1916 Dort Model 5 Touring

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

The Nethercutt Collection is one of America’s finest Automotive Museums and Collections, a masterpiece comprising over 250 perfectly restored American and European motor cars, along with a vast array of rare mechanical musical instruments and precious antique furniture. 

Maintaining a classic car collection of this size is never easy, and when it reaches the scale of our collection, it becomes increasingly more challenging. Our founder, J.B. Nethercutt said the following at age 91, “The recognition and preservation of beauty has been a major focus of my life. It would suit me well if what people remembered about me was, ‘Where he went, he left beauty behind.’” 

As a result, we have decided to part ways with a small group of cars from the collection and will do so in partnership with our friends at Hagerty Marketplace. Many of the cars we have decided to sell we have owned for in excess of 50 years, or have been in storage, not on display, or represent a tremendous opportunity as a restoration project. They are a compelling mix of pre-war examples that have been thoroughly well-cared for and that will easily find new caretakers who will undoubtedly cherish and use them as intended.  

As we say goodbye to this group of cars, we hope the occasion for their sale will introduce us to new collectors and enthusiasts, and we look forward to hosting you at the Museum and Collection in Sylmar, California, in the coming months, years and decades. 

* * * 

 Joshua Dallas Dort and William Crapo Durant formed the Flint Road Cart Co., in 1886 in Flint, Michigan. It later became the Durant-Dort Carriage Co.; one of the largest makers of horsedrawn vehicles in the U.S. Durant became involved with cars much earlier than Dort, starting with Buick in 1904 and with the formation of General Motors in 1908. Dort stuck with carriages and buggies until 1915 when he launched the Dort Four. His chief engineer was Etienne Planche, designer of the Roebling-Planche (a predecessor of Mercer), and later an associate of Louis Chevrolet.  

The Dort was powered by a 2.7-litre Lycoming four-cylinder engine mated to a three-speed gearbox. The clutch and footbrake were combined with the same pedal. The second pedal was an emergency brake – an oddity which lasted until 1920. In 1915 and 1916, the only body style (like this car) was a three-door five-seat tourer which sold for $650.  

Dort’s most successful year was 1920 with 30,108 cars sold. The company found the market quite competitive. It was above the Chevrolet/Dodge Brothers price bracket; though perceived not as having the quality of a Buick. J. Dallas Dort decided to cut his losses and closed up at the end of 1924. In total, more than 120,000 cars were built over 10 years.  

Highlights  

• Offered from The Nethercutt Collection  

• Seldom seen collector car 

• An older restoration that appears complete 

• Wood artillery wheels 

• Wood steering wheel and dash 

Features  

• Newer canvas top and side curtains 

• Vinyl seat upholstery 

• Covered rear-mounted spare 

• Electric headlights and taillights 

• Bakelite radiator cap with moto meter 

• Nickel-plated hubcaps 

• Split windscreen 

• Mechanical handphone “ahooga” horn 

• Glo-Sol spotlight 

• Dash-mounted fuel filler with gas tank in cowl 

Ownership History   

Andy Blake, Simi Valley, California; Donald G. Poffenroth, Spokane, Washington; Pioneer Village, Murdo, South Dakota.   

Cameron Richards, Vice President of The Nethercutt Collection, recalls, “This Dort was purchased by J.B. Nethercutt from a long-time docent of the Nethercutt Collection. It is a pristine example of a car that was more than double the price of a Model T. The hand-operated horn will also never get old! ”  

Additional Notes    

A Broad Arrow Auctions Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the owner of this vehicle. Broad Arrow Auctions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hagerty.    

Contact: Donnie Gould    Phone: 954.647.0779     email: dgould@hagerty.com