During 1905, the Stanley Motor Carriage Company began introducing several new series of steam cars, ushering in a whole new era of manufacture. Moving the boiler out from under the seat to the front of the chassis allowed more space for passengers, as well as larger boilers. The boiler venturis, being at the extreme front, were force-fed by the forward movement of the car, resulting in better combustion. The forward-mounted boilers featured a curved-front hood, giving rise to the nickname “coffin nose.” From then until the adoption of condensers in 1915, all models used some variation on this theme.

In 1906, Stanley introduced its lightweight Model EX, which not only featured a sporting Runabout body constructed of wood, but also an innovative adjustable rear seat that could be moved rearward to provide additional room for passengers or slid forward to convert the rear area to storage. A twin-cylinder, 10-horsepower steam engine propelled the Model EX to speeds in excess of 55 mph—a feat which production combustion-powered automobiles would not reach with regularity until 1915. Nearly 20 Model EX specimens exist today, but just six are “Cars of Record” in The Stanley Register, with full history from their time of manufacture.

Most current Model EXs, of which this is an excellent example, have been fashioned from parts of other cars and with bodies and chassis built anew in wood, as the cars were originally constructed. Although not as prestigious as “Cars of Record,” these newer examples are well respected in the Stanley community, especially for on-road touring. Stanley owners, above all, love to drive their cars, and frequently value utility above strict historic accuracy. Safety upgrades—hydraulic brakes for example—are readily accepted for cars used in touring.

According to this Model EX’s history file and The Stanley Register, it was discovered as a “barn find” in Massachusetts during the 1960s. It later passed to Jasper Glenn Wiglesworth of Kansas City, Missouri, and then circled its way back to Massachusetts where it remained within a private collection during the nineties.

By 2004, this extremely rare Stanley Model EX had entered the ownership of the noted Oldsmobile authority Gary Hoonsbeen, who immediately set about disassembling the car entirely and correcting its previous subpar restoration. The following six years saw Hoonsbeen deconstruct, restore, and rebuild the car entirely.

In 2020, the consignor purchased this Model EX from Hoonsbeen’s estate and fitted a new boiler, steam siphon, and whistle, and upgraded the car with hydraulic disc brakes for much improved touring use. Having been enjoyed on two tours through Northern Florida and Virginia, this incredible Stanley is ready for its next owner to fire up and embark on further adventures far and wide.