Knox Model R 7-Passenger Touring
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Car producer : |
Knox |
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Model: |
Model R 7-Passenger Touring |
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Year: |
1909-1910 |
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Type: |
Tourer |
Even its propulsion was of a unique design; the single-cylinder engine was air-cooled by means of steel pins, screwed into the sides of the cylinder walls. This expanded the cooling surface of the engine and allowed it to be cooled simply by the air flowing over it. Thus the Knox was one of the earliest air-cooled American cars. It became popularly known as the "Porcupine." The three-wheeled design lasted only through 1901, but air-cooling remained a Knox feature well into the decade.
The Knox Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States between 1900 and 1914. Knox also built trucks and farm tractors until 1924.
The Knox Automobile Company was established in 1900 and built 15 cars their first year.
The 1904 Knox was a runabout model. The angle iron-framed car weighed 1850 lb (839 kg) and used side springs. It could seat 2 passengers.
The Knox 2-cylinder air-cooled engine had a rather massive 275 cubic-inch displacement and cylinder barrels were studded with 2-inch pins for cooling. The resulting prickly appearance caused some Knox owners to favour the nickname "Old Porcupine" for their cars. The engine was mounted midship in the chassis and was connected to a 2-speed manual planetary transmission, driving the rear wheels through chains. A tiller provided steering from the car's left-side driving position.
Two-cylinder styles for 1904 included the "Tuxedo" Touring car, "Touraine" Stanhope or Runabout and the "Tudor" Surrey as offered here. The Touraine Stanhope featured a flat rear deck, suitable for carrying luggage and spares, while the Tuxedo and Tudor models had a large rear seat mounted in that area. Seating for two auxiliary passengers was provided on all models and was neatly concealed when not needed in the forward body structure.
The Knox was a relatively large and moderately expensive car in its time. The 1904 Touraine Stanhope spanned an 84-inch wheelbase and sold new for $2000. By way of comparison, a contemporary single-cylinder (98cid) Model B Cadillac Runabout had a 76-inch wheelbase and listed for $80 and the engine was rated at half the power. A Knox entry in the 1906 Glidden Tour finished the endurance run with a perfect score, contributing to the car's reputation for durability.
Harry Knox parted way with his company in 1904 and by 1906 a more conventional four-cylinder car was in production. In 1908 a well-engineered water cooled four was introduced featuring the innovative use of overhead-valves for both intake and exhaust. By 1910 the Knox four would feature a full five-inch cylinder bore coupled to a short 4 ¾ stroke to produce a remarkably "revy" engine for the time. The chain drive was discarded in favour of the quiet and modern shaft drive system. This new model was well received but carried a hefty price between $2900 and $6000 depending on coachwork.
The New model was rated at a taxable 40hp but thanks to its innovative valve train it rated quite a bit higher. The power was run through a finely engineered aluminium cased, three-speed transmission. Overall the car struck an excellent balance of great performance in a good size and manageable car.
