Origin: Flint, MI
Engine: 6-Cylinder
Transmission: 3-Speed Manual
The Dort Motor Car Company had a brief existence. They only produced cars from 1915 to 1924. However, prior to that, they were the Durant-Dort Carriage Company. Founded by William Durant and Josiah Dallas Dort in 1886, they were the largest manufacturer of horse-drawn vehicles in the United States. They produced many of the carriages represented in Rich Harvest Farms’ mini horse-drawn vehicle collection. Durant parted ways with Dort amicably in 1914 to pursue his existing interests in General Motors though, so Dort changed the company’s course from carriages to automobiles.
The Dort Motor Car Company became known for their touring cars, or open cars without a fixed roof. They had a reputation for being reliable, and demand at the beginning was strong—strong enough that Dort had to open another factory. Such reliability though came at a price. It sold for double the cost of a Ford Model T. By 1920, business was doing well, with the Dort Motor Car Company becoming the 13th largest automobile producer in the country. However, it was not doing well enough to survive the post-World War I recession. Dort looked for a merger partner, but no one came forward. Since he wanted to retire, he simply liquidated the company in 1924. He passed away a year later doing what he loved: playing golf.
This 1923 Dort Six Touring Car is a unique piece of automotive history. Unlike most Dort Touring Cars, it has a 6-cylinder engine, hence the ‘Six’ in its name. Only select Dort Touring Cars from 1923 have such a feature, making it a rare acquisition.