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I did a search on Google street-view and found the attached picture. This was taken within the last 2 years. As you can see the dealership is still being used for “high-end”” luxury cars – Rolls Royce.”

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Per the previous description of Bob Lind:

Hewson Motor Co. Inc. Building

315 W. Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91105

NOTE: The car at the curb with 1927 dealers’ plates is most likely a 1927 Pierce-Arrow Model 80.

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William – I have looked through all my resources and can not find a address for either the Pasadena or San Diego locations. I do know that some trade publications would list the dealers name and address but I have not found any for Hamlin. Short of purchasing all 1920’s editions of Motor Magazine, I’m stuck.

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Here is the backside of the same building.

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Priceless…

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Hi Doug,

According to the data I have, a 1247 weighs 5,550 pounds.

Hope this helps.

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Something I ran across…

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After doing a little research I found the following information that might help create a timeline for R.H. Magoon.

– He started with Old’s (1899-1901).

– Sold Pope – Toledo Automobiles (1904 – ?)

– R. H. Magoon Motor Car Co. located at 9th Street, Cleveland Ohio selling Pope-Toledo (1909)

– Partnered with another dealer to sell Wood’s Electric in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1910)

– The Leach Biltwell Motor Car Co of Los Angeles buys the Republic Truck Plant (Dec 20,1919)

– R. H. Magoon appears in the 1920 U.S. Censes living in Los Angeles CA with wife Betty T. Magoon

– Leach Biltwell acquires the Miller Engine & Foundry of Los Angeles (May 28,1921)

– R. H. Magoon (Age: 44) joins the sales department of the Leach Biltwell Motor Car Co. to assist Charles Hagenios – Sales Manager (July 7, 1921)

I was not able to find any information about R. H. Magoon selling Pierce-Arrow’s automobiles between 1910 thru 1921. The Pierce-Arrow dealer in Cleveland Ohio during the time of the R. H. Magoon Motor Car Co. (1905) was the Metropolitan Motor Car Co. located at E.19th Street and Euclid Ave. They sold Pierce-Arrow, Stearns, and Cadillac. The last article I could locate with an advertisement of the Metropolitan Motor Car Co. was in the publication “Automobile Topic”, 1915.

Sadly, nothing came up with in my search connecting Magoon to Pierce-Arrow, Metropolitan Motor Car Co or a published move to Los Angeles before 1921 related to the automobile industry.

On a side note, I do have pictures of the Ralph Hamlin Pierce-Arrow, Franklin, REO dealership in Southern California (not sure where the dealership was exactly located) during the mid 1920’s. It could be possible that R. H. Magoon worked as a salesman or manager under a dealer in the Los Angeles area/region.

Hopefully this information will help to get you started…

References: Motor Cyclopedia Year Book, 1909

Automobile Topics, 1915

International Motor Cyclopedia, 1908

Automobile Topics, July 9, 1910

The Motor Way, 1907

Motor Age, July 7, 1921

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A VERY good article! I have to admit, it has inspired me to start my project.

Lucky me, my bike is not in pieces…

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Hot Springs was a good place to spend some quality time with great people.

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Here is the Waltham advertisement

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Paul,

I think I found your answer.

I understand that Pierce-Arrow and Tesla strike a bad cord among some enthusiast due to the publication of Tesla claiming to have driving a Pierce with only a AC motor – wirelessly. I personally neither believe nor discount this activity. Tesla was an electronic genius who was able to provide the world with items that we now use in our everyday lives.

After a little research the Tesla name started appearing on all types of automotive products. The most common are Tesla light bulbs which are still being manufactured in Germany.

The “first” (cable driven friction) speedometer for cars was patented by Tesla in 1916. Speedometers were made by companies like Stewart and Elgin but used gears and springs similar to a clock. Speedometers were available before 1916. Enclosed is a advertisement from Waltham which mentions Nikola Tesla as the inventor of “Air-Friction”. Waltham would have been an obvious manufacturer for this time period being known for their high quality. As you read further, this “Air-Friction instrument” was offered on Pierce-Arrow’s along with other high quality automobiles.

My conclusion would be the Tesla name was printed on the face as advertisement or part of the patent for the speedometer on your friends Series 80.

The enclosed link is the actual patent drawings for the speedometer dated 1918. This is from the PBS website.

http://www.pbs.org/tesla/res/images/1274816.gif

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