Moon Model A History

Carriage maker Joseph W. Moon founded the Moon Motor Car Company in St. Louis in 1905, and the company's first car — the Model A — was shown at the New York Automobile Show in January 1906. A five-passenger touring car powered by a bought-in Rutenber four-cylinder engine, it was offered at $3,000, positioning Moon at the upper-middle of the market from the outset.

Soon after launch, former Peerless engineer Louis P. Mooers joined Moon and designed more advanced cars with overhead-camshaft engines, four-speed transmissions, and aluminum bodywork. From these beginnings Moon settled into its lasting formula: the 'assembled car,' built from high-quality proprietary components rather than parts made in-house — an approach that let the small firm offer well-finished cars at competitive prices.