Company overview
The Speedwell Motor Car Company was established in Dayton, Ohio, by Pierce Davies Schenck in 1907. Gilbert J. Loomis was hired as Chief Engineer, having previously built cars in Massachusetts. The company produced approximately 4,000 vehicles and trucks during its ten-year operation. Speedwell initially used Rutenber engines on various chassis lengths, and in 1909, production quadrupled with a one-chassis design featuring a four-cylinder engine. From 1909 to mid-1912, the company sold its vehicles at a base price of $2,500. Speedwell offered various body styles including cruisers and speed cars. In 1910, the factory leased space to the Wright Company for airplane construction. The company manufactured light and heavy-duty delivery trucks beginning in 1910. In 1911, Speedwell produced its first sedan. The company introduced a rotary-valve engine designed by Cyrus E. Mead in 1913, but production of this model was limited. A flood in 1913 damaged the factory and led to a decline in sales, resulting in receivership and bankruptcy in 1915. After the company’s failure, the factory was used by other companies including the Recording and Computing Machines Company and W. M. Pattison Supply Company.
