Piedmont (1917 automobile)

Piedmont is the name of three American automakers, which were founded independently in the early years of the 20th century.

Piedmont Buggy Company ( 1908)

The Piedmont Buggy Company was founded by WC Heath, OW Kochtitzky and TJ Paine in the summer of 1908 in Monroe ( North Carolina). The company brought in during the year out a fully rubber-tired buggy engine with air-cooled 10 hp engine. The vehicle weighed 362 kg and was produced in small series. Early in 1909, joined the company reopened their doors.

Piedmont Car Manufacturing Company (1911 -? )

The Piedmont Car Manufacturing Company was founded by Robert F. Butler, WL mire and H. Knight, in the autumn of 1911 in Fairburn (Georgia ). The initial capital was $ 100,000. About the further history of the company is not known. It is also unclear whether there ever was a car manufacturing.

Piedmont Motor Car Company (1917-1922)

The Piedmont Motor Car Company was established in 1917 in Lynchburg (Virginia ) by WA Taylor. Initially there were two models bolted together, the 4-30 and 6-40. The touring car bodies came from the Norwalk Motor Car Company in Martinsburg (West Virginia) and resembled strikingly contemporary cars from Hudson. The engine of the 4-30, a four-cylinder in-line engine, came from Lycoming, the of 6-40, a six-cylinder in-line engine from Continental. From 1919, at least the body shells were in their own home. Usually, both were models that looked very similar to green lacquered.

In the years 1917-1919 caused about 500 cars a year, with only a portion of the vehicles had their own models. In addition were similar vehicles for other manufacturers, for example, Bush and Marshall in Chicago or Lone Star in Texas, built. It was not until 1920, are promoting the products produced under its own name on a modest scale. Success was to be desired; Finally, you could equip the police in Lynchburg at least with Piedmont vehicles.

More and more jobs for the manufacture of other brands, the company received from other car manufacturers. By producing its own models now stepped completely into the background and a misguided purchase policy in October 1922 led eventually to bankruptcy. In the warehouse, parts had accumulated in the impressive value of U.S. $ 225,000. A foundation as Virginia Motors, Inc. but failed in 1923.

Models

Source

Kimes, Beverly Ray & Clark jr. Henry Austin: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942, Krause Publications, Iola WI (1985 ), ISBN 0-87341-045-9

• Former Automobile Manufacturers Association ( United States)
• Company (North Carolina)
• Company (Georgia )
• Company (Virginia)