Let Us Not Forget Our Roots

"JR1" (type35bugatti) 03/29/2015 at 22:15 • Filed to: Mercer Raceabout

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A Mercer Raceabout. One of the first and one of the finest "sports cars" ever made. Certainly one of the most beautiful. With a 293 Cubic Inch 55hp 4 cylinder engine this baby was hot.

gmctavish needs more space > JR1 03/29/2015 at 22:18

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55hp in that car kind of looks like a handful. I've been in a car that size with 33hp, and it was fast. Certainly the fastest 100km/h has ever felt

ranwhenparked > JR1 03/29/2015 at 22:24

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The strongest claim to being the first American sports car. People who have driven both will pretty much universally say that the Raceabout was a better car than the Bearcat, but somehow the Stutz became much more famous.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1 03/29/2015 at 22:27

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Very nice. But unfortunately, not the hottest. Nor does it have the coolest name this side of a Jensen interceptor.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > JR1 03/29/2015 at 23:02

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10/10, would DD

JR1 > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 03/29/2015 at 23:36

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Hey I never said it was the hottest but it certainly had better proportions than this.

JR1 > ranwhenparked 03/29/2015 at 23:37

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I wonder if it has something to do with the Stuz from the 70's that added to the Bearcat's fame.

JR1 > gmctavish needs more space 03/29/2015 at 23:38

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I can't wait to drive a Model T this summer. I assume the sensation of the speed will be a totally new sensation.

JR1 > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 03/29/2015 at 23:38

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Good luck in a storm

ranwhenparked > JR1 03/30/2015 at 00:02

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It was probably a combination of factors. Mercer went out of business in the '20s, while Stutz survived into the '30s, and so became a bit more established. Stutz was also one of the brands selected by Virgil Exner Sr. in the '60s for his revival car model series, while Mercer wasn't so honored. Plus, you had that Bearcats! TV show that debuted in 1971.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > JR1 03/30/2015 at 00:02

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Hey, can't be worse than a motorbike

E. Julius > JR1 03/30/2015 at 06:26

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Back when they made insanely massive 4 cylinders. That's what, close to 5L?

JR1 > E. Julius 03/30/2015 at 07:57

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I think Packard had close to an 8 liter 4 cylinder.

E. Julius > JR1 03/30/2015 at 08:03

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Haha that's just insane