the Thomas Flyer banner yesterday got a great response from Robert in Salt Lake City!

The current banner on Just a Car Guy is one of my favorite images. 

March 1908, New York-Paris Race, Thomas Flyer. 

Behind the wheel is Harold Brinker, from Denver, the designated driver from Ogden, UT to San Francisco. 

Stepping over the tracks is George Schuster, factory mechanic and eventual driver to Paris. The man standing to the side, with the natty hat and goggles is a man named James Pierce, from Ogden, UT. 

Pierce joined the crew of the Thomas at Cobre, NV as pilot and guide to Ely. He was tapped for this job as he worked as a construction worker on and later an employee of the Nevada Northern RR and knew the terrain and trials across this desert valley to Ely very well.

Brinker is gingerly driving the Flyer over the tracks of the Western Pacific R.R. at a spot near a small settlement called Bews, NV. This place no longer exists but is near modern-day Shafter, NV where the tracks of the WPRR cut across the tracks of the Nevada Northern R.R. which led to Ely.

The photo was likely taken by a young New York Times photographer named Charles Duprez who was riding on the Flyer at the time. 

I have visited the spot (or very close to it) where this photo was taken. Thanks for putting it up. 

Robert 

Salt Lake City

Leno got to drive one of my favorite historic cars, the Thomas Flyer

https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/jay-leno-drives-the-coolest-old-car-ever/

Iconic photo taken in Cheyenne, Wyoming of the 1907 Thomas Flyer and the winning racing team led by George Schuster during the New York to Paris Great Race.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10227420687801976&set=gm.1456128031634781&idorvanity=197491484165115

I never realized that the only Thomas Flyer I ever have seen is the famous one, I didn't even think about the other models they must have made

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by-part-2.1154030/page-242#post-13299288

Thanks to Robert L for this book too!

these are a few of the cool ads inside, and dang, I wish someone would remake this book with hi res hi def scans of all these ads

the U.S. patent for snow chains from the pioneers, who were also well represented by the Thomas Flyer, and Harry Houdini

In 1908, the Thomas Flyer that won the New York To Paris Race was equipped with Weed Chains.

 The same year, as part of the New York Automobile Carnival, Harry Houdini was challenged to free himself from Weed Chains, performing this feat on the evening of April 10, 1908, Houdini overcame six padlocked Weed Chains in addition to two steel-rimmed car wheels and handcuffs and leg irons, over 400 pounds of weight. Houdini got out, but it took him 29 minutes and he was exhausted at the end of it.

http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2017/07/vanished-tool-makers-weed-chain-tire.html

1903 Thomas

This seems to me to be an oil reservoir, with glass sides to see the amount left in the reservoir

cool padded seating, and door in the back (like EMFs)

And the wicker baskets are there for everything, gold clubs, umbrella,

If you want to compare it to the 1902 Thomas, the oldest known Thomas, which was at Pebble Beach: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-1902-thomas-won-pebble-beachs-pre.html 

the 1902 Thomas won the Pebble Beach's pre-war preservation category

“This 1902 Thomas is believed to be the oldest complete Thomas motor car known to exist,” said co-owner Stewart Laidlaw. “It was purchased from the Wells Museum collection in Maine several years ago which owned it for more than 60 years.” While the precise history is not known, the car was believed to have resided in Maine from new with only one wealthy owner prior to being acquired by Mr. Wells.

Speaking about the 1902 Thomas, Mr. Laidlaw remarked, “When we received the car we removed varnish on the fenders to uncover the original japan (black paint) on the steel fenders. An amazing feature are the leather straps in the rear seats which are still intact and typically never survive. The wood body retains its original green/gray paint, a color known as London Smoke, with gold leaf pin-stripping. The pin striping on the springs is interesting because the repeated ‘T’ outline pattern for Thomas.”

When speaking about how a car this old could be so well-preserved, Mr. Laidlaw said, “Wealthy owners sent new cars to their summer homes in Maine. The cars would be used only a few months a year and would typically be well cared for in carriage houses in the off-season. During this early part of the century, the technology was changing fast and these owners would purchase new cars and keep the older models. This is likely what happened in the case of this Thomas.”

the 2nd place went to the 1913 Mercer

http://vintagemotoring.blogspot.com/2016/08/2016-pebble-beach-preservation.html
https://www.historicvehicle.org/time-warp-1902-thomas-lamborghini-miura-receive-fiva-preservation-awards-pebble-beach-concours-delegance/

the 1907 Thomas Flyer becomes the 12th car to be registered/archived in the National Historic Vehicle Register.

“The Thomas Flyer is one of the most significant American-built automobiles in history. After 22,000 miles and 169 grueling days, it won the 1908 New York to Paris automobile race as one of six cars from four nations, and the only American entrant,” said Frady. “No automobile race before or since has approached this contest of man and machine. We are extremely proud it will be archived in the National Historic Vehicle Register.

 The Thomas Flyer is the 12th vehicle to be recorded under the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Heritage Documentation. The documentation is part of a collaboration between the Historic Vehicle Association and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Heritage Documentation Programs to document historically-significant automobiles, trucks and motorcycles.

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-1908-new-york-to-paris-race.html

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2016/06/14/new-york-to-paris-winning-thomas-flyer-to-be-added-to-national-historic-vehicle-register/#&gid=1&pid=5

the 1908 New York to Paris Race

http://vikond65.livejournal.com/364156.html

The French de Dion at start of New York-to-Paris Race on Feb. 12, 1908, in NYC. The car was withdrawn from the race at Vladivostok after 8,653 miles. The three man crew was captained by M. Bourcier de St. Chaffray, official observer for the Paris newspaper, le Matin. With him rode Captain Hans Hansen, an explorer who had offered the benefit of his arctic experience to the French auto firm, and M. de l'Autan, who had been mechanician on the de Dion the previous year durng the Peking-to-Paris race.

http://vikond65.livejournal.com/364156.html

Above, the Thomas Flyer

the Zust and Protos above

Zust above

Motobloc above

http://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/search?page=3&f[0]=mods_subject_topic_ms%3A%22New%20York%20to%20Paris%20Race%2C%201908%22

Brass era police cars

 Above is a Pope Hartford, and the below are both Thomas Flyers

the St Louis PD Packard

found on http://theoldmotor.com/

The 1909 Thomas Flyer catalog, winning the 1908 publicity stunt race New York to Paris must have helped out the 1909 sales a lot too

notice the rear fender isn't just over the rear tire, it's from the back of the drivers access, all the way to the back of the car. So there are two fenders in front to keep muck off the passesngers, and one over the rear tire also. I don't think I've ever noticed this on any other vehicle

found among hundreds of great old car catalogs at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?word=title_id_list:454055&slabel=Automobiles%253A%2520Manufacturers%2520catalogues%252E&sScope=images&sLevel=1