American Tri-Car

American Tri-Car was the name applied to a three-wheeled automobile produced in 1912 by the Tri-Car Co of America in Denver, Colorado. It belonged to the early period of American motoring when manufacturers experimented with compact, lightweight vehicle formats as alternatives to conventional four-wheeled cars. The vehicle used a single rear wheel, which served both as the driven wheel and as the only braked wheel. This arrangement distinguished the American Tri-Car from more conventional automobiles and reflected the engineering compromises common among early cyclecars and other small-format vehicles. Power came from a 13-horsepower, air-cooled, two-cylinder engine. The engine was paired with a planetary transmission, a type of transmission associated with early automotive designs and valued for its mechanical simplicity. The vehicle accommodated two occupants and had a wheelbase of 6 feet 10 inches, or approximately 2.08 metres. Its three-wheel layout and modest power output indicate that it was intended as a lightweight personal vehicle rather than a full-size touring automobile. The car was manufactured in Denver by the Tri-Car Co of America. Available historical material identifies the company and vehicle in 1912 but does not document a sustained production program, a broad dealer network, significant exports, named executives, or a detailed marketing campaign. The company failed by the end of that same year, making American Tri-Car an example of the many small early automotive ventures that entered the market briefly and disappeared before establishing a durable brand or product range. Because the company operated for such a short period, surviving information is concentrated on the vehicle's basic configuration and technical specifications. There is no reliable evidence in the supplied reference material for a successor company, later ownership, additional models, financial performance, or a continuing brand presence. American Tri-Car is therefore best understood as a defunct early automobile make associated with a single known three-wheeled model rather than as an enduring automotive manufacturer.

The American Tri-Car was produced in Denver, Colorado, in 1912 by the Tri-Car Co of America. It emerged during the formative years of the American automobile industry, when manufacturers were testing different combinations of engine size, chassis layout, transmission design, and wheel arrangement. In contrast with the four-wheel configuration that eventually became dominant, the American Tri-Car used three wheels, with one wheel at the rear. The rear wheel had two important functions: it transmitted the vehicle's drive and served as the only braked wheel. This simplified the vehicle's mechanical arrangement but also made the braking system notably different from that of conventional automobiles. The car was powered by a 13-horsepower air-cooled two-cylinder engine. Air cooling avoided the need for a conventional liquid-cooling system and was consistent with the pursuit of mechanical simplicity and low vehicle weight. A planetary transmission provided the gear-changing mechanism. The vehicle was configured to carry two people and had a 6-foot-10-inch wheelbase, equivalent to about 2.08 metres. These dimensions, together with the small engine and three-wheel layout, place it among the compact and lightweight automobile experiments of the period. The available record does not provide detailed information about body styling, materials, prices, production volume, distribution, or customer reception. It also does not identify the company's founders, officers, dealers, or investors. The Tri-Car Co of America did not establish a lasting manufacturing operation. Historical references state that the company failed by the end of 1912, the same year in which the American Tri-Car was produced. No later models, corporate successor, or continuing brand activity are documented in the supplied material. The vehicle consequently represents a brief episode in early American automotive manufacturing: a technically distinctive three-wheeler that reached the market but whose maker quickly disappeared.

• 1912

  American Tri-Car produced in Denver

  [1]American Tri-Caren.wikipedia.org

  The Tri-Car Co of America produced the American Tri-Car, a two-seat three-wheeled automobile, in Denver, Colorado.

• 1912

  Company fails

  [1]American Tri-Caren.wikipedia.org

  The Tri-Car Co of America failed by the end of 1912, ending the vehicle's documented production and the brand's brief existence.

A lightweight, compact early automobile using a three-wheel configuration and a small two-cylinder engine.

• Three-wheeled automobile · 1912

  American Tri-Car

  The American Tri-Car was a two-seat three-wheeler made in 1912. Its single rear wheel served as both the drive wheel and the only braked wheel. Power came from a 13-horsepower, air-cooled two-cylinder engine connected to a planetary transmission. The vehicle had a wheelbase of 6 feet 10 inches, approximately 2.08 metres. It was the only model identified in the available historical account.

1. 1American Tri-Caren.wikipedia.org