1902-1903 Rambler Runabout
Provided by Hemmings

The Rambler grew out of the bicycle brand of the same name whose factory was located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, down by the Illinois border. The firm was known as Gormully and Jeffrey and had enjoyed considerable success in the cycle business, along with such famous names as Pierce and Stearns, before they all turned to automaking.

The first commercially produced Rambler appeared in 1902. It was tiller steered and was typical of U.S. cars of the time, being a small runabout with a single-cylinder engine mounted amidships a la the Curved Dash Olds. But it was a good-looking car and by the end of 1902 some 1,500 examples had been sold, vaulting the Rambler into second place in U.S. auto sales, behind the highly popular Oldsmobile.

Thomas B. Jeffrey, the car's principal creator, did not mess with success and let his profits run into the 1903 model year with no changes to his car. This resulted in sales of 1,350 more Rambler Runabouts during the competitive year of 1903 when two newcomers, named Ford and Cadillac, with cars that sold in the same price range challenged Rambler.

Today, 1902-03 Ramblers are sought after by pioneer car enthusiasts and collectors who want a reliable, simple car to restore, maintain and enjoy. The Ramblers of this period have had a good survival rate and do come on the open market occasionally.

They are popular choices for those wanting to participate in the annual London-to-Brighton Veteran Car Run in England, the most prestigious early car event in the world and one with a history dating back to 1896. They are also seen on one- and two-cylinder car tours organized by the Horseless Carriage Club of America.

The chances of finding an unrestored example in a barn today are pretty slim but you may run across a car with an older restoration which hasn't been used in the past few years. If you're handy around machinery and woodworking this can prove to be your best buy because most of the hard work has already been done and it's up to you to freshen the car and make it roadworthy and reliable again.

Thanks to events like the London-Brighton and clubs like Horseless Carriage, early brass-era cars have held up very well in value over the past decade when many more "trendy" collector cars have suffered some severe market downturns. People who favor these older cars tend to be people who enjoy working on them and driving them rather than chasing trophies, and that may be one of the reasons they have enjoyed a steady market demand. Thing is, if you're the kind who likes to tinker and drive something really different, a car like a 1902-03 Rambler may be just the ticket for hobby happiness-and prove to be a solid investment in the process.

1902-03 Rambler Runabout

Base price:	$ 750
Base weight:	1,640 lbs.
Body:	Two-passenger roadster, wood over iron framing
Frame:	Steel rails with cross bracing
Wheelbase:	78 inches
Suspension:	Full elliptic springs, front and rear
Brakes:	External contracting on rear wheels
Engine:	One-cylinder en-bloc cast iron, 6 bhp
Transmission:	Two-speed forward, one reverse