ELMORE

Elmore Manufacturing Co. (1899-1912)

Clyde, Ohio

This is an Elmore radiator emblem (1911-1912)     mjs
Size:63mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The Becker brothers started making bicycles and then in 1899 began to build automobiles. The Beckers built about ten single-cylinder cars before they established the Elmore Manufacturing Company in 1902. Early Elmores continued to have a single cylinder engine located under the seat but two-cylinder models were added in 1903. A dummy hood was introduced in 1904 but it was not until 1906 that the engine was moved to the front of the car. By this time, four-cylinder models were offered and a three-cylinder model became popular as a taxicab.

William Durant bought Elmore in 1909 when he was setting up General Motors. Elmore production was discontinued in 1912 after William Durant was pushed out of General Motors.

Emblems

The first Elmore cars did not carry an emblem but would have had an Elmore serial plate attached to the body.

The Elmore displayed a brass "Elmore" script attached to the radiator core from about 1907, see examples shown below. Original "Elmore" radiator scripts are rare.

This original photo shows an Elmore race car with a radiator script (1907)    hcg

This is an Elmore radiator with a radiator script (1908)      caam

The red and white enamel Elmore radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post was introduced about 1911 and is very rare.