Matchbox Monday- Early Years

Matchbox Monday- Early Years

Welcome to another episode of Matchbox Monday. In today's episode, we have some very early cars.

1908 Ford Model T
Lesney Matchbox Models Of Yesteryear Y-12 1909 Thomas Flyabout

The Thomas has a few superglue spots(tire holder broke, holding roof supports and one on roof for the support), but a great display piece. You see these often missing the top, as it gets loose and warped over the years.

1909 THOMAS FLYER MODEL K 6-7"FLYABOUT"
A recent Bonhams Auction had a Flyabout listed.
748 cu in, T-Head Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Single Carburetor, 70hp
4-Speed Manual Transmission with chain final drive
Semi-Elliptic Leaf Suspension
2-Wheel Brakes

BIKES, TRIKES, MOTORCYCLES AND CARS
Erwin Ross (E. R.) Thomas was in the bicycle business prior to manufacturing automobiles. In the 1890s, E. R. was the managing director for a company that produced the famous Cleveland bicycle.

He saw the newly emerging automobile market and left Lozier to take over the Buffalo Automobile and Auto-Bi company, which was known for its production of bicycles and motorcycle engines. In 1900 E. R. changed the company name to Thomas Auto-Bi.
"The Auto-Bi is generally considered to be the first production motorized bicycle made in the United States. Later to be joined by the Auto-Tri, a three-wheeled motorcycle, and the Auto-Two Tri, a motorcycle that could hold three riders."

T BEFORE A, BUT ACTUALLY AFTER S
How did the model T come before A? It didn't. There was models A,B,C, ETC.

"The Model K was a big six cylinder car that Henry Ford hated, but his stockholders insisted he build. Ford kept experimenting with various models. Not all models were offered for sale. He progressed to Models N,R,&S which were similar cars that had obvious external differences. In 1908, Ford offered an improved car that became the Model T. Then, in 1928, Ford started the alphabet again with the Model A to symbolize that the new Model A had no connection to the Model T."

T FOR TIN LIZZIE OR TIN CAN?
Also called "leaping Lena," "jitney" or "flivver". Another popular theory claims:
"That during a 1922 race at Pikes Peak, Colorado, participant Noel Bullock named his Model T “Old Liz,” but its unkempt state made people compare it to a tin can, earning it the “Tin Lizzie” moniker. Unexpectedly, Bullock's car won and the nickname stuck to all Model Ts."

***As always lots of history, links to more in comments***