contemporary photo it is not visible from the front. The power transmission is made via a two-speed gearbox and chain to the rear axle. A reverse gear did not exist. Was steered by a lever; the steering column at the far right was mounted vertically next to the driver's seat (all Covert were typical of the period RHD). The car had a suspension, which consisted of two Elliptikfedern per axle, each with a leaf spring, and delicate -looking wire -spoke wheels. The wheelbase was 1575 mm (62 inches). With a retail price of U.S. $ 600, the Covert was competitive. In the trade press, he was sometimes called Covert Motorette
Covert Chainless
Already at the New York Motor Show in January 1903 showed Covert a second, slightly larger model. This new Covert Chainless had a water-cooled, single-cylinder engine of the popular De Dion -Bouton engine modeled with 5 hp and manual ignition timing. The chassis consisted of square tubes. Instead of wire spoke wheels used Covert now those with wooden spokes (so-called artillery wheels). This model was only available as a runabout for two people. Its construction after the Panhard principle ( front engine, rear drive axle ) was much more modern than that of the 3 -horsepower car. The honeycomb radiator worked again with the thermo-siphon principle and was attached to the front section in front of the hood. Under this the now standing built-in motor worked. His power was no longer transmitted through a chain ( " Chainless " = without chain), but via a shaft to the interlocked with the rear axle, two-speed gearbox with helical gear teeth " transaxle " construction.
The advertising pointed to a conventional transmission, while probably by mistake takes a reference to a planetary gear drive in a contemporary report. Sure there were now a reverse gear. The steering arm was replaced by a steering wheel. The car had two brakes and a locking device; was operated with a lever and the other with the pedal. Normally grip a brake to the rear wheels and the other to the differential; this can be found but the Covert is no exact information. The manufacturer put a value on the indication that all working parts are encapsulated.
Covert campaigned for the Chainless with the slogan " Artistic in design, superior in design, thoroughly modern. Fast enough for good roads, powerful enough for the poor. "
While the price for the 3 -horsepower car on U.S. $ 500 was lowered cost of new Covert Chainless U.S. $ 750
Covert Motor Vehicle Company
1904, the company was renamed Covert Motor Vehicle Company. There was a new vehicle program; the 3 -hp model was discontinued and a larger and stronger Chainless replaced the 5 -horsepower runabout. The engine now made 6 ½ hp,
The wheelbase was 1829 mm ( 72 inches ) On the occasion of the Universal Exposition of 1904 St. Louis was a reliability test of Buffalo ( New York) to St Louis ( Missouri) performed at which a Covert Chainless reached only member of his class to your destination.
Four-cylinder model
At the same time appeared with the new 20/24 hp for the first time a four-cylinder model of Covert. This car comprises a total cost U.S. $ 2,250, had a wheelbase of 2388 mm (94 inches) and was only available as a five-seater touring.
For 1905, there was little change. The price of the Chainless was lowered to U.S. $ 650. Covert suffered always to under-capitalization, which has both a restriction of sales to the state of New York expressed as well as the restriction on the Chainless 1906 It may have been built by the beginning of 1908.; officially the vehicle production in 1907 has been set. After that Covert concentrated on the production of components for automobiles, mostly suspension parts and axles.
Covert -Jackson
Some copies of the Chainless seem to have arrived in the UK as a Covert -Jackson in the sale.