1912 American Scout
Perhaps the most frequent question about the city’s auto history is: “How many cars were made in Indianapolis?” Before answering that question, a word of caution about automotive lists:
Compiling lists about the automotive genesis is an imprecise art. There is no single source of information for the American automobiles’ progression. Some reference works are fairly complete regarding makes, manufacturers, cities and dates. These same works may miss some instances where a manufacturer’s model is built in a plant other than that company’s main places of business. For example Ford Motor Company made cars in Indianapolis from 1914 – 1932.
The work is further compounded by list compilers who chose to include instances where only one car was made by an individual whether or not it was manufactured in quantity. In Indiana’s case, for every one vehicle achieving production about two announcements of intent to manufacture or build a prototype were proclaimed.
1929 Duesenberg
Early Indiana lists started at 160 makes made in more than 30 cities and have progressed to over 520 vehicles manufactured or assembled in more than 80 cities.
Only those vehicles built with the intent of marketing to the public are included in this list. In cases were no actual numbers are given, we counted the auto if a prototype was produced. Defined thus, our list shows 97 autos produced inIndianapolis. With this in mind, our list shows 22 better known manufacturers. The list also shows 54 little known or obscure manufacturers who produced one or a limited number of autos.
1931 Marmon Sixteen
Another interesting point is we are continually learning about additional cars made inIndiana. That’s what makes automotive history continually interesting for me.
Cars built in Indianapolis sorted by Name
| Indianapolis | Alena Steam | Alena Steam Products Co. | 1922 |
| Indianapolis | American | American Motors Co. | 1906-14 |
| Indianapolis | American Scout | American Motors Co. | 1912-13 |
| Indianapolis | American Tourist | American Motors Co. | 1907-12 |
| Indianapolis | American Traveler | American Motors Co. | 1909-13 |
| Indianapolis | American Underslung | American Motors Co. | 1906-14 |
| Indianapolis | Anahuac | Frontenac Motor Co. | 1922 |
| Indianapolis | Atlas Motor Buggy | Atlas Engine Works | 1909 |
| Indianapolis | Automotive Syndicate | Automotive Syndicate | 1928 |
| Indianapolis | Best | Best Automobile Co. | 1908-10 |
| Indianapolis | Barth-Keith | Barth-Keith Motor Car Co. | 1919 |
| Indianapolis | Black | C.H. Black Mfg. Co. | 1896-1900 |
| Indianapolis | Blackhawk | Stutz Motor Car Co. | 1929-30 |
| Indianapolis | Brook | Spacke Machine & Tool Co. | 1920-21 |
| Indianapolis | Capital | Capital Auto Co. | 1906 |
| Indianapolis | Central | Central Motor Car Co. | 1903 |
| Indianapolis | Co-Auto | Co-Auto Motor Co. | 1910 |
| Indianapolis | Coats Steamer | Coats Steamers Inc. | 1921-22 |
| Indianapolis | Cole | Cole Motor Car Co. | 1909-25 |
| Indianapolis | Cole Solid Tire Auto. | Cole Carriage Co. | 1908-09 |
| Indianapolis | Colonial Six | Colonial Automobile Co. | 1917 |
| Indianapolis | Comet | Comet Cyclecar Co. | 1914 |
| Indianapolis | Comet Racer | Marion Motor Car Co. | 1904 |
| Indianapolis | Craig-Hunt | Craig-Hunt Motor Co. | 1920 |
| Indianapolis | Cross | Harry E. Cross | 1924 |
| Indianapolis | Cyclop | L. Porter Smith & Bros. | 1910 |
| Indianapolis | Cyclops | Cyclops Cyclecar Co. | 1914 |
| Indianapolis | DaVinci | James Scripps-Booth | 1925 |
| Indianapolis | De Freet | Thomas M. De Freet | 1895 |
| Indianapolis | Duesenberg | Duesenberg Motors Corp. | 1920-37 |
| Indianapolis | Duesenberg II | Duesenberg Corp. | 1966 |
| Indianapolis | Electro | Electro Lighting Co. | 1911 |
| Indianapolis | Electrobile | National Vehicle Co. | 1901-06 |
| Indianapolis | Elgin | Elgin Motors Inc. | 1923-24 |
| Indianapolis | Empire | Empire Motor Car Co. | 1909-19 |
| Indianapolis | Fauber | Cyclecar Engineering Co. | 1914 |
| Indianapolis | Ford | Ford Motor Co. | 1914-32 |
| Indianapolis | Frontenac | Frontenac Motor Co. | 1921-25 |
| Indianapolis | Gale Four | Garde Gale | 1920 |
| Indianapolis | H.C.S. | H.C.S. Motor Co. | 1920-25 |
| Indianapolis | H.C.S. Cab | H.C.S. Cab Mfg. Co. | 1924-27 |
| Indianapolis | Hassler | Hassler Motor Co. | 1917 |
| Indianapolis | Hassler Motor Buggy | Robert H. Hassler | 1898 |
| Indianapolis | Henderson | Henderson Motor Car Co. | 1912-14 |
| Indianapolis | Herff-Brooks | Herff-Brooks Corp. | 1915-16 |
| Indianapolis | Hoosier Scout | Warren Electric & Machine Co. | 1914 |
| Indianapolis | Hunter | Riley & Scott, Inc. | 1994 |
| Indianapolis | Hunter-Hammond | Hunter-Hammond Auto Co. | 1912 |
| Indianapolis | Ideal | Ideal Motor Co. | 1911-12 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | Indiana Motor & Vehicle Co. | 1901 |
| Indianapolis | Indianapolis | C. H. Black Mfg. Co. | 1897-00 |
| Indianapolis | Lafayette | Lafayette Motors Co. | 1921-22 |
| Indianapolis | Lindsay | T.J. Lindsay Automobile Parts Co. | 1902-03 |
| Indianapolis | Liquid Air | Liquid Air Co. | 1900 |
| Indianapolis | Lyons-Knight | Lyons-Atlas Co. | 1913-15 |
| Indianapolis | Marathon | Herff-Brooks Corp. | 1915-16 |
| Indianapolis | Marion | Marion Motor Car Co. | 1904-14 |
| Indianapolis | Marmon | Nordyke & Marmon Co. | 1902-33 |
| Indianapolis | McGill | McGee Mfg. Co. | 1917-28 |
| Indianapolis | McLellen | McLellen Auto Shop | 1912 |
| Indianapolis | Merz | Merz Cyclecar Co. | 1914 |
| Indianapolis | Mohawk | Mohawk Cycle & Automobile Co. | 1903-05 |
| Indianapolis | Monroe | William Small Co. | 1918-23 |
| Indianapolis | National | National Motor Vehicle Co. | 1904-24 |
| Indianapolis | National Electric | National Automobile & Electric Co. | 1900-04 |
| Indianapolis | Nesom | Nesom Motors Co. | 1912 |
| Indianapolis | New Parry | Parry Auto Co. | 1911-12 |
| Indianapolis | Overland | Standard Wheel Works | 1905-06 |
| Indianapolis | Overland | Overland Auto Co. | 1906-08 |
| Indianapolis | Overland | Willys-Overland Co. | 1908-11 |
| Indianapolis | Pak-Age-Car | Stutz Motor Co. | 1930-38 |
| Indianapolis | Pan | Pan Motor Co. | 1919-21 |
| Indianapolis | Parry | Parry Auto Co. | 1910 |
| Indianapolis | Pathfinder | Motor Car Mfg. Co. | 1912-17 |
| Indianapolis | Peters | Spacke Machine & Tool Co. | 1921 |
| Indianapolis | Pope-Waverley | Pope Motor Car Co. | 1904-08 |
| Indianapolis | Premier | Premier Motor Mfg. Co. | 1903-26 |
| Indianapolis | Premier Taxicab | Premier Motor Car Co. | 1923-26 |
| Indianapolis | Prowler Prototype | Riley & Scott, Inc. | 1994 |
| Indianapolis | Rex | Rex Motor Car Co. | 1908 |
| Indianapolis | Roosevelt | Marmon Motor Car Co. | 1929-30 |
| Indianapolis | Schebler | Wheeler & Schebler Carburetor Co. | 1908-09 |
| Indianapolis | Sears Steam | Sears Bros. | 1901 |
| Indianapolis | Smart | Smart Auto & Mfg. Co. | 1912 |
| Indianapolis | Spacke | Spacke Machine & Tool Co. | 1919 |
| Indianapolis | Star | Star Motor Car Co. | 1909-11 |
| Indianapolis | Strattan | Strattan Motors Corp. | 1923 |
| Indianapolis | Streamline | Streamline Motor Car Co. | 1923 |
| Indianapolis | Stutz | Stutz Motor Car Co. | 1912-35 |
| Indianapolis | Tone | Tone Car Corp. | 1913 |
| Indianapolis | Tricolet | H. Pokorney & Richards Auto. & Gas | 1904-06 |
| Indianapolis | Turner | George Turner | 1910 |
| Indianapolis | Vaughn | Marion E. Vaughn | 1912 |
| Indianapolis | Vixen | Vixen Motor Co. | 1912 |
| Indianapolis | Waverley | Waverley Co. | 1909-16 |
| Indianapolis | WaverleyElectric | Indiana Bicycle Co. | 1898-1903 |
| Indianapolis | Wizard | Wizard Motor Co. | 1914 |
This list is courtesy of Indiana Cars: A History of the Automobile in Indiana, Dennis E. Horvath and Terri Horvath, Indianapolis, IN, Hoosier Auto Show & Swap Meet, Inc., © 2002, ISBN 0-9644364-5-0
Indianapolis was commercial producer of automobiles and taxicabs from 1896 to 1994. The circle city with 97 different vehicles manufactured here ranked second to Detroit as chief rival for the title of the nation’s auto capital. We can be proud of our place in automotive history.
Dennis, thanks again for a wonderful post. I look forward to every other Monday to read these. I have your book that you reference. I’m wondering if there is some type of listing for Indiana (or preferably Indianapolis)-based motorcycle producers, especially ones that also produced automobiles.
Appreciate the accuracy of this historic count! Indianapolis temporarily had a lead in regard to auto manufacturing, and now we have the “actual” statistics!
Do you know the make of auto in a cartouche on the Lacy building on the circle during Skiles Test era.?
Terry Shumaker
HI Scoot & Basil:
I also enjoy your comments. I am not aware of any listing of motorcycle manufactureers by state. I have developed my auto listings over the years by referencing numerous lists that list some cars and might omit others. It has been an interesting porcess of development.
Thanks again.
Dennis
I WANT TO SAVE THE FORD BUILDING ON EAST WASHINGTON ST AMD MAKE IT A HISTORY CAR TRUCK SHOW PLACE. IN 2014 THIS WILL BE 100 YEARS FOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN INDIANAPOLIS AND WE HAVE FORD DEALERS ALL AROUND. I THINK THIS IS GREAT HISTORY….I NEED HELP ON THIS DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS.I AM A FORD RETIREE
Hi Guy & Basil:
I’ll have to stop by the back of the building for a tour. I would also like to celebrate the centennial somehow. Let’s think about it and possibly contact some Ford dealers for sponsorship.
Dennis
Dennis –this sound good at least we have a year to work on it BUT time will pass by fast.
Thank You for your comment and i will do every thing I can to make it happen with you.
WORKING TOGETHER
Thanks Guy. I look forward to working with you on the Ford Centennial in 2014.
When Indianapolis had a REAL economy…
I have a 1928 Model A Ford assembled in Canada and has Hassler Shocks with the Hardwood inserts in them. I am looking too make the wooden parts for them do you know where I could find the prints for them
Hi,
My father knew L. Porter Smith who made the Cyclop motor car in 1910. My Dad was a young boy and very interested in what Porter Smith had to say about making his cars and before he died he gave my Dad the only part he had left of the Cyclop car which was a radiator. He also gave my Dad the official Cyclop Stamp he used on all his mailings. I’d love to find a photo of a car of patent drawings and make a car. Can you give me any help?
Hello everyone interested in preserving the old cars in our great state. I’m still trying to find anyone who might know a way to find an ad for L. Porter Smith’s Cyclop car he made in 1910. I’d like to find drawings or photos or any information.
Hi Jay:
My name is Paul Zeising and I am a big car enthusiast. I am currently researching the 1910 Cyclop car by L. Porter Smith. I am amazed that I actually found someone like you with a close relationship to the Cyclop car. I would be more than happy to share any information that I find. Do you still live around the Indianapolis, Indiana area?
I live in Danville, walking distance from Porter Smith’s old property. I feel that Porter still has relation in the area who might have old advertisement material or drawings. I have a neighbor who is a namesake of Porters.