1911 Kelsey Motorette

The early 1900’s were a unique time in the infancy of US automobile manufacturing, with hundreds of small machine shops and companies across the country creating unique motor vehicles.  Some of these enterprises built vehicles in the single digits, while others produced a few hundred.  Sometimes these companies were bought out by other entities with similar aspirations, while others simply found making these horseless carriages took resources that could produce a better profit margin.

One of the more unique vehicles to emerge from this period was the Kelsey Motorette, a vehicle that featured a rare three wheeled design.  Cadwaller Washburn Kelsey had almost a decade of experience in the automobile industry when he introduced the Motorette in 1910.

Power came from an air-cooled two stroke twin cylinder engine estimated to produce 10 horsepower with a two-speed planetary drive transmission.  After early models were plagued with overheating issues, later models were equipped with a water-cooled engine with similar specifications.  It is estimated that total Motorette production was slightly over 200 vehicles (210 by one source) before Kelsey moved the company in a different direction. Very few Kelsey Morotettes exist today.

This 1911 Kelsey Motorette is one of the most honored examples with over six decades of known ownership.  It was acquired in the early 1960’s by New York resident Robert Zlotoff who commissioned the exacting restoration the car wears today which included consultations with and elderly C.W. Kelsey himself!  After 60 years, the car still presents very nicely bearing witness to the high-quality restoration.  After Mr. Zlotoff’s ownership the car became a part of the Muir collection before being acquired in October 2014 by Evergreen Historic Autos in Lebanon, MO.

Evergreen Digital Showroom offers this very rare and unique example of early US automotive history for sale at a price of $99,900 USD.  Pre-purchase inspection is both welcomed and advised.  We will gladly arrange shipping of this vehicle at buyer’s expense or will work with the shipper of buyer’s choice to facilitate delivery.  For additional information or to set up an appointment to view this vehicle, call sales manager Steve Russell at 417-532-8000.