Ruxton (automobile)
Ruxton is an American automobile brand of the former New Era Motors, Inc., which was produced from 1929 to 1931 a model with front wheel drive and all-steel body.
- 2.1 Moon and Kissel
Prototype of Budd
The basis for the Ruxton, a prototype of the Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company in Philadelphia. This company specialized in producing series car bodies in large numbers for various automobile manufacturers. Budd had developed a method that permitted the production of car bodies with a full metal shaped roof, which had been previously excluded for lack of suitable press tools. The auxiliary structure instead used was intensive and slowed the manufacturing process of vehicles.
Innovations
To admire the spectacular vehicle, it was decided to equip it with the newly emerging front-wheel drive. The driving force behind the project was William Muller, a former racing car constructor. He was also responsible for the development of chassis and drive.
Budds chief engineer Joseph Ledwinka designed and constructed the body. It was obvious that he opted for a four-door sedan body for the reference vehicle. With a wheelbase of 130 inches ( 3302 mm), the car was also designed quite long.
Like the Cord L-29, which was created at the same time at Auburn, was also used here the front-wheel drive less because of its superior handling characteristics, but because he allowed an extremely low construction. The height of a conventional body was found, not least through the underbody, which had to lie flat at a safe distance from the propeller shaft on the chassis. Front-wheel drive come from without propeller shaft. Accordingly, the lower floor are recognized. The prototype was that only 1607 mm high, 25 cm less well than a conventional car of this time.
Car manufacturer seeks
Quick woke the prototype of the attention of the Wall Street financiers Archie Andrews, a board member of Budd and the Hupp Motor Car Corporation in Detroit, manufacturer of the Hupmobile. Andrews wanted to get the new car necessarily in series. So he bought the prototype and started for a manufacturer who could produce the car and wanted the search. He negotiated first with Hupp, where they were indeed interested, but it did not come to an agreement. Now Andrews went to the project itself. The beginning of 1929 he founded in New York City, the New Era Motors Inc., where he served as President and Muller as vice president. Muller was preparing the car now for series production before, during, Andrews tried to put the financing on their feet and find a production facility. So the car also got its name: Andrews named him unceremoniously after the prominent New York broker William Ruxton. This, however, has never invested a dime into the project.
Andrews negotiated unsuccessfully with Gardner in St. Louis and then got to Marmon, then one of the finest addresses in the U.S. auto industry. It was agreed and put the date of the signing of the contract on October 29, 1929 fixed. This day, however, should be remembered as " Black Tuesday " in the story - the day of the great stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Depression. Marmon moved in any case at the last minute the emergency brake. Successively Andrews went to Jordan now, Pierce -Arrow and Stutz but no one wanted to take such a risk in these times.
Moon and Kissel
Finally, Andrews also examined Moon in St. Louis, a company that was about to collapse. Andrews bought Moon shares until the company eventually controlled. Here began in the summer of 1930, the production of Ruxton. It soon became apparent that the factory was not fully meet the requirements - and Andrews was back on the search for additional production space. He found what he was at Kissel in Hartford, Wisconsin. This company, he did not need to buy, put it in financial difficulties and welcomed the prospect of a better utilization of production. Ruxton were finally made both as Moon Kissel, the most developed in Moon.
Technology and Design
When the Ruxton went into series, he had a side-valve straight-eight cylinder Continental with 268.6 cubic inch (4.4 liter) capacity and 100 bhp (75 kW) - 20 bhp less than the rival Cord L- 29th Like this the motor is rotated 180 ° was set into the chassis. Coupling and designed by Muller transmission sat right at the front. The gearbox had three gears. The first and reverse gear sat in front of the differential, the second and third behind. This allowed for a very short Motor-/Getriebekombination.
The body shape was virtually unchanged from the prototype. It was slim, low, with a long bonnet and no running boards. Ruxton were also available in the wild color combination with up to eight shades. Most also received ' available as brand-independent Accessories " Woodlite " headlights. This should focus the light to a narrow and powerful beam.
The end
The depression had the number of potential buyers for the Ruxton, and in general for a car in the 3000 U.S. $ price range drastically reduced. And from those who were able to and did, many opted for the more mature competitor Cord L- 29th
Whether the end for Ruxton came the end of 1930 or early 1931, is not fully understood. Approximately 500 units have been built. Gardner, Moon, Kissel, Jordan, Marmon and Stutz had at the very beginning of the economic crisis to give up. Pierce -Arrow was followed in 1938. Cord produced the L- 29-1933 and took the 810/812 of 1936-37 a second attempt. Hupmobile closed 1941 - ironically, after a model had been produced recently with the Skylark, whose body had been developed from the molds of the front-wheel drive Cord 812.
While able to establish itself in Europe, the front-wheel drive ( DKW, Adler, Citroën) should arise again in the U.S. until 1966 a production car with front-wheel drive: the Oldsmobile Toronado.
Very few Ruxton still exist. All have the status as "Full Classic" of the Classic Car Club of America ( CCCA ).