Barley Motor Car Co.

Barley Motor Car Co. was an American automobile manufacturer associated with Kalamazoo, Michigan, and, earlier, Streator, Illinois. The company operated during the formative decades of the American motor industry and produced three principal names: the Roamer, a luxury automobile manufactured from 1916 to 1929; the lower-priced Barley, introduced in 1922; and the Pennant, a brief successor aimed primarily at the taxicab market from 1924 to 1925. The business grew out of Albert C. Barley's 1913 purchase of the assets of the failed Streator Motor Car Company. Streator had succeeded the Erie Motor Carriage Company and had produced Halladay automobiles. Barley initially organized his operation as the Barley Manufacturing Company and continued Halladay production at Streator. The Halladay business and factory were subsequently sold as the company shifted toward a new, more ambitious automobile project. That project emerged from a partnership among Barley, automobile dealer Cloyd Y. Kenworthy, and engineer Karl H. Martin. Kenworthy wanted to move beyond his dealership activities in Rauch and Lang electric cars and enter the gasoline-car market with an upscale product. The partners incorporated Barley Motor Car Company in New York in September 1916. The company was recapitalized soon afterward and obtained the existing assets of Barley Manufacturing Company. In 1917, production moved to Kalamazoo, where the company occupied a former Michigan Buggy factory that had also been associated with Michigan and Greyhound automobiles. The resulting Roamer was positioned as a stylish American luxury car. Martin designed the initial automobile, while the Roamer name was reportedly proposed by Kenworthy's chauffeur after a well-known racehorse. The car used a prominent nickel-plated grille inspired by the appearance of Rolls-Royce automobiles and was marketed with the slogan “America’s Smartest Car.” Early versions used Continental six-cylinder engines, and later models employed larger or more powerful engines from Continental, Duesenberg, and Lycoming. Buyers could choose among numerous body styles and, at least during part of the Roamer's production, request custom colors. The Roamer also gained publicity through competition. In 1921, a Roamer fitted with a Rochester-Duesenberg engine and driven by chief engineer L. F. Godspeed and driver Eddie Hearne reportedly established several speed records at Daytona Beach. Such results supported the company's advertising claim that its smart-looking automobile could also achieve exceptional speed. The company broadened its range in 1922 with the Barley Model 6-50, a less expensive six-cylinder automobile named after Albert C. Barley. It was offered in touring and sedan forms, with additional sedan variants appearing the following year. The line struggled commercially, however, and was renamed Pennant after being redesigned around a Buda four-cylinder engine. The Pennant was directed toward the taxi trade and competed with the Checker, another Kalamazoo-built marque. Its distinctive two-tone appearance used a maroon upper body and ivory lower body. Corporate arrangements became more complex in the middle of the decade. A 1924 reorganization created the Roamer Motor Car Company in Toronto, with plans to move Roamer production to Ontario. Barley became a director of the new organization but retained the Kalamazoo factory and the Barley Motor Car Co. Roamer production ultimately remained in Kalamazoo. The Roamer adopted an 88-horsepower Lycoming eight-cylinder engine as the Model 8-88 in 1925, but sales were disappointing. Engine-supply difficulties followed, and in December 1926 Roamer acquired the Rutenber Motor Company and its Logansport, Indiana, plant. These measures did not reverse the broader decline of assembled luxury automobiles. Manufacturing ended in early 1929, leaving Barley as a historical marque rather than a continuing automotive business.

Albert C. Barley's automotive enterprise began in 1913, when he purchased the assets of the Streator Motor Car Company in Streator, Illinois. The acquired business had followed the Erie Motor Carriage Company and had been producing Halladay automobiles since 1905. Barley organized the operation as the Barley Manufacturing Company and continued Halladay production for a period. The company's direction changed when Cloyd Y. Kenworthy, a New York automobile dealer associated with Rauch and Lang electric cars, sought to enter the gasoline-car business with a more prestigious product. Kenworthy approached Barley, and the two joined engineer Karl H. Martin in developing a luxury automobile. They incorporated the Barley Motor Car Company in New York in September 1916. The company was capitalized and reorganized soon afterward, acquiring the assets of Barley Manufacturing Company. The Halladay business and the Streator factory were sold, while production moved in 1917 to Kalamazoo, Michigan, at a former Michigan Buggy plant. Martin designed the Roamer, which debuted in 1916. Its name was reportedly suggested by Kenworthy's chauffeur, who connected it with a popular racing horse. The automobile used styling intended to convey luxury, including a nickel-plated grille influenced by Rolls-Royce design. Its initial version, the Roamer Six, was a four-door touring car powered by a 24-horsepower Continental six-cylinder engine. The company promoted it as “America’s Smartest Car,” combining appearance, custom-order options, and performance claims. Roamer development continued through several engine and body configurations. The Model C6, introduced in 1918, used a 54-horsepower Continental 12XD engine and was offered in eight body styles. In 1920, the Model D4 Touring employed a 75-horsepower Duesenberg four-cylinder engine. The company reported production of 1,657 Roamers in 1920, after which the range became progressively narrower. By 1922, the six-cylinder Model 6-54 was the remaining principal Roamer offering. Motorsport and speed demonstrations were part of the marque's public identity. In 1921, a Roamer equipped with a Rochester-Duesenberg engine was driven at Daytona Beach by chief engineer L. F. Godspeed and Eddie Hearne. The car reportedly established six records for one-kilometer runs and another record covering sprint distances from one to five miles. Advertising used these results to present Roamer as both stylish and fast. Barley attempted to reach a broader market in 1922 with the Barley Model 6-50. Named after the company president, it used a 50-horsepower Continental six-cylinder engine and was sold in touring and sedan forms. Additional sedan variants were introduced in 1923. The line did not perform well commercially. It was subsequently renamed Pennant, fitted with a Buda four-cylinder engine, and redirected toward taxi operators. The Pennant's maroon-and-ivory body treatment distinguished it visually, while its principal local competitor was the Checker, another Kalamazoo automobile manufacturer. Both the Barley and Pennant lines disappeared by 1925. The Roamer organization was restructured in 1924 through the creation of the Toronto-incorporated Roamer Motor Car Company, led by George P. Wigginton. The plan was to move production to Ontario. Albert C. Barley became a director of the new company while retaining the Kalamazoo factory and the Barley Motor Car Company. In practice, Roamer manufacturing remained in Kalamazoo. In 1925, Roamer replaced its Continental engine with an 88-horsepower Lycoming eight-cylinder unit and introduced the Model 8-88. The change did not produce satisfactory sales, and later difficulties arose when the Lycoming engine was no longer available. In December 1926, Roamer acquired Rutenber Motor Company and its Logansport, Indiana, factory. The purchase was part of an effort to address manufacturing and supply issues, but the larger market was moving away from assembled luxury automobiles. Barley and its associated Roamer operations could not maintain a viable position against changing consumer demand and the growing scale advantages of larger manufacturers. Production ended in early 1929. The company is therefore remembered primarily for the Roamer luxury automobile and for its short-lived Barley and Pennant experiments.

• 1929

  Manufacturing ended

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Production ceased in early 1929 as the market for assembled luxury cars weakened.

• 1926

  Rutenber Motor Company acquired

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Roamer purchased Rutenber Motor Company and its Logansport, Indiana, plant.

• 1925

  Model 8-88 launched

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Roamer adopted an 88-horsepower Lycoming eight-cylinder engine for its Model 8-88.

• 1924

  Pennant replaced the Barley line

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The unsuccessful Barley was reworked and renamed Pennant for the taxi market.

• 1924

  Roamer reorganized in Toronto

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  A new Roamer Motor Car Company was incorporated in Toronto, although production remained in Kalamazoo.

• 1922

  Barley Model 6-50 introduced

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The company entered a lower-priced segment with a Continental-powered six-cylinder automobile.

• 1921

  Roamer set Daytona Beach records

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  A Rochester-Duesenberg-powered Roamer achieved several reported speed records at Daytona Beach.

• 1920

  Roamer production reached a reported peak

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The company reported production of 1,657 Roamers and offered a Duesenberg-powered touring model.

• 1918

  Model C6 launched

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The Model C6 replaced the original Roamer Six and expanded the available body-style range.

• 1917

  Production moved to Kalamazoo

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Roamer manufacturing moved from the earlier Illinois operation to a former Michigan Buggy factory in Kalamazoo.

• 1916

  Barley Motor Car Company incorporated

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Barley, Cloyd Y. Kenworthy, and Karl H. Martin incorporated the company to build the Roamer luxury automobile.

• 1916

  Roamer introduced

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The first Roamer appeared as a stylish touring car with a Continental six-cylinder engine.

• 1913

  Barley acquired the Streator operation

  [1]Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Albert C. Barley purchased the assets of the Streator Motor Car Company and organized the business as Barley Manufacturing Company.

Initially positioned as an American luxury and performance automobile maker, later supplemented by a lower-priced line and a taxi-oriented model.

• Luxury automobile · 1916

  Roamer

  The Roamer was Barley's principal and longest-lived product, produced from 1916 through 1929. It was conceived as an upscale American gasoline automobile, with styling influenced by European luxury-car conventions and a nickel-plated grille. The range used engines from Continental, Duesenberg, Rochester-Duesenberg, and Lycoming over its life. Touring cars, sedans, and other body styles were offered, and the marque emphasized custom appearance, speed, and prestige.

• Mid-priced automobile · 1922

  Barley Model 6-50

  Introduced in 1922, the Barley Model 6-50 was intended to extend the company's reach below the Roamer. It used a 50-horsepower Continental six-cylinder engine and was offered initially as a touring car and sedan, with sport and touring sedan variants added later. The line was named for Albert C. Barley but failed to gain sufficient commercial traction.

• Taxi-oriented automobile · 1924

  Pennant

  Pennant was the rebranded and technically revised successor to the Barley line. It replaced the Continental six-cylinder configuration with a Buda four-cylinder engine and was marketed toward taxicab operators. The model competed particularly with Checker, whose automobiles were also produced in Kalamazoo. Pennant cars were associated with a maroon upper body and ivory lower body, but production ended by 1925.

• 1921Roamer Daytona Beach speed promotion

  United States

  Barley used reported speed records achieved by a Rochester-Duesenberg-powered Roamer at Daytona Beach to reinforce the automobile's performance image and its advertising claim that it could make America’s fastest mile.

  Outcome. The records supplied publicity for the Roamer, although they did not prevent later commercial decline.

  Source

• 1926

  Acquire Rutenber Motor CompanyM&A

  Background

  Roamer faced engine-supply difficulties and broader pressure in the assembled luxury-car market.

  Action taken

  Roamer acquired Rutenber Motor Company and its Logansport, Indiana, plant.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition did not restore long-term viability, and manufacturing ended in early 1929.

  Source

• 1925

  Replace the Roamer six-cylinder engine with a Lycoming eightGeneration change

  Background

  Roamer sought to refresh its luxury offering and maintain a competitive performance position.

  Action taken

  The Model 8-88 adopted an 88-horsepower Lycoming eight-cylinder engine.

  Aftermath

  Sales were disappointing, and subsequent engine-availability problems added pressure to the business.

  Source

• 1924

  Redirect the Barley automobile toward taxisStrategy

  Background

  The lower-priced Barley automobile had not achieved the expected market response.

  Action taken

  The company changed the name to Pennant, adopted a Buda four-cylinder engine, and targeted taxi operators.

  Aftermath

  Pennant production lasted only briefly and ended by 1925.

  • Checker — Checker was identified as the principal competitor in the Kalamazoo taxi-oriented automobile market.

  Source

• 1924

  Create a reorganized Roamer companyStrategy

  Background

  The Roamer business was reorganized amid plans to establish production in Canada.

  Action taken

  Roamer Motor Car Company was incorporated in Toronto with plans to move manufacturing to Ontario.

  Aftermath

  Production ultimately remained in Kalamazoo, while Albert C. Barley retained the Kalamazoo factory and Barley Motor Car Company.

  Source

• 1922

  Launch a lower-priced Barley lineProduct launch

  Background

  The company sought a broader customer base beyond the Roamer luxury market.

  Action taken

  It introduced the Continental-powered Model 6-50 in touring and sedan forms.

  Aftermath

  The product was unsuccessful and was later rebranded as the Pennant for taxi use.

  Source

• 1917

  Move Roamer production to KalamazooStrategy

  Background

  The company sold the earlier Halladay business and Streator factory while concentrating on its new luxury automobile.

  Action taken

  Manufacturing was transferred to a former Michigan Buggy facility in Kalamazoo.

  Aftermath

  Kalamazoo became the principal production base for the Roamer and later Barley-related operations.

  Source

1. 1Barley Motor Car Co.en.wikipedia.org