Category Archives: Automobile photos with children

A Packed Packard

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Tim Martin

This 1905 Model N Packard is sure packed – eight occupants by my count – and seems to be holding its own. The engine was an L head rated at 28hp, up 6hp over its predecessor, the model L. A total of 403 were built, of which 4 survive. Photo from the Robert C. Laurens collection, courtesy of Alan Ballard.

Harry Hartz’s “Mercer”

Posted on July 6, 2011 by David Greenlees

Yesterday we posted photos of the boys and the racing cars that they ran at Ascot Speed- way. The story told about how Harry Hartz captured the Baby Vanderbilt Cup Race and also carried some information on the races and participants.

Today we are posting another article which tells us more about this small fry auto racing and also more information about Harry Hartz and his “Mercer” that was powered by an Indian twin cylinder engine from an Indian motorcycle. Photo above, The Old Motor. 1915 Horseless Age Article, courtesy of the HCF.

Cycle Car Racing

Posted on July 5, 2011 by David Greenlees

This is one of a series of cycle car racing photos that we were very fortunate to obtain. These little pint sized racers where actually raced by young boys in support races. These photos were taken in Los Angeles, were they raced at Ascot Park (see thumbnails below), it is also known that they raced along with the Vanderbilt Cup event in San Francisco in 1915 and also at the Tacoma Speedway in Washington. A few of these children went on to become famous drivers and we have one more photo we will post soon of Harry Hartz, who went on to become a national AAA champion. One of the cars in the photo above is lettered Mercer and right next to it is a Stutz that we have posted here before. We also have posted an interesting photo of a car that was sponsored by the Thiem Motor Cycle Co. The Old Motor photos.