Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Floyd Clymer and Powel Crosley

If the name "Clymer" rings a bell, it's likely you recognize it from the Clymer series of repair manuals for automobiles. But Floyd Clymer has an interesting history that predates the Clymer manuals. He was a new car dealer when he was 11 years old (in 1903), a successful motorcycle racer (for the Harley factory team in 1920), an automotive journalist, pilot, book and magazine publisher, and more.

Clymer seemed to have an affinity for Crosley automotive products. He first gave Crosley automotive ink back in 1911 when Crosley built the De Cross cycle car. Clymer wrote it up in a now-unknown publication, and included its specs in a list of cycle cars in his famous book Early American Automobiles, published in 1955. Clymer also covered the Crosley car in other publications, including his 8-book "Motor Scrapbook" series. One of the volumes in that series features a 1916 display ad for Crosley's "Insyde Tyres" product.
--Mike
http://www.michaelabanks.com/
Copyright © 2007, Michael A. Banks

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