• “K” suffix designated the use of the double flywheel, 12 5/8 HP, 2 cylinder motor
• “H” prefix designated the use of the double flywheel, 26 HP, 4 cylinder motor
• “M” ,“O” or “P” suffix used for variations of their panel delivery wagons, but the specific variations are unknown

List of models and their variations

Model 3, Runabout, 1903 & 1904: Curved bodied, step plates mounted in the front of the vehicle, 6 HP motor, and 2 fore & aft main springs mounted between the 2 axles.

Model 3, Runabout, 1904 – 1907: Curved body replaced 1 August 1904 with the piano (box type) body, step plates mounted at the sides, although some piano bodied 1904s retained the front mounted step plate as they finished using the balance of the early chassis.

Model 4, Runabout, 1903 & 1904: Curved body, a model 3 with the addition of a rear seat.

Model 4, Runabout, 1908 – 1910: Single seat with four full elliptical springs replacing the fore and aft main springs, and maintaining the piano body.

Model 5, Runabout, 1903 & 1904: Same as Model 3 except long distance plain axle bearings, painted steering lever, cloth upholstery instead of leather, no foot mat, fenders or lamps, one chain drive & sprocket instead of two, and one set of batteries with a single coil rather than double to reduce the price.

Model 5, Runabout, 1908 & 1909: Same as 1908 & 1909 Model 4 except plainly made as was the Model 4 of 1903 & 1904.

Model 6, Surrey, 1905: Supplied with a rigid, fringed top, introduced with the name of “Touring Vehicle”. Springs were semi-elliptical in the rear and full elliptical in front.

Model 6, Surrey, 1906: The same as the 1905 Model except supplied with a Folding top as standard replacing the rigid top, 2 full elliptical springs in front with 2 semi-elliptical in back.

Model 7, Touring Runabout, 1905 & 1906: The same as Model 6 but without the rear seat.

Models 7, 9 and 10, were not listed in MoToRs 1906 MoToR Car Directory, although they were shown in Holsman’s 1906 sales catalog.

Model 8, Touring Runabout, 1905: Same as Model 7 except with a folding front seat mounted on the top of the front compartment.

Model 9, Runabout, 1906 – 1910: Four full elliptical springs, back compartment less a lid.

Model 10, Runabout, 1906 – 19010: Four full elliptical springs, rear compartment with a lid.

Model 11, Surrey, 1907 – 1910: Four full elliptical springs, also available without the rear seat for $50 less.

Model 12, Light Delivery Wagon, 1908 & 1909: Introduced in August 1908, similar to Model 11, except that the body was built longer and deeper with a loading space 31” x 42” and a drop end board.

Model 14, Delivery Wagon, 1910: The suffix “M”, “O” or “P” were used for variations of their panel delivery wagons, but the specific variations are unknown.

Model 15, Gentleman’s Coupe, (Closed) 1910: Only two of these have ever been known to the author and their whereabouts are unknown today.

ACCESSORY – For hitching a horse

An accessory was available for the Holsman, and could also be used on other high wheel vehicles, which clamped to the front axle. Two were necessary. A set of horse traces could then be affixed, and clamped, so that the vehicle could be pulled by a horse in the event of an engine failure or lack of gasoline. The hooks which Holsman used on his first experimental vehicle performed the same function, but were permanently attached, whereas the above clamps were removable and could be transferred from vehicle to vehicle.

COLORS –

The 1903 and early 1904 curved body Holsmans were painted black with red or green running gear. From late 1904 on, the body was black, the running gear green, and specifically, Brewster Green from c1905 on, all with red striping. There is no record of the striping color on the 1903 and early 1904 models, however the 1903 in the From Museum has cream stripes. On all subsequent models it was red. The 1910 commercial models were offered with special colors for a nominal fee of not less than $5.00. The 1909 & 1910 model “H” & “K” motor types were offered in the following:

• Models 4, 9 & 10 black body, Brewster green gears.
• Model 11 dark olive green body, black molding and top seat panels, Brewster green gears.
• Model 14 dark green
• Model 15 dark olive green body, black molding and Brewster green gears.

DIMENSIONS –

• Tread – 56” (standard) or 62”, but on the early curved body models, 60” was supplied.
• Wheel base – 62” on the 1903 and early 1904 curved body models 3, 4 & 5; 65” for 1905 through 1909 in the runabout models; 75” on models 9, 10 & 11 for 1906 through 1909; 86” on models H11 & 11K, 1909; and 92” for models H11 & 11K in 1910.

GASOLINE TANK –

The gallon gasoline tank was mounted within the driver’s seat back. In 1903 & 1904 the tank capacity was 5 gallons. In 1905, 6 gallons, then 5 ½ gallons and finally 7 gallons for the 1910 models.

IGNITION –

Holsman used a 6 volt jump spark system with energy supplied by 4 dry cells. Two sets of dry cells were supplied with each vehicle, except all model 5’s, which came with only one set. Double coils were supplied on all models except 4 & 5, which came with a single coil. In their 1909 parts catalog, they offered a 6 vole, 60 Ampere House optional storage battery, in addition to the dry cells.

Each of the Holsman motors was designed using two spark plugs for each cylinder, except in designs 1 & 1A which had only one. In Holsman’s own words – each cylinder is equipped with two spark plugs, so that if one or two plugs in use become fouled, (meaning, and one in each cylinder, not two in one cylinder), the motor will continue to run.

Spark advance was automatic. When the motor was cranked, a pawl in a housing on the flywheel engaged to retard the spark. As soon as the motor started and the crank was disengaged, the pawl released, and the spar was advanced. The buildup of oil and grease within the pawl housing mechanism would void its operation, so that many Holsman owners added their own hand controlled spark. That is why so many varieties of hand spark controls are found today on existing Holsmans.

INCONSISTENCIES –

It should be noted that Holsman apparently did not supply all vehicles exactly as specified in their various sales catalogs. Thus, to state that a specific item of design was only for a specific year would be an incorrect assumption.

LAMPS –

The 1903 models were supplied with Dietz black oil lamps as standard. The 1907 models lamps were brass with black bodies. A large kerosene head lamp & tail lamp, with brackets, were optional. The early photographs of the Model 3, (1904-1905), confirm the black side lamps. Later models sported brass lamps. Here are the names of the several lamps supplied as replacements in 1909:

• Side Lights – ACME on model #10.
• Star on models 5, 9 & 11.
• Dainty on models 3, 5 & 9.
• Tail Lamp –   Ball.
• Head Lamp – Acetylene, no brand name, originally offered in 1906.

MECHANICAL CHANGES –

The following are the known changes and the motor or vehicle number against which the change became effective. Unfortunately, in some cases, we only know that there was a change, and not what it was.

603+ (motor number) (Design #2)
1. Crank pin bearing changed.
2. Piston rod cap changed.

878M, 886M & 889M+ (Design #3)
1. Crank case cover changed.
2. Crank shaft bearings changed.

1468M+ (Design #3)
1. Wrist pin changed.

2500V+
1. Roller retainer changed.
2. Brake shoe, rod & screws changed, ¾” hose to 1” hose, metal to wood filler and sheave changed.
3. Steering clevis changes.

2600V+
1. Spark advance pawl changed from sharp point to chamfered point.

2700V+
1. Relief cock changed.
2. Steering lever connecting rod changed, clevis to ball & socket.
3. Steering knuckle connecting rod changed, clevis to ball joint.

2800V+
1. Steering post lever changed from clevis to ball & socket.

PHOTOGRAPHS (Misleading) –

It is impossible to rely 100% on the photographs shown in Holsman’s various sales catalogs to be exactly as captioned, i.e.: In one of their 1906 catalogs, a photograph on page 15 has the caption, “Model No. 6 – in bad weather.” This same photograph appears, also on page 15, in some of their early 1907 catalogs with the caption, “Model No. 11 – showing side curtains and storm front”. These two photographs are exactly the same, and they are both of the Model No. 6!

SPARE PARTS – After 1910 –

Spare replacement parts for Holsman cars continued to be available, at least until 1911 when the Holsman Equipment Company, Union Stock Yards, Chicago, Illinois offered repair parts, etc. for type G 12 HP two cylinder motors for models G3, 4, 5, 9, 10 & 11. This company was probably operated by the I.H.C. and/or H.K. Holsman.

Some years later, following the demise of the Holsman Automobile Company, the Holsman parts were bought up by one of the many companies who regularly purchased the remaining stock of parts from bankrupt companies and carried it in their stock for resale to the car owners. As late as August 1913, the Mercury Manufacturing Co., 4110 S. Halsted St., Chicago, Illinois issued a catalog containing only spare parts for motors and running gear, for the same type & models as covered by the Holsman Equipment Co.

TIRES –

G.N. Georgana, in his book, THE COMPLETE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MOTORCARS 1886-1930, describes the Holsman tyres as being of steel, as do Kimes & Clark in their book, STANDARD CATALOG OF AMERICAN CARS 1805-1942. In searching through Holsman literature no reference to steel tires has ever been found. Almost 100 extant Holsmans have been researched thus far, and only one with steel tires has been located. It is in the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Alberta, Canada. The possibility exists that steel tires were of special order, or were only supplied on some export cars, or the owner of the Holsman had them installed.

Holsman sales literature listed their vehicle tires as SOLID RUBBER. During this era, tires were made of natural gray rubber, but showed up as white in the black & white photographs of that time. Kelly tires were used on the early cars. In 1904 they began using Firestone tires, but it is not known if they continued to use Firestone throughout their manufacturing period. The 1903 Holsman used 44” x 1” tires in front and 48” x 1” in the rear. The tire width was changed to 1 1/8” on the 1904 models. Late in 1909, models 4, 9, 10 & 15 changed to 1 ¼” using 40” in the front and 42” in the rear. In 1910 all models were changed to 1 ¼” tires, the wheel diameters remained the same.

TOPS –

A variety of tops were available with the greatest number being offered in the years 1907 – 1910. The standard Rubber, and the Leather tops plus a rubber lap apron were offered from 1903 through 1910. Most tops were supplied with a lap apron, originally called a storm apron, and all but the Victoria top with side curtains.

Here is a list of the varieties, plus some other related items, offered:

•  Rubber
• Leather (regular, Victoria & Limousine).
• Hand buffed leather (Victoria only).
• Morocco line (regular, Victoria & Limousine).
• Pantasote (Model 6 in 1906).
• Folding brass & glass windshield (1907 – 1910).
• Folding Vis-à-vis dash seat (1907 – 1910).
• Storm Fronts, with wings & Celluloid windows (1907 – 1910).
• Extension top. Leather or Morocco line, (model 11 only).

VARIATIONS –

There appear to be several variations to many of the items on Holsman vehicles, principally the motors, which are not covered in this article. They were minor changes which usually only lasted for relatively short production runs.
Also, purchased items used on these vehicles varied from purchase to purchase.

WEIGHTS –

Holsman vehicle weights varied from 650# for the early 1903 cars to 1100# for the 1909 & 1910 model H11.