1922 Auto Red Bug

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

The AACA Museum at Hershey is truly America’s transportation experience. The 71,000-square-foot museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, opened on 26 June 2003 and since then has displayed vintage automobiles in a truly unique way. Visitors walk through eight decades in time while traveling from New York to San Francisco with iconic settings revealing vehicles from generations of American motoring. The AACA Museum at Hershey ranks among the top automotive museums in the world and has been recognized by the Smithsonian as an Affiliate Museum. Hagerty Marketplace is honored to offer this collection of exceptional and unusual vehicles from The AACA Museum at Hershey.

Cyclecars were a popular segment of the automotive market in the 1910s and 1920s, small, simple vehicles intended to bring affordable transportation to the masses. One of the most popular Cyclecars was created by A.O. Smith as the 1916–1919 Smith Flyer, driven by a gas engine fifth wheel. A.O. Smith sold the rights to another Milwaukee company, Briggs & Stratton, who marketed it as The Briggs & Stratton Flyer. Then in 1924 Briggs & Stratton sold the rights to the Flyer to Automotive Electric Service Corp. of North Bergen, New Jersey, who continued to build it as the Red Bug or Auto Red Bug. 

Automotive Electric Service (later Automotive Standards) built some Red Bugs with Northeast electric motors that were used as starters on 1920s Dodges. They boasted, “It operates on standard automobile storage batteries, rechargeable in your garage or at any service station.” Red Bugs were sold through upscale Abercrombie & Fitch and F.A.O. Schwartz stores, and a fleet of Red Bugs went into service on Jekyll Island, Georgia, where no gasoline-powered cars were allowed. Even Lou Costello of the Abbott and Costello comedy duo owned one. A century before Tesla became a household name this 1924 Auto Red Bug from The AACA Museum at Hershey showed what the future held. 

Highlights 

• Offered from The AACA Museum at Hershey 

• AACA National Junior and Senior First Prize winner 1977 

• Electric version of the A.O. Smith and Briggs & Stratton Flyer 

• Historic early neighborhood electric vehicle  

• Northeast electric motor producing 2.5 horsepower 

• Lead-acid batteries housed behind the seats  

Features 

• New battery in steel box (a 12 volt added instead of using two 6 volts) 

• Most inexpensive automobile in history 

• Wood steering wheel 

• Electric horns 

• Dual electric headlights 

• Wire wheels 

• Padded seat bottoms 

• Painted fenders 

• Wheelbase – 62 inches 

• Width – 30 inches 

• Wheels – 20 inches 

Known Imperfections 

• This 1924 Auto Red Bug is said to be free from any substantial imperfections 

Ownership History

This 1924 Auto Red Bug was found in an abandoned building near Hartford, Connecticut and it is assumed the vehicle was used as transportation inside the factory. It has been on display at The AACA Museum at Hershey since 2011. 

Additional Notes

Please note that this 1924 Auto Red Bug is not street legal and is being sold on Bill-of-Sale only.

A Broad Arrow Group Consignment Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the owner of this vehicle. 

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