The Curved Dash Olds is one of the most popular veteran cars with over 120 vehicles listed in the Veteran Car Club’s Members Handbook. It is also frequently chosen by people as their first London to Brighton car.
One obvious reason is that they are very good value for money when compared with other machines with a similar specification. However it isn't only their pricing which makes them so attractive as they are very good cars in their own right. Apart from being quite charming to look at they are very easy to drive, they have more than adequate power, very simple to use gears (you don't have to worry about double declutching) and light precise tiller steering which may seem a bit unfamiliar at first but soon becomes second nature. They are also, like most American cars of the period, relatively simple to maintain, well engineered and very robustly made.
This particular 1904 7 hp model, car number 20871 with VCC dating certificate number 2018 is in very good condition throughout with a nice gentle patina. It has a very quiet and easy to start engine combined with a gearbox which is in very good order and it drives very well no doubt helped by it having the larger of the two engines used by Olds at this time.
Originally intended to be a runabout for relatively local use the Curved Dash soon proved its long distance credentials with Hammond and Whitman's 1903 run from New York to San Francisco. In fact the Olds proved immensely popular selling in relatively large numbers from the outset and a good look at and drive in the car will explain why!
One obvious reason is that they are very good value for money when compared with other machines with a similar specification. However it isn't only their pricing which makes them so attractive as they are very good cars in their own right. Apart from being quite charming to look at they are very easy to drive, they have more than adequate power, very simple to use gears (you don't have to worry about double declutching) and light precise tiller steering which may seem a bit unfamiliar at first but soon becomes second nature. They are also, like most American cars of the period, relatively simple to maintain, well engineered and very robustly made.
This particular 1904 7 hp model, car number 20871 with VCC dating certificate number 2018 is in very good condition throughout with a nice gentle patina. It has a very quiet and easy to start engine combined with a gearbox which is in very good order and it drives very well no doubt helped by it having the larger of the two engines used by Olds at this time.
Originally intended to be a runabout for relatively local use the Curved Dash soon proved its long distance credentials with Hammond and Whitman's 1903 run from New York to San Francisco. In fact the Olds proved immensely popular selling in relatively large numbers from the outset and a good look at and drive in the car will explain why!