Abner Doble

Any of several makes of steam-powered automobile, including Doble Detroit, Doble Steam Car, and Doble Automobile, are referred to as a Doble because of their founding or association with Abner Doble. Image File history File links Abner Doble File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Abner Doble File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Doble built his first steam car while still in high school. He left the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for Detroit with the aim of building the finest steam car in the world. By 1918 he had built 80 steam cars in Detroit. In 1924, Doble and his brothers, all engineers, moved their steam car business to Emeryville, California, where they built 42 additional cars before being forced out of business. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, is a research and educational institution located in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. MIT is a widely renowned leader in science and technology, as well as in many other fields, including management, economics, linguistics, political science, and philosophy. ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The 1923 Stanley Steam Car A steam car is a car that has a steam engine. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The city of Emeryville highlighted within Alameda County Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California. ...

1925 Doble Steam

The 1924 model Doble steam car could run for 1,500 miles on a 24-gallon tank (62.5 mpg for a 4300 lbs. automobile), had a flash boiler the could produce a working head of steam in one minute, and reach speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, all in eerie silence. It was a luxury car that film stars and royalty were proud to own. Image File history File links 1925 Doble Steam Car File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links 1925 Doble Steam Car File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The layout of the chassis put the boiler in front and the four-cylinder compound engine over the rear wheels. The even weight distribution and low center of gravity contributed much to the car's ride and handling. The only defect sometimes noted was less than perfect braking, which was common in automobiles before World War II. Dobles achieved reliability by lacking most of the things that break: no clutch, no transmission, no distributor, no points, and no fan belts. The Doble steam engines were very simple and reliable, often achieving several hundred thousand miles of use before a major mechanical service was necessary. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ...

Doble advertisements mentioned the lightness of the engine, which would lead customers to compare with that of much heavier gasoline engines - but "engine" in a steam car meant essentially the cylinder block and its pistons. The weight of the boiler and ancillary equipment was neglected.

At 70 mph in a Doble E-series, there is no vibration - the engine turns at around 900 rpm, and apart from considerable wind noise, the car is almost totally silent.

When his fourth steam-powered car company was forced out of business in April 1931, Doble traveled the world as a steam power consultant.

Resources

• The Magnificent Doble
• Doble Uniflow Engine
• Guide to the Doble Steam Motors Corporation photograph collection, 1898-ca. 1963, bulk 1917-1935 - UC Berkeley Bancroft Library
• Guide to the Abner Doble Papers, 1885-1963 - UC Berkeley Bancroft Library

1920-1939 Car Spotters Guide by Tad Burness, Motobooks International.