The company first concentrated on electric vehicles but soon began producing gasoline-engined cars. National produced a range of four, six, and twelve-cylinder passenger vehicles, as well as numerous successful racing cars. In 1923, National was merged into Associated Motor Industries, which subsequently went out of business in 1924.
History
1905 National - Electric or gasoline
Production models
National's first vehicle was the tiller-steered electric runabout Style A in 1900. The single electric motor was situated at the rear of the car, producing 9 hp (6.7 kW). A 4-speed herring bone transmission was fitted. The reinforced wood-framed car could reach 15 mph (24 km/h). In 1903, the company began producing internal combustion-engined cars with four-cylinder engines made by Rutenber. Electric cars were dropped from production in 1905.
For 1905, a circular radiator became a styling signature of the National brand.[2] National introduced one of the first six-cylinder engines in the 1906 model range, which remained available until the breakup of the company.[2]
1913 National Series V-N3 Tonneau
Peak production for National was reached in 1915, with over 1,800 cars produced. For 1916, the company introduced the Highway Twelve, a 12-cylinder engine of the company's own design [3] (costing over $1,900[4]) and changed its name to National Motor and Vehicle Corporation. Curiously, the 6-cylinder engine option was priced higher than the 12-cylinder, perhaps because National outsourced the 6-cylinder to Continental under the "Continental Red Seal" moniker.[2]
1910 National 40 Indianapolis at the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Forced to raise their asking prices to counteract the effects of wartime inflation, National ended up in a higher price range in which they could not compete.[3] For 1920, National dropped their Highway Sixes and Twelves and issued a new model – the Sextet.[3] The Sextet used a Continental side-valve six-cylinder, modified by National engineers with an overhead valve head.[3]
Merger
The company was merged to form Associated Motor Industries in 1922 along with Dixie Flyer and Jackson.[5] Associated was renamed the National Motors Corporation in 1923, and few cars were made until the company ceased production in 1924.[5]
National had the most enviable and successful career of all of the American pre-World War I race cars. For instance, in 1911, in a combination of road races, speedway races, hill climbs and dirt track races, they won a total of 84 times, came in second 48 times and third 30 times.[6]
The Elgin National Road Races as well as the Illinois Trophy was won by a National 6-cylinder in 1911.[2][7] In 1912, Joe Dawson won the Indianapolis 500 in a National with an average speed of 78.7 mph.[2] This was the first and only time a stock car ever won the Indianapolis 500.[6]
Advertisements
National Six - 1907.
A 1910 National Automobile Advertisement - Syracuse Post-Standard, June 11, 1910
A 1920 National Automobile Advertisement - The Syracuse Herald, July 18, 1910
A 1920 advertisement in Topics magazine, October 20, 1920.
References
^Clymer, Floyd (1950). Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877-1925. New York: Bonanza Books. p. 109.
^ abcdeGeorgano, G. L., ed. (1971). Encyclopedia of American Automobiles (2nd ed.). London: Rainbird Reference Books. p. 142. ISBN0-525-097929.
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
