Regas founder, James Harry Sager, began
manufacturing bicycle
accessories with a partner, Willard G. Rich, as the Rich & Co. in
1891.
Rich sold his share in the firm to Sager in 1895, who reorganized as
the Sager
Mfg. Co., its address 138 North Water St., just one block east of St.
Paul St.
At that time the company’s most popular product was ‘cycle saddles’. In
1899
Sager add bicycle gears to the product line, reorganizing as the Sager
Gear Co.
James H. Sager was born in Ontario, Canada
in August of 1859,
emigrating to the United States in 1884. He married Cora Blanche Mills
(b. Mar.
1864 in NY) in 1886 and the union resulted in the birth of two
children;
Clinton M. (b. Mar. 1889) and Thelma L. (b. June 1897) Sager. In 1900
Sager entered the burgeoning retail vehicle sales and
manufacturing
business as the Regas Vehicle Co. (Sager spelled backwards) locating
his
salesroom and manufactory at 66 East Ave., Rochester. A Regas Vehicle
Co.
advertisement in the February 1, 1900 Democrat & Chronicle
(Rochester):
“Electric and Gasoline Automobiles,
Motor-Cycles, Bicycles. Regas
Vehicle Co. Rochester, NY, Telephone 84. 66 East Ave.”
The firm carried Orient, Ariel, National,
Record, Stearns
and Regas bicycles; Orient motorcycles and Winner Gasoline and Woods
Electric
automobiles.
Subsequent advertisements touted the danger
of steam
automobiles, as evidenced by the following, which appeared in the
February 18,
1900 edition of the Democrat & Chronicle:
“AUTOMOBILES! Don't Be Deluded! You Are
Not
All Engineers?
Could You Pass the Necessary Examinations to Run the Best Equipped
Steam Plant
in This City?
“Ask any practical engineer whether he
would
prefer running
a large steam plant to a small one; he will tell you that the larger
the plant,
the more leeway he has, that a small plant requires much more
attention; that
things are liable to happen sooner. Placing it under the seat out of
sight
makes it still more dangerous.
“We Will Tell You the Truth, We Will Give
You the Facts, not
only about our automobiles, but about all the others. Any make of
electric
vehicle is safe, also any gasoline vehicle without steam. With either
of these
two types of vehicles you are without FIRE HEAT AND STEAM, and these
are
carriages which ladies and children can operate.
“MAKES WE HANDLE. WOOD'S ELECTRIC
CARRIAGES,
the finest
made, which we are selling to the best people in Rochester. The WINNER
GASOLINE
RUN-ABOUT which will be here very soon. The ORIENT 20th CENTURY VEHICLE
which
will carry you everywhere.
“Defer placing your order until you have
seen our line.
Telephone 84 and we will CALL and take you for a ride. ‘Regas’ Vehicle
Co., 66
EAST AVENUE. Do not overlook the fact that we carry a full line of
HIGH-GRADE
BICYCLES.”
On December 1, 1900 the Regas Vehicle Co.
relocated to 72-80
West Main St., Rochester. The New Corporations column of the May 29,
1901
edition of the New York Times announced the official formation of the
Regas
Vehicle Co.:
“Regas Vehicle Company of Rochester:
capital
$25,000.
Directors – J. Harry Sager, Cora B. Sager, and George D. Green,
Rochester.”
Sager also developed his own motor bicycle,
three of which
were entered in a September 1901 New York-Buffalo Endurance Run, the
September
11, 1901 issue of The Horseless Age recording the list of entrants of
which
Nos. 87, 88 and 89 were Regas Motor Bicycles of 1 ½- and 2 ½-hp,
piloted by
J.H. Sager (no. 87, 1 ½-hp), G.D. Green (no. 88 2 ½-hp) and Warren L.
Stoneburn
(no. 89 1 ½-hp). The death of President McKinley ended the race
prematurely at
Rochester instead of Buffalo and the September 18, 1901 issue of the
Horseless
Age noted that none of the Regas Motor Bicycles made it past Albany,
with only
41 of the original 89 entrants making it to the premature finish in
Rochester.
The top finishers were all automobiles, and within two years Sager
would began
manufacturing his own automobile.
The March 29, 1902 edition of the Democrat
& Chronicle
announced the debut of the Regas ‘Spring Frame’ bicycle:
“A Valuable Bicycle Invention.
“Two well-known Rochester men, J. Harry
Sager and George D.
Green, have just been allowed patents on a very important and valuable
bicycle
invention that will in all probability revolutionize the bicycle
industry. It
is a spring frame which makes the modern wheel as comfortable as the
most
luxurious carriage, without adding much cost, no visible mechanism and
scarcely
any extra weight to the popular graceful, up-to-date modern bicycle.
Fully
three-quarters of all the bicycle manufacturers have adopted the device
and
shipments have been made to foreign countries. Undoubtedly this will
add
another large manufacturing industry to Rochester. These improved
bicycles may
be seen and ridden at the ‘Regas’ Vehicle Co., Nos. 72 and 80 Main
street west,
who are manufacturing and supplying bicycle manufacturers this spring
frame
device, which is known as the ‘Regas’ spring frame, name ‘Regas’ being
derived
by spelling Sager backwards.”
A display advertisement in the April 29,
1903 edition of the
Democrat & Chronicle reveals the Regas Vehicle Co. was liquidating
their
stock of bicycles in order to concentrate on ‘manufacturing and
wholesale
trade’:
“Clearance Sale – Bicycles
“We have decided to close out our retail
business, confining
ourselves to manufacturing and wholesale trade exclusively. Therefore,
we offer
our entire stock of bicycles at greatly reduced prices. This is a
genuine
clearance sale which begins at once and is confined to our present
stock of
‘Regas Bicycles.’ Come quick if you need a bicycle. Cash or time.
Inducements for cash. Every bicycle fully
guaranteed. A few good second-hands cheap. ‘REGAS’ VEHICLE COMPANY, 80
Main
Street West. Up One Flight. OPEN EVENINGS UNTIL EVERY WHEEL IS SOLD.”
In July of 1903, Sager reorganized the Regas
Vehicle Co. as
the Regas Automobile Co., a firm primarily funded by Thomas B. Dunn,
founder
and president of the T.B. Dunn Co., a well-known Rochester-based
manufacturer
of perfumes, extracts and most famously ‘Sen-Sen’ brand
licorice-flavored gum
and breath mints. Sager served as president; Dunn, vice-pres., and the
operation
moved into a large brick structure located at 45-47 South Ave.,
Rochester. The
New York Incorporations column of the July 30, 1903 edition of the New
York
Times announced the formation of the Regas Automobile Mfg. Co.:
“Albany, July 29. – Incorporated to-day:
“Regas Automobile Company, Rochester:
capital $100,000.
Directors – J.H. Sager, T.B. Dunn, and C.E. Bowen, Rochester.”
The July 31, 1903 edition of the Democrat
& Chronicle
reported the news to Rochesterians:
“COMPANY INCORPORATED - Regas Automobile
Manufacturing
Company Filed Papers With County Clerk.
“Articles of Incorporation of the Regas
Automobile Company
were filed yesterday with the County Clerk. The capital stock is given
as
$100,000, divided Into 1,000 shares of $100 each. The purpose for which
the
company is formed is the purchase, manufacture, sale, and dealing in
automobiles, and all kinds of vehicles or conveyances operated by
mechanical
power, with all things incidental. The directors are J. Harry Sager,
Thomas B.
Dunn, Carroll E. Bowen and Robert C. Kershner, of this city, and L.
Louis Willard of Binghamton.”
The News and Trade Miscellany column of the
August 8, 1903
issue of The Automobile announced the new firm to the nation:
“Organized to Make Waterless Runabouts
“The Regas Automobile Mfg. Co., of
Rochester, NY, has been
incorporated with $100,000 capital stock for the purpose of buying,
manufacturing and selling automobiles and accessories. The directors
are J.
Harry Sager, Thomas B. Dunn, Carroll E. Bowen, and Robert C. Kershner,
of
Rochester and L. Louis Willard, of Binghamton, NY. The company has no
connection with the Regas Vehicle Co. which will retire from business,
and the
Regas spring frame for bicycles, which has been marketed by that
concern, will
still be manufactured by J. Harry Sager.
“The new Regas Automobile Mfg. Co. is
ready
to begin the
business of manufacturing and marketing exclusively gasoline
automobiles fitted
with air-cooled motors, with which all of its vehicles will be
equipped. A
light touring car will be built fitted with detachable tonneau seats
and driven
by a two-cylinder air-cooled motor of 4-inch bore by 5-inch stroke. The
design
will be modern and the engine mounted vertically under a hood at the
front.”
In addition to manufacturing automobiles,
Sager was also
interested in politics, the October 26, 1903 issue of the Democrat
&
Chronicle lists him as a candidate for the New York State Assembly, 3rd
District on the Prohibition Party ticket. His home address at the time
was 53
Lake View Park, Rochester.
The first Regas automobile was a small,
single-cylinder 7 hp air-cooled
runabout on a 72-inch wheelbase chassis which sold for $750 in 1903,
and the
December 5, 1903 issue of the Automobile included a listing of the New
York and
Chicago Automobile Show participants, both of which would include the
Regas
Automobile Co. as an exhibitor.
For 1904 the Regas grew into a 12hp
air-cooled V-twin on a
81-inch wheelbase chassis that was offered as a touring or runabout for
$1500;
a 20hp air-cooled V-4 on a 86-inch wheelbase was also available. The
Regas included a Marble-Swift friction
transmission, a ‘Bunsen-tube’ type cooling system rather like the Knox
but of
Sager’s own design, and shaft drive. Sager’s unique
air-cooling
system was eventually awarded a US patent, albeit 6 months after he had
let the
firm:
“Means for Cooling Heated Surfaces; US
patent No. 775,860,
filed October 14, 1902 awarded November 22, 1904 to James H. Sager and
George
D. Green, and assigned to the Regas Automobile Co.”
The January 7, 1904 issue of The Motor World
reviewed two of
the firm’s 1904 models they had seen at the New York show. Regas was
one of the
numerous firms exhibiting at Madison Square Garden for the first time:
“Regases from Rochester – Two Attractive
Air
Cooled Cars
Incorporating Some Interesting Features
“Two interesting additions to the growing
family of air
cooled cars are being placed on the market for the 1904 season by the
Regas
Automobile Company, Rochester, NY. Model B is the light car being
furnished
with a detachable tonneau with side entrance, seating four persons.
With the
tonneau removed the car is transformed into a Stanhope runabout,
seating two
persons. The second car is known as Model G, and is a touring car,
having a
tonneau body with side entrance and seating five persons.
“As the higher powered and more ambitious
product, the
touring car, Model G, merits first attention. Its power plant consists
of a
four cylinder vertical engine, placed vertically in front under a
bonnet. These
cylinders are 4 inches by 5 inches and are cast in pairs, one pair
being placed
behind the other. This engine develops 20 horsepower at a speed of
1,000 RPM.
There is one crank to each pair of cylinders, and, of course, two
flywheels.
Splash lubrication is employed, fed by a sight feed automatic
lubricator. The
inlet valves are automatically operated the pipes being 1 ¼ inch in
diameter,
while the exhaust pipes are 1 ½ inch. Jump spark ignition is employed,
and the
engine speed which, ranges from 300 to 1,000 RPM, is controlled by both
throttle and sparking advance.
“The transmission is of the individual
clutch type, giving
three speeds forward and reverse. Each gear is independent of the
other, and
all are operated by a single lever. All gears are constantly in mesh,
running
in oil bath. There is no noise and no possibility of stripping or
sticking. The
drive is by shaft with forged universal joints from engine to
transmission, and
double chain drive direct to rear wheel. The brakes are applied by
bands on
each of the driving wheels.
“The cooling system is both novel and
effective. The cylinders
are straight cast-iron tubes surrounded by perforated sheet steel
jackets,
through which project slotted copper tubes, flanged at cylinder end and
producing both radiation and circulation, as the hot air passing out of
the
tubes draws cool air in through the slots. There are 150 of these
perforated
copper tubes to each cylinder, 1 5/8 inches long by 1/2 inch in
diameter,
twenty two gauge. One end of the tube is flanged and shaped to fit
contour of
cylinder, to which they are held rigidly by the perforated sheet steel
jacket
surrounding the cylinder through which the tubes project.
“The frame is made of angle iron, trussed.
Full elliptic
springs front and rear are used together with artillery wood wheels,
and 30
inches by 4 inches Fisk detachable tires. Wheelbase 86 inches, tread 56
inches.
Solid square axles front and rear. Hyatt roller hearings in all four
wheels.
Transmission gear and differential in one all tight case.
“Two mufflers are fitted, one for each
pair
of cylinders.
These are very efficient and are claimed to do away absolutely with
back
pressure. Wheel steering is used, the steering column being joined and
hinged
forward.
“As stated, the entrance to the rear of
tonneau is from the
side, the front seat being thrown forward. Three persons can be
comfortably
seated here, in addition to two in the individual front seats, which
are hinged,
lifting forward. The seats are leather trimmed with brass beading
around the
tops.
“The smaller car, the Model B, is similar
to
the G in its
main features. It is fitted with a two cylinder vertical engine,
however,
developing 13 horsepower at 1,000 RPM and 15 horse power at 1,200 RPM.
These
cylinders are 4 ½ inches by 5 inches, and are cooled in the same manner
as are
those of the touring car, 160 instead of 150 copper tubes being
attached to
each cylinder.
“The wheel base is also shorter in the
Model
B, viz.: 80
inches, while the wheels are fitted by 28 x 3 ½ inch Fisk tires.”
The January 21, 1904 issue of Motor World
detailed the
numerous manufacturers who were exhibiting at the 4th annual New York
Automobile Show.:
“Regas Automobile Co.
“Regas Automobile Co. show a single car
with
several novel
features. First of all, the entrance to the tonneau is secured by
throwing
forward either half of the divided forward seats which are hinged, with
a
portion of the side panel of the body rising with the seat. A double
cylinder
air cooled engine is used with the cylinders set ‘V’ section. Each
cylinder is
covered as to the body part with a steel jacket, completely filled with
perforations through which are inserted tubular copper radiating
members. The
tubes are each indented, the displaced metal being forced into the
tubes. The
theory is that the tubes radiate externally as well as internally, the
air
being freely circulated through and about the tubes. The engine heads
and
castings for the valves are flanged to secure increased radiation. The
change
gear is of the sliding type, giving two speeds forward and one reverse.
A
double drive is used to each of the driving wheels.”
The January 23, 1904 issue of The Automobile
covered the
firm’s exhibit at the New York Automobile Show:
“Regas Automobile Company
“A motor of original and striking design
and
an ingenious
side entrance to the tonneau are features of the Regas car, which was
shown for
the first time. The motor which is made both with two and four
cylinders has a particularly
novel appearance, both on account of the position of the cylinders,
which are set
V-shaped on the crankcase, but also on account of the long hollow
cooling tubes
with which they are studded and which give them a curious porcupine
effect.
Projecting from each cylinder are 172 perforated copper tubes, 1 ½
inches and
one-half inch in diameter, which not only present a large amount of
radiating surface
but also provide circulation, the hot air passing out of the ends of
the tubes drawing
in cool air through slots in the tubes near where they are inserted
into the
cylinders. The tubes are flanged and shaped to fit the contour of the
cylinder to
which they are held rigidly in place by a perforated sheet steel
jacket. This
device is claimed by its makers to be the first instance in which both
radiation and circulation are obtained without mechanical means.
“The side entrance tonneau has practically
the same
appearance as the ordinary tonneau except for the absence of the back
door
giving a long comfortable back seat. Entrance is obtained by tipping
forward either
of the individual front seats, which are separately hinged to the body
on their
front edges. When tipped forward each seat carries with it a
semi-circular portion
of the side of the tonneau, making an entrance which is easily reached
by two steps,
one in the usual position which also gives access to the front seats
and the
other at the height of the frame and directly opposite the tonneau
entrance.
The rear fender is curved to pass under the upper step and is partly
supported
by it. The entire device is both practical and ornamental.
“Other features of the Regas car are as
follows: Angle iron
frame full elliptic springs, solid, square axles, Hyatt roller bearings
in all
four wheels, individual clutch transmission, three speeds forward and
reverse,
spur gear differential, shaft drive to transmission, chain drive to
rear wheels,
Loomis float-feed carbureter, Loomis muffler, Brown-Lipe steering gear.
Wheel
base of two-cylinder car is 80 inches, of four-cylinder car, 86 inches;
tread
of both is 56 inches. The two-cylinder motor develops 12 horsepower and
the
four-cylinder motor gives 20 horsepower.”
Automobile Review’s technology editor E.W.
Roberts provided
the following overview of the Regas in the January 30, 1904 issue of
the magazine:
“A Practical Review of the Progress in
Automobile Design and
Manufacture as Exemplified at the New York Show By E.W. Roberts
“The Regas
“The Regas Automobile Co. of Rochester,
NY,
have a new
proposition in air-cooled engines, the cylinder walls being studded
with a
number of copper tubes perforated at the sides and carrying a draft of
air
through them, much on the principle of the Bunsen burner. The cylinders
are
placed at an angle of about 60 degrees and both connecting rods of one
pair
drive the same crank-pin. In the four-cylinder engine two of these
pairs of
cylinders are coupled. The car is furnished with a friction drive
transmission
or with a selective clutch system, at the option of the purchaser.”
Another item in the same issue (apparently
not written by
Roberts) provided an overview of the car and mentions that 5 examples
were on
display at the New York show:
“The Story of the New York Automobile Show
–
part II
“The Regas Automobile Co. - The Regas
Automobile Co.,
Rochester, NY, exhibited five cars. Their models are particularly
attractive.
The 2-cylinder motors set V-shaped under the hood, are easily
accessible and
are cooled. The lubrication is a pressure system, there are automatic
meet
valves and a speed of 300 to 1,200 revolutions. The body is large and
roomy,
with side entrance produced by tilting the front seat forward. This is
a new
feature in automobiles.”
In the same issue Roberts provided a few
more details,
broken down by model:
“Regas Automobile Company, Rochester, NY.
“Model ‘B.’ light, four passenger tonneau;
side entrance
gasoline; motor of four cycle type; two upright cylinders; 4 ½ x 5
cylinder,
set V-shape to give room for circulation between them, cylinder
air-cooled by
172 perf. copper tubes 1 ½ inch long by ½ inch diam.; automatic inlet
valves;
12 hp; 3 speeds forward and 1 reverse; automatic inlet valves; speed
300 to
1,200 rpm, giving 12 hp; throttle and spark control; individual clutch
transmission; weight 1,500 lbs., price $1,500.00.
“Model ‘C.’ four cylinder touring car
tonneau; 4 upright
cylinders 4x5 air cooled; generating 20 hp; speed 300 to 1,000 rpm;
controlled
by throttle and spark; wheel base 86 inches; tread 56 inches; the hood
and body
longer than model ‘B’; wheel steering, sliding gear transmission; 2,000
lbs.,
price $2,000.”
The February 4, 1904 issue of the Automobile
Review mentions
that Regas was amongst the firms that were slated to have an exhibit at
the
Chicago Show, which commenced February 6, 1904. The following two
issues of the
same publication, which was based in Chicago, included articles on the
automobile, the first being the February 13, 1904 issue:
“Regas Automobile Co., Rochester, NY
“Side entrances and air-cooled motor are
leading features of
the Regas model B four-passenger touring car. This car is one of the
new side
entrance vehicles at the show, and its makers deserve commendation for
being
pioneers in this excellent method of entrance and exit. Their
air-cooling
device consists of perforated sheet steel jacket, through which are
placed 172
perforated copper tubes. The jacket with the tubes is then placed over
the
cylinder, to which it fits closely and gives perfect contact. With
these tubes,
ample radiating surface, both inside and outside of the tubes, is
obtained, and
the perforations draw in and cool air as the hot air passes out. This
system is
founded on the well-known theory of the Bunsen burner. Air cooling
permits of
machining the cylinder inside and out, and so giving cylinder walls of
even
thickness, which admits of perfect expansion.
“The side entrance to the tonneau is
effected on either side
by tilting front seats. This model has 28 inch wheels, 3 inch tires,
individual
clutch transmission, 80 inch wheel base, Loomis carburetter, spur gear
differential, chain drive, and powerful hand brakes on each hub.
“With reference to air-cooled engines the
Rochester Gas
Engine Co. have conducted several experiments along this line. They
have run a
3 ½ x 3 ½ inch air-cooled engine at 1,000 revolutions per minute for
four hours
consecutively in a warmly heated room, without the cylinders becoming
unduly
heated. This experiment speaks volumes for the possibility of air in
automobiles where air current is constantly obtained.”
“The Regas Automobile Co Rochester NY -
The
product of this
company was described in my report of the New York show. However, Mr.
Sager
showed me an improvement he has made in the method of attaching the
small
cooling tubes to the cylinders, which enables him to attach them to the
heads
and the valve boxes as well. This certainly should improve the
efficiency of
his unique cooling system.”
The February 27, 1904 issue of the
Automobile Review provided
a much more detailed overview of the 1904 Model ‘B’ and ‘C’, presumably
written
by its technical editor, E.W. Roberts:
“The Regas Air-Cooled Models for 1904
“The Regas Automobile Company of
Rochester,
NY, have two
models for this season’s trade. Model ‘B’ is a light four passenger
tonneau car
fitted with a two-cylinder vertical air-cooled motor located under the
hood,
which is capable of generating over 12 horse power. The side entrance
is a
feature of this model as it is also of model ‘C’.
“Model ‘C’ in general design is similar to
model ‘B,’ but
has a wider tonneau with room for three, and has a four-cylinder
vertical motor
with cylinders mounted in pairs, one behind the other, making a very
compact
and powerful engine. Model ‘C’ has an 86-inch wheelbase and 56-inch
tread, and
model ‘B’ has an 80-inch wheelbase and standard tread. Both of these
models are
replete with improvements that are in the van in their respective
classes,
noticeable among which are the air-cooled motors, in which fans are not
needed,
and the side entrance tonneau with access obtained by tilting front
seats. The
materials used throughout are of the best procurable, and upon these
has been
expended the highest grade of American workmanship. The general design
of these
cars compares favorably with anything on the market, and at all of the
recent
auto shows they came in for searching analysis and a great many
commendations.
“Engine
“The air-cooled engines are the most
characteristic portion
of the Regas cars. These motors are constructed in two sizes, the
two-cylinder
and the four-cylinder one. In the two-cylinder engine the bore and
stroke are 4
½ and 5 inches respectively, and in the four-cylinder variety the
dimensions
are four and five inches. Both of these are of the twin-cylinder class
and are
mounted vertically in front under the hood, and are set V-like to
permit of as
free air circulation as possible. Each cylinder is covered with a steel
jacket
through which are inserted tubular copper radiating members and the
engine
heads and castings for the valves are deeply flanged to assist
radiation.
“Steel Jacket
“In air-cooled motors the radiating
members
must offer the
greatest possible radiating surface and the metal used must be of the
highest
radiating quality. In the Regas the steel jacket which fits tightly to
the
cylinders is provided with 172 perforated copper tubes 1 ½ inches long
and ½ inch
in diameter, which serve to break up the heat generated by the rapid
explosions
in the cylinders. These tubes in themselves provide an extra-large
amount of
radiating surface, but in addition create air circulation; for when the
hot air
passes out of the ends of the tubes it draws the cool air through the
perforated slots, which is the same system as that used in the
well-known
Bunsen burner. The copper tubes have shoulders on the end next to the
cylinder
which keep them in constant contact with the cylinder walls. The hot
air
passing out must necessarily draw cool air in, and this induced air
circulation
obviates the necessity of a fan or blower of any description. The
cylinders
being angularly mounted with ample space between them prevents the
possibility
of pocketing the air and also leaves a wide opening for natural
circulation.
“The two connecting rods work on one crank
between two flywheels
inside an aluminum case, giving splash lubrication to both cylinders.
The inlet
valves are automatic and very accessible, and the exhaust valves are
directly
below them and can readily be removed when the inlet ones are out. The
engine
speed varies from 300 to 1,200 revolutions, generates over 12 horse
power and
is controlled by both spark and throttle.
“Carburetter
“A carburetter made specially for these
motors is used. It
is of the Loomis type, float feed, and by its automatic construction
gives a powerful
and constant mixture at all rates of speed.
“Equipment
“The Loomis muffler, which is proof
against
back pressure,
is employed and the vehicles have wheel steering with Brown Lipe
steering gear,
14-gallon gasoline tank under the rear seat, brass side lamps, horn,
tools, and
an option of Marble Swift friction transmission if desired.
“Transmission
“The individual clutch type of
transmission
gives three
speeds forward and one reverse. All gears are constantly in mesh and
run in an
oil bath within an oil tight case. Each gear is independent of all
others and
all are operated by a single lever, which admits of simple and quiet
change of
speeds. Any change of gear from high to low or vice versa can be
instantly made
at any time regardless of the speed of the car, and there is not the
danger of
stripping gears or loss of power.
“The Differential
“The spur gear differential is integral
with
the
transmission and the drive from the motor to the transmission is by
universal
joints and from the transmission to each rear wheel through powerful
individual
chains. The brake system consists of a very strong band brake on each
rear
wheel.
“Body
“The side entrance tonneau marks this
model
as a leader in
its class. The rear entrance has the objection common to all rear
entrances,
that of small individual tonneau seats that are of necessity small in
order to
permit of easy entrance. In the Regas car the entrance is accomplished
by the
tilting of either of the front seats as shown in one of the
illustrations. A
portion of the body raises with the seat and enables any one, large or
small,
to enter the tonneau comfortably from either side of the car without
unfastening any bolts, locks or catches of any kind. The hinges at the
edges of
the front seats allow them to be tipped forward easily and steel pins
on the
bottom of the seats enter the recesses in the body and so hold the seat
securely and eliminate all rattle and noise that might arise.
“This body design combines that of the
surrey and tonneau
and obviates the disadvantages of both. In appearance it is identical
with the
popular up-to-date tonneau with the objectionable narrow back door not
in
evidence. The tonneau has a long comfortable back seat, which enables
the
occupants to face forward and does not compel them to have to brace
themselves
so as not to slide off the small corner seat. The continuous back makes
a
stronger, a roomier and a safer tonneau. It is easily detachable, and a
lid
provided, which gives the car a neat runabout appearance and allows
ample
carrying space for luggage, etc., a feature found on very few cars. The
upholstering is of the best that can be had. The highest grade of
leather is
used; there are spring cushions in the backs and seats and a row of
brass
beading around the tops of all seats gives a most attractive finish.
“Running Gear
“A strong and durable running gear is a
primary essential to
the life of any car, if the wheel base is too short, the spring not of
suitable
strength or the axles weak, the general usefulness of the car is
correspondingly
impaired. In the Regas an angle iron frame well trussed is employed and
the
full elliptic springs in the front and rear give as easy a riding
vehicle as
can be had. The artillery wood wheels with 12 spokes in each are 28
inches in
diameter and are fitted with 3 ½ inch detachable tires. Solid square
axles are
used in the front and rear, and all four wheels are furnished with
Hyatt roller
bearings.
“Air-Cooling Test
“Air-cooled motors come in for many doubts
among the
automobile public, and in order that the auto buyer and owner may have
some
adequate idea of what has been accomplished in the air-cooling line the
following test was arranged:
“The Rochester Gas Engine Company of
Rochester, NY,
experimented with a two-cycle air-cooled motor fitted with the Regas
tubular
radiators and have given out these results.
‘“The engine we used was 3 ½ inches
diameter
and 3 ½ inch
stroke, making 1,000 revolutions per minute, and we knew the difficulty
would
be to keep the engines properly cooled when making these rapid
explosions. We
made one test wherein the engine ran four consecutive hours in our warm
steam
heated testing room and believe there was no limit to the length of
time we
could have run it.’”
Although Regas had exhibited 5 cars at the
National
Automobile Show in New York City (January 1904) and at least one car at
the
following show in Chicago (Feb. 1904), several months later J. Harry
Segar (as
he preferred to be called) resigned from the company and its chief
shareholder,
Thomas B. Dunn, took over.
J.H. Segar is listed in the 1905 Rochester
directory as a
bicycle specialty manufacturer at his home address of 9 Brooklyn St.
The 1906
directory lists a new firm, the J.H. Sager Co., spring makers, at the
same
address; J.H. Sager, president and Charles J. Iven, vice
pres.,sec-treas. The
1907 Rochester directory provides a new address, 265 South Av., and a
new
product line, auto specialties. The firm remained at that address until
1918,
when they relocated to 36 S. Water St. By 1920 the J.H. Sager Co. had
moved to
138 N. Water St., remaining in business into 1929. Sager’s auto
specialties business
collapsed soon after the stock market crash and he relocated to the
Rochester
suburb of Scottsville, NY, where he ran a filing station right up until
his
passing in the mid-30s.
The Regas Automobile Company’s new
president, Thomas Byrne
Dunn, was born in Providence, Rhode Island on March 16, 1853. He moved
with his
parents to Rochester in 1858 where he attended public school and the
DeGraff
Military Institute. He founded the T.B. Dunn Co., 111 N. Water St.,
Rochester, which
manufactured perfumes, extracts and Sen-Sen gum and breath mints. Dunn
served
as president of the Rochester Chamber of commerce from 1903 to 1906 and
was
appointed chief commissioner of the New York exhibit at the Jamestown
(Virginia) Tercentennial Exposition during 1907. Dunn was elected to
the NY
State senate in 1907, becoming NY State Treasurer in 1908. In 1909 Dunn
merged
his company into, and became president of, the newly formed Sen-Sen
Chicklet
Co. which was capitalized at $6,700,000. He served as chairman of the
Rochester
Centennial Committee in 1912 and from March 4, 1913-March 3, 1923
served as the
region’s US Congressman, with two terms as chairman of the House
Committee on
Roads. He was an alternate delegate to the 1920 Republican Convention
and on
July 2, 1924, the 71-yo passed away, just sixteen months after leaving
Congress.
The February 1903 issue of Soap Gazette and
Perfumer
announced the recent election of Dunn as president of the Rochester
Chamber of
Commerce:
“THOMAS B. DUNN, first vice president of
the
Chamber of
Commerce of Rochester, NY, was elected president to succeed Daniel B.
Murphy
who resigned because he could not give the office his time and
attention. Mr.
Dunn is president of the Thomas B. Dunn Company, perfumers, Rochester,
NY, and
is a progressive business man. The Dunn Company has purchased the old
Homeopathic Hospital building on Monroe avenue (233 Monroe av.) and
will erect
a new plant there soon.”
Soon after Dunn assumed control of the
company from Sager he
enlisted William H. Birdsall to overhaul the firm’s air-cooled
motorcars for
the 1905 model year, the June 30, 1904 issue of The Motor Age reporting:
“Birdsall with Regas—W.H.
Birdsall, who
was formerly general manager and mechanical engineer of the Buckmobile
Co., of
Utica, N.Y., has become mechanical engineer of the Regas Automobile
Co., of
Rochester, N.Y.”
Birdsall came up with an all-new Regas with
an air-cooled
four on a 100-inch wheelbase with a three-speed sliding gear
transmission.
The 1905 Rochester City Directory lists
Birdsall (for the
first time) as a mechanical engineer, with a work address of 45 South
Ave. and
a home address of 120 Chestnut St.
Thomas B. Dunn, who was the current
president of the chamber
of commerce gave a speech to the participants of the 1904 ‘Good Roads’
convention, the Oct. 20, 1904 issue of Motor Age reporting:
“TALKED FOR GOOD ROADS - Enthusiastic
Advocates for Better
Highways in New York State Get Together at Rochester
“Rochester, NY, Oct. 15 - Monroe county,
in
New York state,
famous since the earliest days of cycling for its fine sidepaths, now
takes the
lead in good road construction. The county, of which the city of
Rochester is
the seat possesses some 240 miles of sidepaths for bicyclists, the
riders being
taxed 25 cents a year for a tag which permits them to ride on the
paths. If the
present plans are put through, in another 10 years the county will
possess that
many miles of good roads. The reason the cycle paths are given so much
importance is the fact that the same men who worked so energetically
for
sidepaths are now pushing the good roads movement, foremost among these
being
Senator William W. Armstrong, of Armstrong baggage bill and
Higbie-Armstrong
good road law fame; the former compelling railroads in New York state
to carry
bicycles as baggage and the latter law which gives state aid in
building roads.
“Last week a good roads convention was
held
at Rochester,
the day sessions being held in the supervisors’ rooms in the county
court house
and the evening sessions in the chamber of commerce rooms, the
convention
receiving the hearty support and co-operation of both the board of
supervisors
and Rochester chamber of commerce. Speakers of prominence in the cause
of good
roads were present from all sections of the country. The manufacturers
of good
roads machinery and the publishers of good roads literature were also
on hand
to assist the project….
“Thomas B. Dunn, president of the chamber
of
commerce and
incidentally one of the largest stockholders in the Regas Automobile
Co.,
welcomed the delegates to chamber of commerce rooms and made a few
remarks on
the conditions he had encountered while automobiling. William C. Barry,
a
prominent member of the chamber who is also interested in an automobile
factory,
was next speaker in the evening session, and so favorable an impression
did he
make on his listeners that he was unanimously elected as president of
the
Monroe County Good Roads Association.”
The Nov. 24, 1904 issue of Motor Age listed
Regas as an
exhibitor at the upcoming 1905 New York (exhibition hall) and Chicago
(main
floor) Automobile Shows and the 'Minor Mention' column of the December
21,
1904 Horseless
Age described it:
“The Regas Automobile Company, of
Rochester,
N.Y., expect to
build a four-cylinder car for next year, equipped with a side entrance
body.”
Birdsall’s overhauled Regas debuted at the
1905 New York and
Chicago Automobile shows, however Dunn was disappointed in the firm’s
prospects
and pulled the plug on the money-losing operations soon after. Little
mention
of the firm or its vehicles would appear in the 1905 automobile trades
save for
the August 1, 1905 issue of Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal:
“Regas Four-Cylinder Air-Cooled Car
“Regas Automobile Co., 45-47 South avenue,
Rochester, NY,
are now on the market with their 4-cylinder gasoline car and we
illustrate the
same herewith. The cylinders are 4 ½ in. bore and 5 in. stroke and are
cooled
by the ‘Regas’ patent air cooling system. The engine is of the vertical
type
and develops 28 to 30 horse power. It is placed in front and drives
through a 3-speed-and-reverse
sliding gear transmission. The wheelbase of the car is 100 inches.
“They recently gave the car a very severe
test, particularly
the air-cooling system. On a sultry day with the thermometer at about
90, they
drove the car from 11 AM till 9 PM, stopping only about an hour and a
half for
lunch, almost entirely on the high gear over roads in horrible
condition from
recent rains and a cloudburst which they encountered en route. Five
passengers
were carried and not the least sign of overheating did the engine
show.”
At around the time that Thomas B. Dunn
debuted the
Birdsall-redesigned 30 hp 4-cylinder 1905 Regas automobile, its
designer,
William H. Birdsall was introduced to Samuel H. Mora (b. 1868 - d.
March 5,
1918) who at the time was sales manager of the Eastman Kodak Co.,
Rochester,
New York’s largest employer. It is entirely possible that Mora had
purchased a
Regas automobile, although evidence is lacking. Regardless, at some
point prior
to or during 1905 the two auto-minded men met and made plans to design
and
produce their own motor car.
By the time of Mora’s
unanticipated
departure from the Eastman Kodak Co., (late 1905/early 1906, the exact
date
unknown) he and Birdsall had more-or-less finalized the design of the
first
Mora automobile, which was unsurprisingly similar in appearance to the
1905 Regas. By that time Mora had already inked a deal with the
Village of
Newark, New
York’s Board of Trade to furnish him a plant to build his self-named
motor car. That story is covered on
the Mora
page. William H.
Birdsall's career can be found on his own page.
There are no known Regas cars remaining.
© 2019 Mark
Theobald for Coachbuilt.com
|