Standard (1912 automobile)
{{Other uses|Standard (disambiguation)}}
{{short description|Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Standard, Standard Eight
| image = StandardFrick.jpg
| image_size = 280
| caption = 1917 Standard Eight Touring Car
| manufacturer = Standard Steel Car Company
| production = 1914–1923
| assembly = Butler, Pennsylvania
}}
File:1915 Standard Steel Logo.jpg
The Standard was an American automobile manufactured in Butler, Pennsylvania from 1914 until 1923 by the Standard Steel Car Company.{{Georgano-EncAuto3v}}{{Kimes-USCars3rd}}
History
Standard Steel Car Company, whose primary business was railroad rolling stock, announced in the summer of 1913 that a new $2,000,000 factory was nearing completion for the production of automobiles. The first Standard was a six-cylinder which began limited production in early 1914. This was joined by an eight-cylinder in 1915.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GOM_AQAAMAAJ&q=%22standard+steel%22 |title=The Motor World |date=1915 |publisher=Motor World Publishing Company |language=en}} This was a 29-hp engine of 4.6-liters and was joined by a 34-hp V-8 in 1917.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LrgyAQAAMAAJ&q=%22standard+steel%22 |title=Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal |date=1916 |publisher=Chilton Company |language=en}} In 1918 both engines were replaced by a larger 5.2-liter V-8 of 70-hp.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D_ahjRRign8C&dq=%22standard+eight%22&pg=PA255 |title=Motor Age |date=1917 |publisher=Class Journal Company |language=en}} "Monarch of the Mountains" became a company slogan, later replaced with the tagline "A Powerful Car".
From 1917, only the 70-hp eight-cylinder cars were produced. All cars were given a twenty-five mile road test in the Butler area before distribution. In 1916 Standard Steel purchased the Model Gas Engine Company factory and assets to expand production.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0sgqAAAAMAAJ&q=%22standard+steel%22 |title=The Automobile |date=1916 |publisher=Chilton Company, Incorporated |language=en}}
Standard's best year was 1917 when about 2,300 cars were built. The standard Eight was initially a mid-priced car growing annually until by 1920, the lowest priced Standard Eight Touring Car was $3,000, ({{Inflation|US|3000|1920|fmt=eq}}) with the limousine model luxury car priced at $4,300, {{Inflation|US|4300|1920|fmt=eq}}.
The Post-World War I recession and Depression of 1920-21 hurt Standard Steel Car Company and in January 1921, bankers from New York joined Standard Steel, which included Don C. McCurd, formerly with American Mercedes, Flanders and Willys. In 1923 Standard Steel Car Company divested itself of any interest in the Standard automobile and McCurd reorganized the automobile division as the Standard Motor Car Company. McCurd announced the Standard Eight and a new lower priced four-cylinder model would be produced, but the four-cylinder never arrived, and the Standard Eight production ceased by year's end.
The factory in which Standard cars had been built was sold six years later and a new car called the American Austin was built there.
Models Gallery
File:1917 Standard Eight Touring F in Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg|1917 Standard Eight Model F Touring Car
File:1918 Standard Eight Touring G in Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg|1918 Standard Eight Model G Touring Car
File:1919 Standard Eight Touring - Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg|1919 Standard Eight Model I Touring Car
File:1920-21 Standard Eight Coupe I - Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg|1920 and 1921 Standard Eight Model I Coupe
File:1920-21 Standard Eight Vestibule Sedan I - Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg|1920 and 1921 Standard Eight Model I Vestibule Sedan
File:1922-23 Standard Eight Touring Sterling Model - Official Handbook of Automobiles.jpg|1922 and 1923 Standard Eight Touring - Sterling Model
Production
File:1922 Standard Eight Vestibule Sedan, front right (2022 Portersville Summer Steam Show).jpg
File:1922 Standard Eight Vestibule Sedan, rear right (2022 Portersville Summer Steam Show).jpg
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Production |
| 1915
|1,133 |
| 1916
|1,536 |
| 1917
|2,318 |
| 1918
|2,123 |
| 1919
|1,115 |
| 1920
|2,128 |
| 1921
|2,210 |
| 1922
|1,216 |
| 1923
|483 |
| Total
|14,262 |
Advertisements
File:1915 Standard Eight advertisement in Automobile Trade Journal.jpg|1915 Standard Eight and Six advertisement
File:1919 Standard Eight advertisement in Review of Reviews.jpg|1919 Standard Eight advertisement
File:1920 Standard Eight advertisement Harpers Monthly.jpg|1920 Standard Eight advertisement
File:1921 Standard Eight advertisement Harpers Monthly.jpg|1921 Standard Eight advertisement
File:1922 Standard Eight advertisement Motor Age.jpg|1922 Standard Eight advertisement
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z8864/standard-steel-model-e.aspx 1917 Standard Eight at ConceptCarz.com]
{{Commons category|Standard Steel Car Company}}
Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States
Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Pennsylvania
Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1914
Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1923