Locomobile Old 16 History

'Old 16' was a purpose-built Locomobile racing car constructed in 1906 for the Vanderbilt Cup, the premier American road race of the era. The car rode a pressed alloy steel chassis on a 110-inch wheelbase, powered by a four-cylinder engine with a 7.25-inch bore and stroke — 1,197 cubic inches of total displacement — producing approximately 120 horsepower. After failing to win in 1906 and 1907, the two-year-old car was prepared once more for the 1908 running on Long Island, carrying race number 16 — the number that gave it its enduring nickname.

On October 24, 1908, 23-year-old George Robertson, with riding mechanic Glenn Ethridge, drove Old 16 to victory, repeatedly breaking the lap record. A late tire failure nearly cost the win — leading by over two minutes, the crew changed their last spare and roared back to take the flag by 1 minute 48 seconds. It was the first time an American-built car won the Vanderbilt Cup, and is remembered as the first American victory in major international competition.

The win was a marketing triumph for a company selling itself on engineering quality, and Old 16 survives as one of the most historically significant early American race cars. It is preserved today in The Henry Ford collection.