Apperson

The Apperson was a brand of American automobile manufactured from 1901 to 1926 in Kokomo, Indiana.

Company history

The company was founded by the brothers Edgar and Elmer Apperson shortly after they left Haynes-Apperson; for a time they continued to use a FR layout-mounted flat-twin engine, following it with a horizontal four.

Apperson cars

In 1904, Apperson offered vertical fours in two models. The 1904 Apperson Touring Car was a touring car model. Equipped with a tonneau, it could seat 6 passengers and sold for US$6000. The vertical-mounted straight-4, situated at the front of the car, produced 40 hp. A 4-speed transmission was fitted. The steel-framed car weighed 2800 lb. The wheel base was 96 inches. The Apperson offered electric lights, a novelty for the time, and used a modern cellular radiator. The 25 hp version weighed 1800 lb and sold for US$3500.
In 1906 the company cataloged a 95 hp four at $10,500. The next year the first of the famed Jackrabbit speedsters rolled off the line; this was a 60 hp that sold for $5000. For a time, the entire range was known as the "Jack Rabbit" - in 1913 a 32.4 hp four and a 33.7 hp six were listed, and a 33.8 hp 90-degree V-8 of 5.5 L followed in 1914.

Roadplane models introduced

In 1916 the company announced production of the "Roadplane" six and eights. The term "Roadplane" did not refer to a specific model but was a marketing concept devised by Elmer Apperson that was applied to the "Chummy Roadster" and the "Touring" car. Elmer took the unusual step of patenting the "Chummy Roadster" design.
The "Silver-Apperson", designed by Conover T. Silver, was launched in 1917; the model was known as the "Anniversary" after 1919. A sedan proprietary with six cylinders of 3.2 L appeared in 1923, and a Lycoming eight-cylinder was offered beginning in 1924.

Final production

By 1924, Apperson and Haynes were both losing sales; a rumored remarriage came to naught, and Apperson folded for good despite the introduction of four-wheel brakes on the 1926 models.

Apperson production models

For specifications on various Apperson models:

Apperson Six Sport Sedan

Model	production	cylinder	horse power	wheel base	serial numbers
A	1902–1903	2	16–25 bhp	2590 mm	-
B	1903	2	20 bhp	2590 mm	-
A	1904–1905	4	40 bhp	2743–2896 mm	-
B	1904–1905	4	24 bhp	2590 mm	-
Special	1905	4	50 bhp	2896 mm	-
A	1906–1907	4	55 bhp	2921–2946 mm	-
B	1906–1907	4	45 bhp	2845–2896 mm	-
C	1906	4	35 bhp	2642 mm	-
D	1906	4	95 bhp	2642 mm	-
Special	1907	4	96 bhp	2794 mm	-
K Jack Rabbit	1908–1909	4	55 bhp	2896 mm	-
M	1908–1909	4	35–40 bhp	2705–3023 mm	-
S	1908	4	55 bhp	2896 mm	-
I	1909	4	40 bhp	3251 mm	-
O	1909	4	30 bhp	3023 mm	-
4-30	1910–1911	4	30–32,4 bhp	2896–3023 mm	-
4-40	1910–1911	4	40 bhp	3099 mm	-
4-50	1910–1911	4	50 bhp	3251 mm	-
Jack Rabbit	1910	4	50 bhp	2946 mm	-
4-45	1912–1915	4	32–45 bhp	2896–3048 mm	-
4-55	1912–1913	4	55 bhp	2997 mm	-
4-65	1912	4	65 bhp	3251 mm	-
Light 4-45	1914	4	32 bhp	2946 mm	-
6-45	1914–1915	6	29–38 bhp	3099–3251 mm	6300 to 6400 and 10000 to 12000
6-55	1914	6	43 bhp	3251 mm	-
6-48	1915	6	29 bhp	3200 mm	-
6-16	1916	6	29 bhp	3251 mm	15000 to 17000
8-16	1916	8 V	31 bhp	3251 mm	12000 to 13000
6-17 / 6-18	1917–1918	6	29,4 bhp	3302 mm	15000 to 17000
8-17 / 8-18 / 8-19	1917–1919	8 V	31–33,8 bhp	3302 mm—	13000 to 15000
Anniversary / 8-20	1920	8 V	60 bhp	3302 mm	-
8-21 / Beverly	1921–1922	8 V	70 bhp	3302 mm	-
6-23 / 6-24 / 6-25 / 6-26	1923–1926	6	46 bhp	3048 mm	-
8-23 / 8-24 / V-Type Eight	1923–1925	8 V	60–70 bhp	3302 mm	-
Straightaway Eight / Eight	1925–1926	8	60–65 bhp	3048–3302 mm	-