Thursday, October 22, 2009

First mass produced Automobile In Flint.

This photo from the Buick Research Gallery (I believe) shows the Sloan Museums Flint Roadster being retrieved. I wish I had more information on this.


The articles from "The Wolverine Citizen" pertaining to the Hardy "Flint Roadster"


The Randall carriage works advertising in the Flint City Directory in 1881-1882.


This 1873 map shows the location of the Randall & Randall factory (highlighted in red) which is shown below. In 1873 the roads north of the river were streets instead of avenues (changed in October 1901). A.B.C. Hardy rented a portion of this facility for his auto production, but shortly moved south of the Flint river, next door to the Cornwall Whip Socket factory.


This north east view of the Frank & Abner Randall carriage factory is the location where production of the first auto manufacturing began in Flint. It was located at Saginaw street and Third street. History also tells us that this was the location of the first carriage (mostly farm wagons) manufacturing done in Flint. William Patterson was actually the first true carriage maker in Flint, with the Randall brothers building farm wagons in the beginning. Maybe the Randall's should be credited with building the first wheeled vehicles in Flint.  Link for Patterson bid as number 1 in Flint.


This is the Flint Hardy Roadster, owned by the Sloan Museum in Flint, Michigan. The color is green with red accents and black leather upholstery. Hardy's company operated from 1902-1903.


This is Flint’s first auto manufacturer in 1939, A.B.C. (Alexander Brownell Cullen) Hardy. Even though he only produced about 52 Flint roadsters, he had the original vision. His history is well documented by others.
 Link:

Hardy Flint Roadster

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