1913 Regal UNDERSLUNG MODEL N 25HP ROADSTER
200ci Side-Valve Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Single carburetor
25bhp
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Underslung Chassis with Leaf Spring Suspension
2-Wheel Mechanical Brakes
*Owned for more than 60 years by Bill Harrah's curator Bud Catlett
*Technically advanced underslung chassis format and sporting Roadster coachwork
*A highly recognized and genuine example with great provenance
*Eligible for Horseless Carriage Club and AACA events
THE REGAL UNDERSLUNG
Founded in Detroit in the autumn of 1907, the Regal Car Company hired Paul Arthur to design its car, which was bodied by the Fisher coachworks of Detroit. A conventional, medium-sized, medium-priced automobile, the Regal enjoyed considerable success, thanks in part to a promotion that saw a standard 30hp model - 'Plugger' - travel from New York to San Francisco in the summer of 1909 and then cross the continent a further five times before finally returning home to Detroit in the summer of 1910 after a journey of 22,000 miles.
In the autumn of 1910 the company's famous Underslung model was introduced at $900 for a runabout, $1,250 for a colonial coupé and since bodies were interchangeable the car could be bought with both for $1,400. Because of its lively performance and similarity in size, the Regal Underslung was frequently compared to America's pre-eminent sports car of the era, the Mercer. As the Mercer was twice as expensive the Regal came to be known as the 'poor man's Mercer'.
Annual sales increased steadily from 425 in 1908 (the first full year of production) to a peak of 8,227 in 1915, by which time Regal was large enough to be considered a major manufacturer, exporting widely. The marque gained success overseas also, Regals were imported into the UK between 1911 and 1918 by Seabrook, of Great Eastern Street, London EC2 and marketed as 'Seabrook RMC's. Financial difficulties, however, were just around the corner. The WWI materials shortage contributed to halved production in 1917 and the receivers moved in during February of 1918 to close what, almost certainly, was still a going concern.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
This rare jewel of an authentic 1913 Regal Model N Underslung Roadster was discovered in 1938 and owned personally for more than 60 years by Bud Catlett, the late curator of the famed Harrah's Automobile Collection. Catlett finally parted with his beloved Regal in 1999, when it passed to the penultimate owner. That owner undertook a sympathetic restoration and continued to maintain the Regal to the same standard as shown here. The radiator, hood, and fenders are all dramatically finished in black with red coach stripes while the diminutive body tub, chassis, and wheels are finished in dark grey, all in very good condition and the nickel-plated trim is exceptional. The patinated black buttoned leather reveals just the right amount of age and caring use, showing only light fading and cracks. The wooden dashboard exhibits only the most basic essentials: a Warner Auto-Meter speedometer/odometer and a sight glass oil indicator. The fuel tank and turtle deck are mounded to the frame immediately behind the body, with a single spare tire attached to the running board. The large windshield folds at the center, allowing for the top half to be folded down for ventilation even when the top is in place. The folding black fabric top is in very nice condition, and under the hood, the T-head four-cylinder engine is nicely detailed and presented.
This wonderfully authentic early American sports car, with its technically advanced underslung chassis, undersized presence and outsized history is eligible for Antique Automobile Club of America, Horseless Carriage Club and Nickel Era Touring Registry events and tours ? and is sure to be a standout wherever it is driven. Only a very small number of these groundbreaking Regal Underslung automobiles still exist, and this is believed to be the only one that also comes with a significant known history in the hands of the man Bill Harrah called his own 'car finder'.
The appeal of sporting cars from the brass and teen era continues to grow, particularly for the handful of cars which were produced in the intriguing 'underslung' format. This is a wonderful genuine example of this coveted genre.
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Time, Location
Auction House
200ci Side-Valve Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Single carburetor
25bhp
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Underslung Chassis with Leaf Spring Suspension
2-Wheel Mechanical Brakes
*Owned for more than 60 years by Bill Harrah's curator Bud Catlett
*Technically advanced underslung chassis format and sporting Roadster coachwork
*A highly recognized and genuine example with great provenance
*Eligible for Horseless Carriage Club and AACA events
THE REGAL UNDERSLUNG
Founded in Detroit in the autumn of 1907, the Regal Car Company hired Paul Arthur to design its car, which was bodied by the Fisher coachworks of Detroit. A conventional, medium-sized, medium-priced automobile, the Regal enjoyed considerable success, thanks in part to a promotion that saw a standard 30hp model - 'Plugger' - travel from New York to San Francisco in the summer of 1909 and then cross the continent a further five times before finally returning home to Detroit in the summer of 1910 after a journey of 22,000 miles.
In the autumn of 1910 the company's famous Underslung model was introduced at $900 for a runabout, $1,250 for a colonial coupé and since bodies were interchangeable the car could be bought with both for $1,400. Because of its lively performance and similarity in size, the Regal Underslung was frequently compared to America's pre-eminent sports car of the era, the Mercer. As the Mercer was twice as expensive the Regal came to be known as the 'poor man's Mercer'.
Annual sales increased steadily from 425 in 1908 (the first full year of production) to a peak of 8,227 in 1915, by which time Regal was large enough to be considered a major manufacturer, exporting widely. The marque gained success overseas also, Regals were imported into the UK between 1911 and 1918 by Seabrook, of Great Eastern Street, London EC2 and marketed as 'Seabrook RMC's. Financial difficulties, however, were just around the corner. The WWI materials shortage contributed to halved production in 1917 and the receivers moved in during February of 1918 to close what, almost certainly, was still a going concern.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
This rare jewel of an authentic 1913 Regal Model N Underslung Roadster was discovered in 1938 and owned personally for more than 60 years by Bud Catlett, the late curator of the famed Harrah's Automobile Collection. Catlett finally parted with his beloved Regal in 1999, when it passed to the penultimate owner. That owner undertook a sympathetic restoration and continued to maintain the Regal to the same standard as shown here. The radiator, hood, and fenders are all dramatically finished in black with red coach stripes while the diminutive body tub, chassis, and wheels are finished in dark grey, all in very good condition and the nickel-plated trim is exceptional. The patinated black buttoned leather reveals just the right amount of age and caring use, showing only light fading and cracks. The wooden dashboard exhibits only the most basic essentials: a Warner Auto-Meter speedometer/odometer and a sight glass oil indicator. The fuel tank and turtle deck are mounded to the frame immediately behind the body, with a single spare tire attached to the running board. The large windshield folds at the center, allowing for the top half to be folded down for ventilation even when the top is in place. The folding black fabric top is in very nice condition, and under the hood, the T-head four-cylinder engine is nicely detailed and presented.
This wonderfully authentic early American sports car, with its technically advanced underslung chassis, undersized presence and outsized history is eligible for Antique Automobile Club of America, Horseless Carriage Club and Nickel Era Touring Registry events and tours ? and is sure to be a standout wherever it is driven. Only a very small number of these groundbreaking Regal Underslung automobiles still exist, and this is believed to be the only one that also comes with a significant known history in the hands of the man Bill Harrah called his own 'car finder'.
The appeal of sporting cars from the brass and teen era continues to grow, particularly for the handful of cars which were produced in the intriguing 'underslung' format. This is a wonderful genuine example of this coveted genre.
Sale price
Time, Location
Auction House
