4 hp, single-cylinder engine, two-speed planetary transmission, solid front axle and live rear axle with full-elliptic leaf springs, and two-wheel mechanical brakes.

• Rare early motor car with sporty runabout body

• Ideal for one- and two-cylinder touring

Like many earlier auto manufacturers, Thomas Jeffery started with bicycles; in fact his Rambler car took its name from the brand of his cycles. Jeffery built a single-cylinder car in 1897, and his son Charles built two more, considerably more sophisticated, the following year. By 1900, however, the Jefferys were on the show circuit, taking their car to Chicago in September and to the first national auto show in New York that November.

The public and press were both very enthusiastic. Encouraged by this warm reception, the Jefferys sold out the bicycle business to Colonel Albert Pope’s American Bicycle Company. A new factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin set the stage for introduction of the Rambler automobile in February 1902. Production of 1,500 cars that year made the company one of the top three manufacturers in America.

This 1902 Rambler runabout was restored in the 1950s. It has recently been updated and refreshed to sharp cosmetic and mechanical condition. Finished in red with black mudguards, gold coach-lining and black buttoned upholstery, it has a single self-generating acetylene headlamp and Dietz kerosene side-lamps. The cylindrical fuel tank on the rear deck is bound by a pair of brass ends on both sides. Red wood-spoke wheels have black tyres and brass hub caps. The car’s history is documented in 1950s Rambler Club newsletters, and it is included in ’50s listings of surviving 1902 Ramblers. A generous documentation file, including reproduction parts schematics, owner’s and repair manuals, ownership documents and titles, comes with the car, accumulated during its long history of conscientious preservation and display. It also has a set of display or storage stands that mount to the wheel hub, relieving weight from the springs and tyres. An electric starter has been installed to supplement the side-mounted crank. It abounds in intricate details that will delight its owner and spectators alike.

A reduced import tax of 5% may be applicable to this car. For further explanation please speak with an RM representative.