THE CAR 

THE THOMAS FLYER
Champion Endurance
Car of the World 

The decision to enter the Thomas Flyer was made only six days before the race.  There was barely enough time to get the car to New York City for the start of the race.  In fact’ the car entered the city only a few hours before starting time.  There was no time to prepare the car for a race against five cars that had been especially prepared. 

The Thomas Flyer was a standard 4-cylinder 60-hoursepower car taken right out of the show room.  The car left Chicago on February 28 and returned to the Buffalo factory on September 29.  During this time no valves were ground or changed, no spark-plugs nor crank-shaft bearings were changed.  It traveled 8,000 miles in low gear!  Although the car was subjected to the severest and most continuous stress ever, there were comparatively few repairs needed at the end of the race.  The Thomas Flyer was the “most reliable car in the world.”

copyright Concord Historical Society 2005