Kleiner’s Korner: Willie K’s Simplex Test Driver
Walter B. Reynolds had automobiles in his blood from his early days as a test driver to an automobile salesperson. A well known automobile enthusiast in New Brunswick, NJ his career spanned decades and included connections with Willie K. and the Long Island Motor Parkway.
Art Kleiner
Testing Simplex autos earned Reynolds the distinction of breaking nearly every bone in his body! One such Simplex was Willie K's. 75 H.P. model that he tested by going 104 mph on the Motor Parkway. (The New Brunswick Times Dec. 15, 1918)
Speeding on the Motor Parkway and other "country roads" was one way Reynolds tested his cars as speeding on state roads was prohibited by the Simplex company and the police. (Central New Jersey Home News Mar. 14, 1914)
Here's Reynolds starting out on a test run in 1914. The license plate indicates its manufacturers car 3. (Central New Jersey Home News Jan. 19 ,1936)
Walter B. Reynolds, 1898 - 1951. (Central New Jersey Home News Mar. 3, 1935)
One of many accidents in which Reynolds sustained injuries, this time two broken ribs. (Perth Amboy Evening News Sept. 10, 1914)
Thousand mile tests of the cars were conducted on roads including the course of the Vanderbilt Cup Race on Long Island. (Central New Jersey Home News Jan. 19 ,1936)
Reynolds is listed as an "Auto Tester" at age 24 in this 1915 census record. (U.S. Census, 1915)
And employed in a garage in 1920. (U.S. Census, 1920)
Reynolds worked at the Packer House Garage at the intersection of Smith and High Street in Perth Amboy, NJ. (Perth Amboy Evening News Jan. 11, 1910))
The Packer House Garage is shown in this layout of the Packer House Hotel.
The Packer House was on the route of the 1909 New York - Atlanta Good Roads Tour. Notice the banner advertising the garage on the top right. Additional Spooner & Wells photos of cars that stopped at the Packer House can be found on the Detroit Public Library digital file collection. (Detroit Public Library Digital Collection)
The historic building served various purposes including servicing automobiles, producing airplanes and as a shelter for persons displaced as a result of a munitions explosion in 1918 at the T.A. Gillespie Company Shell Loading plant. In a bit of irony, the building itself was destroyed in a 1969 firel (Perth Amboy Evening News Jun. 30, 1910)
Reynolds also had his own automobile sales and servicing business in New Brunswick. (Central New Jersey Home News May 23, 1920)
His business handled Roamer, Chandler and Scripps-Booth cars. (Central New Jersey Home News Oct. 25, 1920)
Reynolds shown in this 1930 census record as being an automobile salesperson. (U.S. Census, 1930)
Reynolds' automobile business did well as he also sold Hudson and Essex autos. His expectations were high going into 1930. (Central New Jersey Home News Jan. 19 ,1930)
Starting as a $12 a week mechanic, Reynolds' "spunk and intestinal fortitude" proved valuable qualities throughout his career. (Central New Jersey Home News Apr. 1, 1934)
In 1935, he became associated with a Ford agency. (Central New Jersey Home News Mar. 3, 1935)
An interesting milestone for a 1915 Simplex, possibly tested by Reynolds. (Central New Jersey Home News Jan. 19 ,1936)
How many cars today will make it to 300,000 miles? FYI - the owner of the car, Herbert L. Satterlee owned a country estate on Long Island; I wonder if he might have used the car on the Motor Parkway. (Central New Jersey Home News Jan. 19, 1936)
Again listed as an automoble salesperson in this 1940 census record. (U.S. Census, 1940)
The life of Walter B. Reynolds was certainly one of danger (at least in his early days) as he proved to be a key figure in the automobile trade in New Jersey. And it included a connection to Willie K. and the Motor Parkway!
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