Old So What

  (Stanley Steamer, as in the car, not the cleaning company, Stanley Steemer.) The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was an American manufacturer of cars—steam cars—from 1902 to 1924. The first model was produced in 1897; the inventors were twin brothers Francis and Freelan. At one time the steam-powered passenger car was extremely popular.   It was clean, powerful, attractive and fast, but very complicated to drive. It took 17 steps to start the car, and wait for the steam pressure to build up.   The traveling speed was 35 to 45 miles per hour, and it had a 28-gallon tank, which was heated with vaporized kerosene. Unfortunately, these cars fell victim to the superiority of the internal combustion vehicles, which had improved quickly, even using an electric starter instead of the original crank, notorious for actually injuring the operator. With the use of the self-starter and the end of the hand crank, gasoline-fueled cars became the obvious winner, being so much ...