Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

In this Discussion

electric starters/mechanical starters
  • ctjohnmillergmailcom
    Posts: 1Hitchhiker
    My next project car will be a 1930's car, and I'm wondering when electric starters came about, and for which makes?
  • ESSX28-1ESSX28-1
    Posts: 995Platinum Member
    My 28 Essex originally came with electric starter.
    Dave Y
    New Zealand
  • 46HudsonPU46HudsonPU
    Posts: 5,151Moderator
    I don't think you'll find any commercially vehicle manufactured in the 30s without some type of starter - although just about all included a method/means to manually crank-start, due to reliability issues.
    Then, one could always park them on a hill or slope - my dad & grandpa did that ALL the time. I think they just liked starting the car that way, although their excuse was "Saves wear on the starter...". LOL! =))
  • Tallent RTallent R
    Posts: 1,575Platinum Member
    Very common practice ,
    Roger
    Retired Tech.
  • Tallent RTallent R
    Posts: 1,575Platinum Member
    Oh ,and to answer the question 1912 Cadillac had the first self starter,
    Roger
    Retired Tech.
  • 46HudsonPU46HudsonPU
    Posts: 5,151Moderator
    Yup Roger, you got that right. 'Prime' parking space was the top of the driveway to our house, which gave an excellent 'roll' to start the car. The key was to make sure nobody was coming down the road when you did it.

    Of course that was years ago, and far away... (sigh)
  • Tallent RTallent R
    Posts: 1,575Platinum Member
    At home we had two tractors ,the older one did'nt even have a starter on it. You had to crank it so it you had a choice you found a small hill to stop on. But it started easy if you needed to crank it -just had to know how.
    Roger
    Retired Tech.