Topic: Solved: PN #413 -- Pan, 1919

[4popoid]

Despite searching hundreds automobile brands, I can find no brand carrying the name of the town in which it was manufactured, and which town was created because of the manufacture of the car.  The only U.S. town that I can find that was specifically created for the manufacture of transportation vehicles was Pullman, Illinois (now part of Chicago), which was created by George Pullman, head of the Pullman Palace Car Co. (later the Pullman Co.).  The Pullman Palace Car Co. made railroad passenger cars, and, as far as I can determine, never tried to produce automobiles, although they did produce some automobile bodies for Packard, Moon, and other automobile manufacturers.

There was, however, a Pullman automobile, but it was produced by The Pullman Motor Car Company (1905-1917) of York, Pennsylvania.  This company was founded by A. P. Broomell, and was in no way related to the Pullman Company, except that the choice of the automobile name was apparently intended to reflect the luxury, and very high quality, of the Pullman railroad cars.  Since I have found a few Pullman automobile advertising pictures from about the correct time period, and which resemble the mystery car, I'll take another stab and suggest that the mystery car might be a: 1915/17 Pullman Junior 4 cylinder/5 passenger tourer by The Pullman Motor Car Company of York, PA. 

[pnegyesi]

"The town was supposed to cater for the workers" - please remember the cars were built in one town and this new town was created for housing the workers.
This was a really, really big project - and not a Pullman, but it started with a "P"

[RayTheRat]

not a Richmond. The state is not in the middle of the US, it is close to the Canadian border

Let me phrase that differently: Is the state in the western half of of the US or the eastern?

[woodinsight]

I think we are talking about a car named Pan, produced by the Pan Motor Co., St. Cloud, Minnesota between 1919 & 1921.
It was the brainchild of Samuel Conner Pandolfo, a promoter and high-pressure salesman who had grandiose plans to produce a car under his own name (shortened to Pan). He centred his operations on St. Cloud MN where he built a factory and adjacent residential accommodation for his workers and their families.
Despite initial success with the manufacture of the Pan car, production ground to a halt with the indictment of Pandolfo on charges of fraud involving the manipulation of stock worth $10 million. He was jailed for 10 years at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas.
Released after serving two and a half years in prison, he went on to found a health food business and to patent a device for making doughnuts. He lived until his mid-80s.

Back to the puzzle car of which a total of 737 were completed.
It was built almost exclusively as a 5-seater tourer powered by a 4076cc 6-cylinder F-head engine built in the Pan factory.

[RayTheRat]

You're absolutely right about Pandolfo and his "Panzie schemes" but he didn't build St. Cloud, MN for the workers of the plant.  It was a section of St. Cloud (I guess we'd call it a subdivision or "bedroom community" today) that was nicknamed "Pantown." 

Reading about Pandolfo makes me think that he got a raw deal.  He may have been right on the edge of the law, but the judge refused evidence that the plant was actually engaged in making cars; as a result, the jury never learned of this and convicted him.  When he got out of federal prison and went back to St. Cloud, he was greeted with a group of well-wishers and a brass band.

The judge in the case seems to have a much more tarnished history than Pandolfo.  What a mess!

[4popoid]

Sounds like Pan is the correct answer.

By the way, does anyone else, besides me, think the driver of the car resembles Al Capone?  Perhaps, assuming the driver was Sam Pandolfo, we know what Big Al was doing before he came to Chicago.

[pnegyesi]

Yes, this is the first Pan automobile, driven by Pandolfo who chauffeured his wife Anna, company directors Fred Schilplin and Peter Thielman (left  and center), and designer Victor Gauvreau.
Congratulations to woodinsight

[woodinsight]

You're absolutely right about Pandolfo and his "Panzie schemes" but he didn't build St. Cloud, MN for the workers of the plant.  It was a section of St. Cloud (I guess we'd call it a subdivision or "bedroom community" today) that was nicknamed "Pantown." 

Reading about Pandolfo makes me think that he got a raw deal.  He may have been right on the edge of the law, but the judge refused evidence that the plant was actually engaged in making cars; as a result, the jury never learned of this and convicted him.  When he got out of federal prison and went back to St. Cloud, he was greeted with a group of well-wishers and a brass band.

The judge in the case seems to have a much more tarnished history than Pandolfo.  What a mess!

Interesting information Ray - as you say what a mess!

[woodinsight]

Yes, this is the first Pan automobile, driven by Pandolfo who chauffeured his wife Anna, company directors Fred Schilplin and Peter Thielman (left  and center), and designer Victor Gauvreau.
Congratulations to woodinsight

Thanks Pal...

[RayTheRat]

A few photos to go along with the car.  I vaguely remember reading about Pandolfo and his prison term, but since the ad showed St. Cloud, I didn't make the connection.  Well done, Mr. Wood.

[pnegyesi]

thanks Ray

[RayTheRat]

My pleasure, Pal.