Coats Steam Car

Models

A corporation was formed and perhaps two prototypes were assembled. Five incrementally different designs were described.

The first was by a "Norwegian engineer" and used two three-cylinder radial engines on the rear axle, one powering each wheel. The second was by James Yeikichi Sakuyama, for years an engine designer at Indianapolis, with a V-3 engine, gearbox and cast grid steam generator. It was quickly changed to a fire tube steam generator and inline-3 cylinder engine flat in the chassis. The fourth design took that Sakuyama chassis and engine and replaced the steam system in late 1923 with Charles A. French's patent design. The French-Coats was technically the most superior, probably the most likely to have been functional, and the car used in photographs. The fifth design was simply the chassis of Purdue professor Allen C. Staley, shown as a high grade Coats steam car at three shows.

Business Plan

The car price remained the same at $1085 throughout the promotion, and dealerships and distributorships were sold to finance the development and sales effort. Eventually Coats obtained the confidence of Y. F. Stewart who had manufacturing facilities. A pickle factory in Bowling Green, Ohio was obtained and a defunct coachbuilder's factory in Columbus, Ohio was purchased. The Cumberland tire company was shown in advertisements as a third factory, as they were to be the tire supplier.