Equipment
RHD. 490/50 ALAM hp, 3-speed, body color wood spoke wheels, white tires, dual right side spares, Rubes bulb horn, Warner speedometer and clock, Badger Solar acetylene headlights, Neverout generator, Solar kerosene sidelights and taillight, electric starte
Condition
One of four known survivors of the Wilkes-Barre, PA built Matheson with a re-created engine copied from a surviving original. Very good older paint, brass and upholstery from an 80's restoration. Newer top. Marvelous engine, lightly oiled from use. Don C. Boulton Collection.
Market commentary
The marvelous engine, highly advanced for its period that cued up spectators for the diverse and imaginative Don Bouton Collection's cars. The exposed camshaft is high mounted on the left side of the engine, operating the overhead valves through roller cam followers (about as big as the rollers on an overhead garage door) and a nest of grease lubricated rocker arms on a single overhead rocker shaft. It has mechanical "make and break" ignition without conventional spark plugs, a source of endless fascination. For sale at $180K, it's largely a re-creation with a built-from-the-whole-cloth engine and replica coachwork, not that anyone should care because it is capivating in its operation, original thinking and execution. Its display in the preview sent onlookers peering under the hoods of the other Don Bouton cars, to their constant amazement and intrigue.