0 The Distinguished Daniels 8 Automobile

by Nancy DeWitt
© Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

Last week we tucked the 1922 Wills Sainte Claire into storage while it awaits a part, and moved our 1921 Daniels Model D six-passenger touring car into the shop. It's easy to overlook our unrestored Daniels because of its understated paint color, but it really is a fabulous car.

The Daniels was a low production, high-quality luxury car built from 1916-1924 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Company president George Daniels took great pride in his cars and personally examined each one, sparing no expense if any detail needed to be redone. No two were alike, as each was built to suit a buyer’s individual tastes.

The Daniels was a big and formidable automobile, with some models weighing three tons. Its “cathedral type” radiator shell and core were made from a single pewter casting. The Daniels was also powerful, carrying one of the first production V-8 engines when it debuted in 1916. Supplied by Herschel-Spillman, its cylinders were cast in blocks of four, bolted to an eight-quart crankcase. This engine was said to burn an average of one quart of oil every 200 miles.

Daniels production peaked in 1921 with the Model D, the company’s last and finest model. Now powered by Daniels’ own 404-cubic-inch L-head V-8, producing 90 hp at 2,000 rpm, it proved to be fast and very roadworthy.  Company brochures promoted the Model D as “The Distinguished Car, with just a little more power than you’ll ever need.”

The Model D six-passenger touring car cost $5,350 at a time when one could buy a Ford Model T for $440. By then the Daniels Motor Car Company built most of the Model D bodies in their Reading, Pennsylvania factory, but the museum's unrestored car features custom coachwork by Fleetwood. Of the 1,960 Daniels produced, less than two dozen are known to survive.

You can see a video of the engine and car running here. 

Coming to Fairbanks to see the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum and other area attractions? Support the museum by staying right here at Wedgewood Resort. All guests receive half-price admission to the museum!

Detail: The Distinguished Daniels 8 Automobile

0 New Museum Exhibit: Extreme Motoring - Alaska Style!

by Nancy DeWitt
© Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

Moving in the 1921 Daniels
before opening day.

The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum has an exciting milestone approaching. On June 1, 2009, we opened our museum to the public. In those five years we have experienced a lot of growth, gained many new fans, and expanded our collections--especially our historic clothing collection. While part of our museum's focus has always been on Alaska's automotive history, this year we are taking this theme a step further in celebration of our five-year anniversary.


On June 1, we will open a new exhibit titled "Extreme Motoring: Alaska's First Automobiles and Their Dauntless Drivers." Our Alaska Gallery will feature original Alaska cars, including the very first automobile driven in the Territory, as well as examples of the some of the first automobiles in Alaska. Some of these include the 1905 Sheldon, 1906 Pope-Toledo, 1907 White Steamer, 1908 Brush, and 1910 Chalmers-Detroit. New signage about the cars' histories and first owners will accompany each vehicle.

Alaska State Library P228-279

Our historic photograph exhibit is being updated with more photos of Alaska's first cars and the hardships encountered by their drivers. We are also creating new interpretive panels to tell the stories of the most adventurous of our pioneering motorists. You'll be able to learn more details about Bobby Sheldon and the runabout he built in Skagway in 1905, and Martin Itjen's "street cars"--accompanied by actual recordings of these men. We'll have an exhibit on Sheldon's pioneering drive between Fairbanks and Valdez in 1913, with new photographs provided by his daughter, Frances Erickson. Other exhibits will highlight Alaska's first motor stage drivers, Valdez's role in the 1908 New York-to-Paris Race, Charles Percival's transcontinental drive that took him to Skagway and over the White Pass in 1911, the history of the Valdez-Fairbanks Trail (now called the Richardson Highway), the first automobile races in Fairbanks, and the unusual snow vehicles Alaskan pioneers built for winter travel.

Our popular Sourdough Roadhouse exhibit, where visitors can dress up in old-time clothing and climb into a 1910 car for photos, is staying put but we've added more children's clothes to the "outhouse closet." Speaking of children, we're building a new play table where they can construct a roadhouse and drive toy cars between Fairbanks and Valdez.

Sandy Jamieson sketches the 1908 Brush.

On top of all of this there will be new additions to our audio tour and clothing exhibits. Later this summer we'll release a new coloring book about Bobby Sheldon's adventures, featuring whimsical illustrations by Fairbanks artist Sandy Jamieson.

"Extreme Motoring: Alaska's First Automobiles and Their Dauntless Drivers" will run through March 31, 2015 and is free with museum admission. If you are visiting from out of town, we hope you will choose to stay at Wedgewood Resort, our exhibit sponsor and home to Bear Lodge and the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. Hotel guests receive half-price admission to the museum, VIP access to museum tours, discounts on passes and a free shuttle to the University of Alaska Museum of the North, complimentary WiFi, and access to other resort activities, including our private nature reserve. Plus, you might get to see one or two of the museum cars motoring right past the hotel entrance!

Detail: New Museum Exhibit: Extreme Motoring - Alaska Style!

0 We Get Around

by Willy Vinton

The rather short window of warm weather for driving antique cars in Fairbanks is slowly closing. As a result, there's been a flurry of activity in the museum shop to get the rest of the cars outside for some exercise. In addition to the Stanley & Buckmobile featured in recent posts, we've taken out the following in the past few weeks, either for short drives around the Wedgewood Resort campus or for runs around Fairbanks with the Vernon L Nash Antique Car Club:

1932 Chrysler Custom Imperial Series CL convertible sedan (coachwork by LeBaron)

This is a very impressive car to drive and see operating--very smooth and it is stunning to see up close. It has one of the finest restorations you will ever see.

1921 Daniels Model D 6-passenger touring (our star mechanic Charlie Jergens at the wheel, with docents Ron and Nancy Allen along for the ride).

This car has a very strong presence--a very striking car to drive and see. It is an original car with a 1960s paint job. We rebuilt the radiator and did some minor engine work, so it is good for another 50 years.

1907 Franklin Type D landaulet

This is a 4 cylinder, air-cooled car. It's a little temperamental and requires lots of attention. It smokes a little (okay, a lot), but that keeps the operator from getting mosquito-bit, as the bugs stay clear of it. In spite of its little issues, it is a fantastic piece of history.

Our new 1923 Mercury-bodied Ford Model T speedster.

Okay, now we're talking fun. This was the ultimate in a poor man's sports car. If you could not afford a Bearcat or Mercer, you just stripped down a T, got a Mercury speedster kit, hopped up the engine and you had this. What a kick to drive!

1911 Ford Model T open runabout

We just finished a full rebuild on the transmission of this car, so it was good to see it outside in operation again. If you were in the museum the last month, you saw the car on display, completely disassembled while we waited for parts (the transmission drums were the hold up). Runs like a charm now! Photographed at Creamer's Field by Ronn Murray Photography.

1905 Curved Dash Oldsmobile

This was the second time this season we had this cute little automobile out for some exercise. It is a very fun car to operate. You really don't need a speedometer, as you know when you're going fast enough! The "CDO" was one of the most popular cars of the day.

1936 Packard V12 Series 1408 

What a car! Charlie had it out for a test drive on Wednesday, and we are now working on the vacuum brake system. Once the brakes are up to specs, we'll put a few more miles on this impressive car.

1929 Ford Model A deluxe coupe

We just moved this to our corporate office for staff to use for errands. Like all old cars, this one requires a little TLC from time to time. We had to replace the ignition switch and put a head gasket in to make sure that it runs trouble free. If you see her cruising around Fairbanks, wave and smile, because she looks pretty good for her age.

Detail: We Get Around

0 In the Shop: 1921 Daniels

by Willy Vinton


This is our 1921 Daniels Model D 6-passenger touring car. It is a very original car that is in original condition, with the exception of a 1960's paint job.  It is equiped with a 404-cubic-inch flathead V-8 built by the Daniels Motor Car Company .



Here is the engine when we began work on it. As you can see it is a rather large one that will produce good power.

As is common with these older cars that have not had the best of care in the past, we found a lot of rust and corrosion in the water jackets. The crew spent a lot of time cleaning this one up before we could install the new radiator. Needless to say, Charlie and Mike got a little dusty before this was finished.



The radiator had to be repaired, so we crated it up and shipped it out to PA for a new core. Daniels made their radiator shells from cast pewter, and this is by far the heaviest radiator we've had to handle.

Here's the engine after being cleaned and repainted.

And here is the Daniels being fired up for her maiden run around Wedgewood Resort. She ran great, as you can see in this video.

No we didn't run over Mike, really, he was just checking to see if we had any coolant leaks. Besides, he is much faster than me and able to get out of the way in time. Many thanks to all the docents that helped with this project and the others as well. Good job!

Detail: In the Shop: 1921 Daniels