• Chassis # 054K
  • Engine # 054K
  • Featuring A Very Well Done Older Restoration That Has Held Up Nicely
  • Powered By A 12 Horsepower Twin Engine
  • An Excellent Look Into The Early Days Of Personal Motoring

The Overview

The early 1900s and the growing transition to automobiles saw a number of transient car manufacturers arise from all corners of the world, especially in the United States . One such manufacturer was Schacht, a company started by William and Gustav Schacht in Cincinnati, Ohio that originally made horse-drawn carriages and wagons before also transitioning to not only automobiles but also trucks and fire engines. Throughout the company’s existence, they marketed their cars as “the invincible car” due to their reliability and versatility. In the second Indy 500 race in 1912, Schacht entered a 4-cylinder car driven by Bill Endicott who ended up qualifying 15th at an average of 80.570 miles per hour and finishing in 5th place, taking home the $2,500 prize for Schacht.

The production of passenger cars began in 1904 with the Auto-Runabout and lasted until 1914 with over 8,000 automobiles produced. When Henry Ford’s Model T and other more well-known automakers of the time like Oldsmobile, Cadillac, and Buick began to gain steam, Schacht found themselves unable to compete. The company was then renamed the G.A. Schacht Motor Truck Company and kept producing trucks and fire engines until 1940. The High Wheel Runabout was one of their later models and much like the company’s other models, featured a steering wheel instead of a tiller or steering lever.

This particular example, Chassis # 054K, is a beautiful and rare 1907 High Wheel Runabout. While the history of this vehicle is muddled, it seems to have undergone a quality restoration sometime in the 1980s and 1990s that still presents well. The wood body appears to be largely intact with a period-correct red and black color scheme adorned with gold striping, exceedingly rare Dietz Dainty side lamps, and wicker umbrella basket. The upholstery and black convertible top were also replaced while the brass radiator was remanufactured and closely resembles its original design. The wood-spoke wheels appear to be the proper and correct type and are also in good condition.

The two-cylinder 12 HP engine appears to also be largely complete but will need some light mechanical attention before being in proper running and driving order. The same can be said for the steering components, transmission, and running gear. When previously listed for sale a number of months ago, its owner reported that they had no trouble starting the vehicle and it turned over as easily as ever.

This High Wheel Runabout seems to have participated in a number of events like the Sacramento One and Two Cylinder Tour in 1992 and the Solvang Solitude Tour in 1996 as is evident by the badges it proudly wears. It was also awarded the National First Prize by the Antique Automobile Club of America in 1972.

As it sits, this reminder of America’s early motoring industry is great for a stationary showpiece or, with some recommissioning, could be put back in driving order. It was a very innovative car for its time and you will be hard-pressed to find such a well-restored example anytime soon.   

The Details

exterior

body and paint

Although detailed information on the history of this vehicle is unavailable, we believe this to be an older restoration, completed some time in the late 1980’s or early 1990’s. It is obvious that it was carried out in a very skilled and professional manner and remains in overall nice condition today. The red paint retains great color and consistency throughout the vehicle, but does show signs of its age in the form of chipping and cracking in high wear areas, especially where the body flexes or areas that are prone to road debris such as the front suspension components. The black and gold pin striping and accents, as well as the Schacht lettering, retain good color but do show some chipping and cracking in areas. The body itself remains in good condition but also shows some signs of age and use. There is a substantial crack in the seat back area on the driver’s side where it meets the bottom of the folding top, with similar “stress cracking” on the passenger side of the carriage-like seat. Smaller stress cracks can be found around the wooden trimmed drivers cabin of the vehicle as well. None of these cracks appear to detrimental to the vehicle and are likely present from normal use as the body flexes. The black painted fenders retain good color and structure but do show some scuffing and scraping on them, both on the underside and the topside.

glass and trim

The brass headlamps and singular tail lamp appear in nice restored condition, with some signs of their age in the form of a bit of cloudiness to their otherwise shiny metal. That glass on them appears to be in good order, showing no cracking.

wheels

The wooden spoked wheels remain in nice serviceable condition. They appear to be structurally sound and retain good painted surfaces that, much like the rest of the vehicle, do show some signs of their age in the form of slight chipping of paint. The brass center locks on the hub are in good order with clean and bright metal with easily legible wording.

notable flaws

This is an older restoration that has seen use since its completion and therefore does have some minor imperfections. There is chipping of the paint in high traffic and wear areas, as well as some cracking of the wooden body in high stress locations such as around the carriage-like seat. For the best idea of the current condition of this vehicle please thoroughly review the detailed photos located above.

interior

seats and surfaces

The seats and top appear to have likely been redone at the time of restoration and remain in nice condition. There is some minor creasing forming on the seat and the leather is a bit dry but no major tears or degradation of the material are present. The painted floor boards show some signs of use but remain solid Andre presentable. The front mounted radiator appears to be in good mechanical condition, showing no signs of leaks or issues, cosmetically it is in nice condition, with some minor bent fins and crude welds showing through, but generally clean and in line with the rest of the vehicle. Control surfaces show some signs of use and wear but overall remain very presentable and appear to be in good functioning order. The canvas top has some fading and staining present but is overall solid and fits well.

functionality and accessories

We did not have the opportunity to test this vehicle however it appears all the running and driving components are in good order. The steering wheel turns with ease, mixture control levers move through their range of motion, and floor mounted pedals travel as they should.

notable flaws

This is an older restoration that has seen use since its completion and therefore does have some minor imperfections. For the best idea of the current condition of this vehicle please thoroughly review the detailed photos located above.

engine bay and trunk

engine bay

The engine bay appears to have been nicely restored and remains in good condition cosmetically. It appears to be largely correct from what we can tell, with appropriate finishes and fittings throughout. It appears that there may be some components missing, such as the spark plug wires which are absent. Under the seat there is a flywheel, possibly for braking purposes, that shows some major degradation of its structure that should also be thoroughly checked before attempting to run and drive the vehicle.

Underside

The underside appears much like the rest of the vehicle, properly restored but showing some signs of age. Overall, nothing seems out of order and it appears tidy and well cared for.

notable flaws

This is an older restoration that has seen use since its completion and therefore does have some minor imperfections. At the time of its sale to us, this vehicle was advertised as being in good running condition, however the engine bay does appear to be missing at minimum its spark plug wires and this vehicle should be thoroughly inspected before attempting to run and drive it. For the best idea of the current condition of this vehicle please thoroughly review the detailed photos located above.

mechanicals

engine

The mechanicals of this car have not been tested by us, however at the time the car was listed for auction, the owner claimed that there were no issues with running and driving. Upon inspection of the engine bay it appears that at least the spark plug wires are missing. It would be our suggestion to give the vehicle a thorough inspection and attend to any issue items before attempting to run and drive it.

transmission

We did not undertake any mechanical testing of this vehicle so we cannot comment on the functionality of the transmission. It is our suggestion to give the vehicle a thorough inspection before attempting to run and drive it.

brakes and suspension

Visually, the suspension components all seem to be in good order. There is some evident corrosion under the paint in some areas such as on the axles but this appears to be much older and was likely remedied during the restoration. Unfortunately, we were not able to undertake any testing of this vehicle so feedback on the mechanicals is limited. The hand operated brake does appear to slow the vehicle down but braking pressure does not feel as strong as it likely should be.

tires

The rubber on the wooden spoked wheels appears to be in good condition, with ample material left. It does look to be a bit dry and much like the rest of the vehicle should be thoroughly inspected before carrying out any driving on public roads.

notable flaws

This is an older restoration that has seen use since its completion and therefore does have some minor imperfections. We did not undertake any testing of the vehicles mechanical components and we recommend thoroughly inspecting the vehicle before attempting to carry out any running or driving of it. For the best idea of the current condition of this vehicle please thoroughly review the detailed photos located above.