Elmore Manufacturing Company was a manufacturer of veteran and brass eraautomobiles and bicycles (1893–97),[1] headquartered at 504 Amanda Street,[2]Clyde, Ohio, from 1893 until 1912. The company took its name from a small parcel of land in Clyde with the name Elmore associated with it where a stave mill was established originally, then evolved into bicycle production.[3] The village of Elmore, Ohio is located 20mi (32.2km) to the east. Founded by Harmon Von Vechten Becker and his two sons, James and Burton, the Elmore used a two-stroke engine design, in straight twin or single-cylinder versions. They later produced a straight-3 followed by a straight-4 beginning in 1906 until production ended in 1912. The company advertising slogan was "The Car That Has No Valves", referring to the two-stroke engine.[3]
1908 Elmore Model 401908 Elmore at Crawford museum in Cleveland
The first car was offered in 1900 with two body styles seating either two or four passengers with a single cylinder engine producing 6hp with a 62" wheelbase. The roadster was listed for US$750 ($27,468 in 2023 dollars [4]) By 1904 the Model 9 was the Elmore ConvertibleRunabout. Equipped with a tonneau, it could seat four passengers and sold for just US$850 ($28,824 in 2023 dollars [4]), making it one of the least-expensive vehicles on the market. The flat-mounted single-cylinder engine, situated at the center of the car, produced 6.5hp (4.8kW). A 2-speed transmission was fitted. The car weighed 1050lb (476kg).
The Elmore Runabout was next in line. It could seat two passengers and sold for US$800 ($27,129 in 2023 dollars [4]). The vertically mounted Straight-twin engine, also situated at the center of the car, produced 8hp (6kW). A 3-speed transmission was fitted. The angle iron-framed car weighed 1400lb (635kg).
The top model was the Elmore Tonneau. It could seat four passengers and sold for US$1400 ($47,476 in 2023 dollars [4]). The flat-mounted straight-twin was situated at the front of the car, produced 12hp (8.9kW). A 3-speed transmission was fitted. The angle iron-framed car weighed 1500lb (680kg).
General Motors
In 1908, Elmore's three-cylinder two-stroke caught the attention of William C. Durant, founder of General Motors. He purchased the company the following year for US$500,000[3] ($16,955,556 in 2023 dollars [4]), with Elmore becoming one of General Motors' divisions. After Durant was forced out of General Motors in 1910, the Elmore marque was soon cut, along with several other underperforming brands, to help General Motors achieve financial stability. The factory location was then bought from GM and the Clydesdale Motor Truck Company was in operation from 1917 to 1939. The Clydesdale Factory was then the site of Clyde Porcelain Steel Company until the factory burned down November 11, 1945. The factory was rebuilt and the Bendix Corporation operated a factory at this location which made front load washing machines under the Bendix Home Appliances until the business was sold to Avco Manufacturing Corporation in 1951, and combining Bendix Appliances with Crosley Appliances.[5] In 1956, Avco sold Bendix Home Appliances to Philco.[6] The current location is now Whirlpool Corporation where Maytag, Whirlpool, and Amana washing machines are manufactured and is the largest factory in America that manufactures washing machines.
