Smith and Mabley

{{Short description|Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Smith and Mabley
Smith & Mabley Manufacturing Company

| logo = 1904 Smith and Mabley logo.jpg

| logo_size = 280px

| logo_caption = Smith & Mabley logo from advertisement

| founded = {{Start date and age|1900}}

| founder = A. D. Proctor Smith and Carlton R. Mabley

| defunct = {{Start date and age|1907}}

| fate = Bankruptcy

| successor = Simplex Automobile Company

| hq_location = New York, New York

| hq_location_country = United States

| key_people = A. D. Proctor Smith, Carlton R. Maybley, G. Edward Franquist

| products = Automobiles

| production = 233

| production_year = 1902-1907

| brands = American C.G.V. and S & M Simplex

}}

Smith & Mabley was an American veteran era importer of European automobiles and produced the American C. G. V. automobile in 1902, and the S & M Simplex automobile from 1904 to 1907, in New York City.{{Kimes-USCars3rd}}{{Georgano-EncAuto3v}}

History

A. D. Proctor Smith and his brother-in-law, Carlton R. Mabley founded Smith & Mabley in New York City in 1900 as an import company for European automobiles. Vehicles from C. G. V., Panhard, Renault and Mors were imported, followed later by Mercedes and Isotta Fraschini. In 1902 production of automobiles began under license from C. G. V. with the brand name of American C.G.V.. Production ended in 1903 after seven vehicles had been manufactured.

In 1903 Smith and Mabley, along with Winton was sued regarding infringement of the Selden Patent. Later that year Winton and Smith & Mabley joined A.L.A.M. and the lawsuit was dropped.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L6NAAQAAMAAJ&dq=Smith+Mabley&pg=PA535 |title=The Motor World |date=1902 |publisher=Motor World Publishing Company |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b_IQXsOvr-4C&dq=Smith+Mabley&pg=PA673 |title=The Automobile |date=1903 |publisher=Class Journal Company |language=en}} In 1903 Smith & Mabley decided to start making vehicles again. They bought a seven-story plant on East 83rd Street. G. Edward Franquist designed the plant and was both Chief Engineer and Superintendent of the factory. Franquist attributed his engineering designs as being influenced by the finest European motor cars.{{Cite book |last=Engineers |first=Society of Automotive |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=om3mAAAAMAAJ&dq=Smith+Mabley&pg=PA460 |title=The Journal of the Society of Automotive Engineers |date=1924 |publisher=The Society |language=en}} Franquist was a founding member of the S.A.E. and was the Simplex designer until 1915. In 1903 Smith & Mabley offices and showroom and garage were located to a new building at 513-519 Seventh Avenue.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HG0fAQAAMAAJ&dq=Smith+Mabley&pg=RA13-PA27 |title=The Motor Way |date=1905 |publisher=L.L. Bligh |language=en}}

In 1903, Franquist designed a four-cylinder engine that was used on motor boats for racing including the Vingt-et-Un, Challenger and Dixie I. The Dixie I won the Harmsworth (British International) Trophy in 1907.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4hcxAQAAMAAJ&q=dixie |title=Boats |date=1920 |publisher=Motor Boat publications. |language=en}} It was announced that motor boats and motor cars would begin production in May 1904.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g43mAAAAMAAJ&q=Simplex |title=Motor Age |date=1904 |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZtcqAAAAMAAJ&q=Smith+Mabley |title=Automotive Industries |date=1904 |publisher=Chilton Company, Incorporated |language=en}} The new marque name was S & M Simplex and the Smith & Mabley Manufacturing Company was set up for production.

File:1904 Vanderbilt Cup - Clement (12) passing Frank Croker (17) in front of the grand stand.jpg

A Smith & Mabley Simplex 75-hp racing car competed in the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup, owned and driven by Frank Croker. Too many holes had been drilled in the frame to try to lighten the car, and it collapsed during the race seriously slowing his speed. Croker was in his seventh round when the race was stopped. Frank Croker and his mechanic were killed during a speed run in his S & M Simplex racer on the Ormond-Daytona Beach in 1905, while swerving to avoid a motorcycle.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KHjmAAAAMAAJ&q=Frank+Croker |title=Automoblie Review and Automoblie News ... |date=1905 |publisher=L.L. Bligh |language=en}}

Production of the S & M Simplex ran until early 1907. A total of over 220 vehicles were built. Smith & Mabley suffered during the recession and stock market slides in late 1906 that led up to the Panic of 1907. Receivers were called in and the company would be declared bankrupt in 1907. Friend and textile importer Herman Broesel, Sr., took over the Smith & Mabley assets in 1907 and formed the Simplex Automobile Company, and continued production as the Simplex.

= American C.G.V. =

Smith & Mabley were importers of the Charron, Girardot & Voigt motor car made in France. In 1902 and early 1903, the company produced the car under license. Seven cars, with tonneau bodies supplied by the coach builders J.M. Quinby & Sons and assembled by the Rome Locomotive Works in Rome, New York were built. The brand name was American C. G. V. and the price as a five-passenger tonneau was $5,500, {{Inflation|US|5500|1902|fmt=eq}}. After the short production run, Smith & Mabley returned to importing the C. G. V.

File:1902 American C.G.V. 15 HP Tonneau.jpg|1902 American C. G. V. 15 hp Tonneau

File:1902 C.G.V. 15 HP with CR Mabley.jpg|1902 C. G. V. 15 hp runabout with Carlton R. Mabley in the drivers seat

= S & M Simplex =

All S & M Simplex's were powered by 4-cylinder engines. The first model from 1904 was the 30/35 HP with a T-head engine. Engine power was transmitted to the rear axle through a four-speed gearbox and chains. Its chassis had a wheelbase of 105-inches. The open touring car offered space for five people. In the same year, the smaller 18 HP was added to the range, although there was less demand for it. It had a wheelbase of 91-inches and a choice of a two-seat runabout or a five-seat tonneau.

In 1905 only the 30/35 hp was offered. The wheelbase was extended to 106-inches on a Brougham body style. In 1906 the car was described as a 30 HP, available with a wheelbase of 106-inches a five-seat touring car and with a wheelbase of 113-inch as a seven-seat touring car.

The 30/35 HP name was used again for 1907. With a wheelbase of 106-inches, there was a three-seat runabout and a five-seat touring car. A longer five-seat touring car had a wheelbase of 111-inches. A wheelbase of 115-inches enabled a seven-seat touring car. There was also a more powerful and more expensive model, the 50/70 HP. It had a wheelbase of 124-inches and was available as an enclosed limousine with five to seven seats.

Priced at the top of the Import and luxury markets, S & M Simplex's factory prices in 1907 ran from a low of $4,950 ({{Inflation|US|4950|1907|fmt=eq}}) for a runabout to a high of $6,400 ({{Inflation|US|6400|1907|fmt=eq}}) for limousines.

File:1904 S & M Simplex Model BA detail - 1904 Handbook of Gasoline Automobiles.jpg|1904 S & M Simplex Model BA

File:1905 S & M Simplex 30hp detail - 1905 Handbook of Gasoline Automobiles.jpg|1905 S & M Simplex 30 hp

File:1906 S & M Simplex Model AA detail in 1907 Handbook of Gasoline Automobiles.jpg|1906 S & M Simplex Model AA

File:1906 S & M Simplex Model DA detail in 1907 Handbook of Gasoline Automobiles.jpg|1906 S & M Simplex Model DA

Model overview

class="wikitable sortable"

!Year

!model

!cylinder

!Power ( hp )

!Wheelbase (in)

!Construction

1904

|18 HP

|18

|91

|2-seater runabout, 5-seater tonneau

1904

|30/35HP

|30/35

|105

|Touring car 5-seater

1905

|30/35HP {{cite web|url= https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.105712459&seq=105 |title= Smith and Mabley 30/35HP |date=1905-01-15|publisher= Hand book of automobiles (1905) |access-date=2025-03-08}}

|30/35

|106

|Brougham

1906

|30 HP {{cite web|url= https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015022474673&seq=181 |title= Smith and Mabley 30 HP |date=1906-01-15|publisher= Hand book of automobiles (1906) |access-date=2025-03-12}}

|30

|106

|Touring car 5-seater

1906

|30 HP

|30

|113

|Touring car 7-seater

1907

|30/35HP {{cite web|url= https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015022474681&seq=26 |title= Smith and Mabley 30/35 HP |date=1907-01-15|publisher= Hand book of automobiles (1907) |access-date=2025-03-13}}

|30/35

|106

|3-seater runabout, 5-seater touring car

1907

|30/35HP

|30/35

|111

|Touring car 5-seater

1907

|30/35HP

|30/35

|115

|Touring car 7-seater

1907

|50/70HP {{cite web|url= https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015022474681&seq=27 |title= Smith and Mabley 50/70HP |date=1907-01-15|publisher= Hand book of automobiles (1907) |access-date=2025-03-13}}

|50/70

|124

|Limousine 5 to 7 seats

Production

class="wikitable sortable"

!Year

!production number

1902-1903

1904

|73

1905

|78

1906-07

|75

total

|233

File:1902 Smith and Mabley on cover of Motor Age 5-22-1902.jpg|1902 Smith and Mabley on cover of Motor Age

File:1903 Smith and Mabley advertisement in Automobile Topics 08-08-1903.jpg|1903 Smith and Mabley advertisement in Automobile Topics

File:1906 S & M Simplex advertisement in The Automobile 12-27-1906.jpg|1906 S & M Simplex advertisement in The Automobile

External links

[https://www.conceptcarz.com/view/model/572/simplex.aspx Simplex automobiles at ConceptCarz]
[https://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/search?f%5B0%5D=mods_subject_topic_ms%3A%22Smith%20%26%20Mabley%20Manufacturing%20Company%22 Smith & Mabley images at Detroit Public Library]
[http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/s/smith_mabley/smith_mabley.htm Smith & Mabley at Coachbuilt.com]
[http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/q/quinby/quinby.htm J. M. Quinby & Co.at Coachbuilt.com]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150317101007/http://www.american-automobiles.com/SM-Simplex.html American Automobile.com - archived copy on S&M Simplex]