A South Bend Surrey on coil springs (upd. not Georgano's South Bend !)

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It seems original automobiles just keep popping up from out of the blue. Right on the heels of yesterday's Surrey find, here's another one... a 1904 South Bend Surrey that's quite unique as it's the only one known. The story behind this one-off is that it was made by a Walter E. Mack of South Bend, Indiana, who was not satisfied with his Studebaker and decided to build a car of his own design. Most outstanding of his design are the wheels made Horace H. Taylor in 1901. Taylor arranged twelve coil springs radially around a center hub. His invention seemed to work well on all kinds of rough roads and Walter Mack even formed the Indiana Wheel Company to manufacture the Taylor-patented wheels. Sadly Mack died only two years later and further development of his automobile, together with the Taylor-wheels came to nothing. The car has not moved for 75 years, yet after a bit of fiddling the engine, made by the Buffalo Gasolene Motor Company, started on the third pull. You will probably need all period paperwork available to have a chance persuading the Dating Panel, but if you succeed the South Bend could be entered for a future London to Brighton Veteran Car Run .
(photos courtesy RM Auctions,  Hershey Auction, October 11-12)

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