 Leach-Biltwell 1922 advertisement | |
| Type | Stock company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automobile manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Leach Motor Car Co. |
| Founded | Los Angeles, California, U.S. (1919) |
| Founder | Martin Andrew Leach |
| Defunct | 1924 |
| Fate | Ceased trading |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California , U.S. |
| Products | Leach Power-Plus Six |
Leach-Biltwell Motor Company manufactured and distributed the Leach luxury automobile from 1919 to 1924 in Los Angeles, California. [1]
Leach-Biltwell Motor Company was a west-coast automobile manufacturer. Martin Andrew Leach of the Leach Motor Car Company formed Leach-Biltwell for automobile coachbuilding and customization. In 1919 the company was re-capitalized and began producing complete automobiles. Leach purchased the Republic Truck Company factory and began production of the Leach Power-Plus Six motorcar. [1]
In 1922 the company again re-capitalized and expanded by purchasing the Miller Engine and Foundry works. Harry A. Miller became a vice-president of Leach-Biltwell and developed a new engine for the company. In 1923 the company was in financial trouble and introduced a smaller automobile called the California. In 1924, the company moved to a smaller factory and discontinued the Leach Power-Plus Six. [2] [1]
The Leach Power-Plus Six used a model 9N Red Seal Continental 303.1 cubic inch 60 hp inline six-cylinder engine. [1] Touring coachwork on a 128-inch wheelbase featured two or four door body styles. Leach popularized the distinctive "California top" that was a precursor of the "hardtop" body style thirty years later. [1] In 1922 the engine was changed to a Miller model 999 100 hp Ohc six-cylinder engine, on a 134-inch wheelbase. This technically advanced engine had teething troubles and many were replaced with Continentals. [2]
For luxury customization, the Leach included a tilt and telescoping steering column, removable steering wheel (to be used as an anti-theft feature), a directional signal/stop light box with a dashboard switch, lighted aluminum steps instead of running boards, a one piece windshield and disc wheels with chromium rims. [3]
The Leach was priced in 1920 from $5,200 to a high in 1922 of $6,500 (equivalent to $113,640in 2022). From 218 to 264 cars (chassis with and without factory bodies) were produced. [3] [1]
Leach-Biltwell displayed a Leach at the 1920 Chicago Auto Show. Although primarily sold in California, with the slogan "The Aristocrat of Motordom", Leach advertised in major magazines to attract national attention. [2]
The Locomobile Company of America was a pioneering American automobile manufacturer founded in 1899, and known for its dedication to precision before the assembly-line era. It was one of the earliest car manufacturers in the advent of the automobile age. For the first two years after its founding, the company was located in Watertown, Massachusetts. Production was transferred to Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1900, where it remained until the company's demise in 1929. The company manufactured affordable, small steam cars until 1903, when production switched entirely to internal combustion-powered luxury automobiles. Locomobile was taken over in 1922 by Durant Motors and eventually went out of business in 1929. All cars ever produced by the original company were always sold under the brand name Locomobile.
The Adams Company is an American manufacturing concern. It was founded in 1883 and is based in Dubuque, Iowa, United States.
Smith & Mabley was an American veteran era importer of European automobiles and produced the American C. G. V. automobile in 1902, and the S & M Simplex automobile from 1904 to 1907, in New York City.
St. Louis Motor Carriage Company was a manufacturer of automobiles at 1211–13 North Vandeventer Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri, founded by George Preston Dorris and John L. French in 1898, with French taking charge of marketing and Dorris heading engineering and production. St. Louis Motor Carriage was the first of many St. Louis automakers and produced automobiles from 1899 to 1907.
Stevens-Duryea was an American manufacturer of Veteran and Brass Era automobiles in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, between 1901 and 1915 and Vintage Cars from 1919 to 1927.
The Bentley S1 was a luxury car produced by Bentley Motors Limited from 1955 until 1959. The S1 was derived from Rolls-Royce's complete redesign of its standard production car after World War II, the Silver Cloud. Each was its maker's last standard production car with an independent chassis. The S-series Bentley was given the Rolls-Royce - Bentley L Series V8 engine in late 1959 and named the S2. Twin headlamps and a facelift to the front arrived in late 1962, resulting in the S3. In late 1965, the S3 was replaced by the new unitary construction Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow-derived T series.
The Premier Motor Manufacturing Company built the brass era and vintage Premier luxury automobile in Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1903 to 1925.
The Lexington was an automobile manufactured in Connersville, Indiana, from 1910 to 1927. From the beginning, Lexingtons, like most other Indiana-built automobiles, were assembled cars, built with components from many different suppliers. The Thoroughbred Six and Minute Man Six were popular Lexington models.
McFarlan was a luxury American automobile manufactured in Connersville, Indiana, from 1909 to 1928, by the McFarlan Carriage Company and the McFarlan Motor Car Company.
F. B. Stearns and Company, later known as F. B. Stearns Company was an American manufacturer of luxury cars in Cleveland, Ohio marketed under the brand names Stearns from 1900 to 1911 then Stearns-Knight from 1911 until 1929.
Crane-Simplex was the common name of the Simplex Crane Model 5 luxury automobile, produced by the Simplex Automobile Company in New Brunswick, New Jersey, from 1915 to 1918.
Barley Motor Car Co. was a manufacturer of luxury automobiles in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Streator, Illinois. It manufactured the Roamer automobile (1916–29) and briefly, the Barley (1922–24), and the Pennant (1924–25).
Standard Motor Construction Company (1904-1905) was the successor to the U. S. Long Distance Automobile Company (1900-1903) of Jersey City, New Jersey. The American Veteran Era Long Distance automobile was developed into the Standard automobile in 1904.
Spaulding was used as an automobile marque by two separate companies. The Spaulding Automobile and Motor Company of Buffalo, New York built Veteran Era automobiles in 1902 and 1903. Spaulding Manufacturing Company of Grinnell, Iowa built Brass Era automobiles from 1910 to 1916.
The Matheson was a luxury American automobile manufactured from 1903 to 1912, first in Grand Rapids, Michigan, then Holyoke, Massachusetts and from 1906 in a purpose-built factory in Forty Fort, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
The Metz Company was a pioneer brass era automobile maker established by Charles Herman Metz in Waltham, Massachusetts, from 1909 to 1922.
The Cole Motor Car Company was an early automobile maker based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Cole automobiles were built from 1908 until 1925. They were quality-built luxury cars. The make is a pioneer of the V-8 engine.
The Commonwealth Motors Corporation was a luxury auto company that produced cars from 1917 to 1922. The company was founded in Chicago as Partin-Palmer company in 1913, but in 1915 got into financial trouble. So, in 1917, the name was changed to Commonwealth, and production was moved to Joliet, Illinois.
The Packard Twelve was a range of V12-engined luxury automobiles built by the Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit, Michigan. The car was built from model year 1916 until 1923, then it returned 1933 until 1939. As a sign of changing times, the majority of second generation Packard Twelves received standard bodywork, with custom bodywork gradually losing favor. Many of the custom cars were actually only "semi-customs", with Dietrich assembling Packard-made bodies with special touches.