1906 Winton Model K

Alexander Winton of Cleveland Ohio was a true pioneer and promoter of early automobiles.  He built bicycles in the 1890s and experimented with automobiles.  By 1897 he established the Winton Motor Carriage Co and was producing single cylinder cars for sale by 1899. This 1906 Model K was a 4-cylinder car claiming 30 HP.   Winton pursued the upper end consumer and by 1908 he would produce 6-cylinder cars only through the end of production in 1924.  This model carried a hefty $2500 base price.

The wheelbase was a mere 102 inches but the body and trim was very stylish and was capable of carrying 7 passengers.  The engine was fairly typical of the age and employed atmospheric intake which meant that the intake valves were operated not by a camshaft but by being opened because the piston was going down and the vacuum created, sucked the valve open.  This design, though simple, restricted air flow somewhat and power was impacted.  The transmission was conventional for the time but only provided two speeds forward which was adequate mostly but if you were climbing a modest hill that would require downshifting, you found yourself in low which reduced your speed significantly.   A couple years later these designs were amended, and Winton went on to be seen as one of America’s premier cars brands.