Model 36 Touring                    Period Images    Home
Right-click on a picture, click "Open image in new tab", for an enlargeable view of some images.

The Non-stop run

On Jan. 2, 1907, Ernest R. Kelly fired up a Model 36, that he had just driven from Philadelphia to Harrisburg,
    and headed back to Philadelphia.
The car was running so well that he decided to beat the record for the number of hours an engine could run
    without being shut off - which at that point was 300, or 12-1/2 days.
From Philadelphia he drove to New York for the auto show, arriving the afternoon of the 14th.


New York Tribune, Jan. 15, 1907


This picture was taken about 2:30 PM on Jan. 19, as they waited for the roads west of NY to freeze for driveability.


Detroit Public Library



Automobile Topics, Jan. 26, 1907                                 Another picture taken at almost the same moment

Nobody looks happy, and for good reason.  They would end up going through several blinding snowstorms on the way to Buffalo.
Near Utica, the engine finally stalled due to dirt in the fuel.
By that time it had been running continuously for 21 days, 3 hourts, and 29 minutes, far and away a new record.
No mechanical repair or adjustment had been needed.
They continued the trip, reaching Chicago on Jan. 31 in time for the auto show,
The engine was shut down at midnight, after running continuously for nearly a month with only a single, non-mechanical, stop.



Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal, Feb. 1907



The Automobile, Feb. 7, 1907

This picture was printed after the run.
The fenders had taken a terrible beating from the car dropping into deep frozen ruts.
The factory retained the car for use in its chauffer school.


Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb. 9, 1907

Ernest Kelly was unfortunately killed in September while racing a Thomas in California, blinded by dust in a curve.


Automobile Topics, Sep. 7, 1907
The long-suffering non-stop car was trotted out in early September to help Governor Hughes review the NY National Guard.
Note the air tank still on the running board.

As a sign of the superb confidence that the Thomas's performance created,
    the same car, estimated to have 11,000 miles by that time, was chosen to run on the Glidden Tour later that month.