Kleiner’s Korner: A 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race Entry
Even though the Vanderbilt Cup Race was not held in 1907, manufacturers were busy planning their entries until the race was officially called off. Here is the story of the Dragon, a short lived auto manufacturer that had hoped to enter up to three cars in the race and Joe Tracy's involvement with the company.
Art Kleiner
The Dragon Automobile Company was founded in Philadelphia in 1906 to build roadsters, touring cars and racers. Unfortunately the company did not live up to its expectations as its assets were sold off in 1908.
Automobile Topics, Feb. 23, 1907
The Vanderbilt Cup Race Entries
The race cars were to be similar to their "runabout" cars and were to race in the Vanderbilt and at Ormond Beach. (The New-York Tribune, Mar. 26, 1907)
The designer and one driver was to be L. Charles Kenen of France. However, histories of the company (also detailing its financial woes) include European and American automobilist Leo Melanowski as the actual designer. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 12, 1907)
Kenen had experience with the Darracq and Clement-Byard automobile companies prior to the Dragon. (The Automobile, May 23, 1907)
The Washington Herald, July 28. 1907
New York Tribune, Oct. 26, 1907
Eventually two of three cars originally planned for the Vanderbilt Cup Race were to be built. The cars were to debut in Ormond Beach. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 18, 1907)
On the Motor Parkway
In May of 1907, the company requested permission from the Motor Parkway to build their racing headquarters" as close as possible to the official start and finish of the next Vanderbilt Race". Besides a garage for the Dragon cars, "substantial" buildings would be erected there and on additional property they had obtained to be used by the Dragon team. (Brooklyn Life, May 11, 1907)
Endurance Runs
Dragon cars were heavily promoted in trade publications, at trade shows and at endurance runs including at the Point Breeze track in Philadelphia in May, 1907. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 26, 1907)
And shown here at the 1907 AAA Endurance Run in Cleveland. (Automobile Topics, Jun. 1, 1907)
Joe Tracy as Engineering Consultant
Joe Tracy was hired as a Consulting Engineer and test drove the cars to measure its performance. (Automobile Topics, Jan. 19, 1907)
New-York Tribune, Feb. 3, 1907
Automobile Topics, Feb. 2, 1907
Tracy drove a Golden Dragon car from NYC to Philadelphia to test the use of denatured alcohol which had just been taken off as a taxable product. (New-York Tribune, Jan. 1, 1907)
Friend and mechanician Al Poole accompanied Tracy. (The Hawaiian Start, Jan. 31, 1907)
An original letter from Joe Tracy. In an earlier letter Tracy commented that this was the first time a car was driven using alcohol in this country (in the gas tank, that is). (Peter Helck Family Collection)
The Demise of the Dragon
Financial difficulties in late 1907 caused the company to be reorganized, emerging as the Dragon Motor Company. It was reported that 250 cars had been produced but 200 were locked away and being held as collateral. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Dec. 8, 1907)
And apparently the cars that had been prepared to race were not previously completed; but the new company had full intentions to proceed. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Dec. 8, 1907)
However, in the spring of 1908 the new company was placed in receivership with assets to be sold. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Mar. 29, 1908)
Gorson's Auto Exchange of Philadelphia purchased the assets and as shown here attempted to sell them off. (The Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 18, 1908)
A design from a Dragon radiator cap. While this was indicated by the source as being from a Dragon car, the dragon does not match other Dragon car logos.(americanhistory.si.edu)
A current (but unrelated except by name) reincarnation of the Dragon Motor Car company! (Dragon Motor Cars)
Comments
That’s a REALLY rare car! Now why do I get a strong flavor of the new company’s destiny following the old one’s? Sam, III
Art, Best coverage of the Dragon Automobile I have ever seen. First announcement of the formation of the Dragon Automobile Co. was made on September 11, 1906. It already had contracted for office space in New York City. John Mills, the President, who was previously associated with the Oldsmobile Co., said it would be offered for sale at $1500. First public appearance was on December 1, 1906 at the Grand Central Palace automobile show but with a price of $2000. Believe the Dragon was one of the first automobiles equipped with a steering wheel.
Art, Best research on the Dragon automobile yet. Formation of the Company was on September 11, 1906. The President John Kass Mills, was previously associated with the Oldsmobile Co. First public appearance was on December 1, 1906 at the ACA Automobile Show held at Grand Central Palace in NYC. When first announced the price was to be $1500. At the show, it was offered at $2000. Believe the Dragon was one of the first automobiles with a steering wheel.
Not hardly, Al. In “1894, Alfred Vacheron took part in the Paris–Rouen race with a Panhard 4 hp model which he had fitted with a steering wheel. That is believed to be one of the earliest employments of the principle. From 1898, the Panhard et Levassor cars were equipped as standard with steering wheels.” “In 1898, Thomas B. Jeffery and his son, Charles T. Jeffery, developed two advanced experimental cars featuring a front-mounted engine, as well as a steering wheel that was mounted on the left-hand side. - - - The following year {1903}, the Rambler Model E was largely unchanged, except that it came equipped with a tiller early in the year, but with a steering wheel by the end of 1903. By 1904, all Ramblers featured steering wheels. Within a decade, the steering wheel had entirely replaced the tiller in automobiles.” Now you know. Sam (the chop-buster), III
Photo of Joe Tracy and Al Poole at the start of the NY - Philadelphia endurance test mentioned above using denatured alcohol. This comment follows one of Sam Berliner’s last entries (if not his final one) on vanderbiltcupraces.com prior to his passing.
Meyer Gorson had a Dragon for sale in 1910, though the ad suggests that he bought it used, for resale.
I have a rare registration card for a Dragon car in Pennsylvania from 1916.
Nice Joel, thanks for sharing. I am sure not many Dragon registrations exist. Registered by almost a namesake of mine. Lol!