LOT 67
1921 Mercer Series 5 Sporting Chassis no. 13140 Engine no. 5893
Estimate: US$90,000 - US$110,000
Lot 67
From the Clive and Janet Cussler Car Collection of Scottsdale
1921 Mercer Series 5 Sporting
1921 Mercer Series 5 Sporting
1921 Mercer Series 5 Sporting
Chassis no. 13140
Engine no. 5893
Chassis no. 13140
Engine no. 5893
298.2ci L-head Side-Valve Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Updraft Carburetor
70bhp at 2,800rpm
4-Speed Transmission
Solid Front Axle with Leaf Springs-Live Rear Axle
Rear-Wheel Mechanical Drum Brakes
*Desirable and powerful 4-cylinder Mercer
*An Iconic American sporting brand
*Heritage listed in the Stan Smith Mercer Roster
*In the collection since 2018
THE SERIES 5 SPORTING
If ever there was object, irrefutable proof that the concept of the sports car originated in the United States it was the Mercer Raceabout. First built in 1911 the Mercer Raceabout, with its thundering T-head 4-cylinder engine, standard exhaust cutout, round bolster tank, monocle windshield and rudimentary seating for only a driver and a brave passenger, was the first automobile successfully built in series for the sole purpose of going fast and winning races.
Between 1911 and 1915 the Roebling brothers (whose father had designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge) and their engineer Finley Robertson Porter built some 800 Raceabouts which their customers could take straight from the factory to the race track with a good chance of winning and an even better chance of finishing well. Barney Oldfield and Ralph de Palma raced Mercers. Spencer Wishart bought one, drove it right to a dirt track in Columbus, Ohio and won the 200-mile feature, setting four dirt track records in the process.
Mercer continued to build T-head, 4-cylinder cars through 1914, then introduced a new line of L-head fours designed by Eric H. Deiling. When the Roeblings died within a year of each other, ownership of the company passed to a New York investment syndicate which put Emlen Hare, former manager of Packard's New York branch, in charge. Hare proceeded to add Locomobile and Simplex-Crane to the company which, in the post WWI recession, proved to be more of a distraction than his management skills could handle. By 1921 control of Mercer was back in the hands of the founding families.
The Deiling-designed Mercers from 1915 were powered by a 298 cubic-inch side-valve 4-cylinder with single ignition and a 4-speed transmission. The engine was rated 22.5 NACC horsepower, and its earliest versions were said to make 70 brake horsepower. Brakes were installed only on the rear wheels. Suspension employed live axles at both ends, suspended from semi-elliptical leaf springs. Deiling was one of the first American designers to add Houdaille lever action friction shock absorbers to the suspension, a feature that vividly illustrates his desire to enhance Mercers' ride and handling.
The new Raceabout body also gave its occupants more protection from the elements and the vicissitudes of the generally marginal roads of the time. The body now had sides protecting the driver's and passengers' legs although the seat back still formed the back of the passenger compartment, and the fuel still rode on the rear deck in a round bolster tank. Fenders enclosed to the frame kept detritus from being kicked up onto the bodywork and the occupants, and a full-width flat glass windshield gave added protection, although it folded down for high-speed runs. In effect, the Model 22-70 Mercer Raceabout was refined, improved, and easier to own and drive, applying the lessons learned in five years of production of the Mercer Type 35.
Alongside the 1920s generation of Mercer Raceabouts, Mercer coachwork options included one of the most elegant sports touring cars of its day, which they termed simply the 'Sporting'. Its design was typically advanced, with its lightly barrel sided body perfectly extending the line of its hood and radiator, bringing with it both aesthetic and aerodynamic benefits.
THE CAR OFFERED
This archetypal Mercer Sporting was acquired by Clive and Janet Cussler at a Scottsdale auction in 2018, joining their stable of great American marques and ticking the Mercer box that every fine collection should have.
The Sporting is understood to be one of just seventeen such cars to survive today and according to the Mercer Roster compiled by Stan Smtih of Pennsylvania can chart a modest chain of five previous owners, the earliest being R. Sedgewick and later R. Roy and Arnold Mercer, before arriving in its last California tenure.
The Sporting was restored in prior ownership by Woodies & Wheels of Campbell, California in the early 2010s, with this work being completed in January 2013 and including much technical refreshing and adding to what appears to have been a much older cosmetic refurbishment. As a result of both exercises, the Mercer presents both well and accurately to its original form carrying all the individual hallmarks of these attractive touring cars, from the raked windshield to the canted rear spare carrier. Completing its presentation are rarely found details such as some Mercer tools, as well as owner's manual and parts book.
As a brass era Raceabout continues to grow in stature and value, this is a great and more affordable way to experience this legendary American marque.
Additional information
Looking for a similar item?
Our Cars specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistSpecialist section
Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
Mark Osborne
Global Director of Motorsport
Auction Viewings
- 23 January 2024, 09:00 - 18:00 MST
- 24 January 2024, 09:00 - 18:00 MST
- 25 January 2024, 09:00 - 10:00 MST
Bid now on these items
United Kingdom
1899 Phébus 2¼hp Motor Tricycle
£50,000 - £60,000
United Kingdom
1911 Delaunay-Belleville 26HP Tourer
£70,000 - £100,000
United Kingdom
1913 Hotchkiss Model AD 20/30 Tourer
£50,000 - £60,000
United Kingdom
1902 Beaufort 8hp Two-Seater Phaeton
£50,000 - £70,000
United KingdomOffered without reserve
c.1901 Gladiator Four-Seat Rear-Entrance Tonneau
£50,000 - £70,000
