Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Giant Screen Experience will be closed Monday, March 16, for a day of staff learning and development. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Giant Screen Experience will be closed Monday, March 16, for a day of staff learning and development. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Oldsmobile 1-cylinder Engine, circa 1903

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Artifact Overview

This single-cylinder, four-horsepower engine powered the Oldsmobile Curved Dash runabout. It has one cylinder, one piston, one connecting rod and crank, one balance wheel, and two valves. The complications of larger multi-cylinder engines were eliminated. The engine's simplicity and the vehicle's affordable $650 price made the Curved Dash runabout America's first car produced in large numbers.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Automobile engine

Date Made

circa 1903

Creators

Place of Creation

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

00.4.7077

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Steel (Alloy)
Brass (Alloy)
Paint (Coating)

Color

Silver (Color)
Black (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 20.5 in
Width: 20.25 in
Length: 36 in

Inscriptions

Cast into valve cover plate: Olds / Patent 8 / 1704 Cast into cylinder head: Motor / (4 illegible characters below) Printed on spark plug: Champion Engraved on brass oiler (flywheel side): LEFT HAND / THE LUNKENHEIMER CO. CIN. O. IDEAL NO. 0 Engraved on brass oiler (across from flywheel): THE LUNKENHEIMER CO. CIN. O. TIGER NO. 0 / PATENTED SEP. 3. 1889 - FEB. 21 1893
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