Earl Sedan/Barn Find/Rare Example Brougham/All Steel Construction

1923 Other Makes Description

1923 Earl Sedan

There were hundreds of different makes and models of American cars in the twenties. Among them was the Earl of Jackson, Michigan, built from 1921-1923. Named for the company's president and founder Clarence A. Earl, in its earliest days it was advertised as a car with appeal to "your love of the beautiful and your common sense." Essentially a longer, more powerful Briscoe, the 40 series Earl cars were sold as a rare combination of down-to-earth mechanics and styling beauty. There were open and closed models, all built on a 112-inch wheelbase with 4-cylinder engines. Since so few were ever built, to find one today is definitely a rarity.

For consignment a rarity indeed with this 1923 Earl 4-40 Brougham. Numbers are difficult to verify but general consensus is there were only about 406 made in 1923. This example shows some wear, with the exterior passenger door and hood showing paint peeling and rust. Otherwise she's solid, and a rare bird that's has come to roost in our Classic Auto Mall West branch.

Exterior
Presenting a wood spoked wheel, 2 door, steel bodied, cowled hood Earl motorcar. This one is draped in blue paint, which shows some wear on the hood, (rust) and the passenger door (peeling). Up front a chrome radiator surround with slight pitting and a missing radiator cap fronts this car (the owner is retaining until the car sells). Undulating fenders work their way over each tire and come together for the running board. This will allow easy access for the passengers and put you a step up over the typical Ford or Chevrolet of the time. A bit of upscaling is utilized on the exterior for the door handles in beautiful patina brass form. A black vinyl top is noted as in the day this large of a steel panel was not yet within technological reach. On the rear of the coach is a metal trunk in black, and a spare tire. 20-inch wood spoked wheels adorn each corner and are wrapped in thin tires to aid you in trudging through the mud covered roads of the time which were pervasive. All glass is clear, and as for the windshield it has a large hinge to fold for airflow.

Interior
A classy gray wool tweed broadcloth covers the door panels, and seats inside. Tufted piped broadcloth for the front buckets with alternating vertical and horizontal tweed bolsters and inserts. In back, the bench has a tweed seat to match the buckets, and a black vinyl replacement back. The tweed covers the inside pillars as well. On top is a felt gray headliner in excellent tight condition. Looking through the large wood steering wheel with big metal throttle lever (early cruise control!) and ignition timing lever, a nice lacquered walnut dash with a central instrument cluster is seen. This is in very good condition, save for the fuses cover which shows some surface rust. Black carpet covers the floors and has a few areas of wear off. The large shift lever, and brake actuator are growing out from the center of the passenger compartment up front.

Drivetrain
Under the hood cowl is a 195ci L head 4-cylinder engine, fed by a 1-barrel carburetor. On back is a 3-speed manual transmission. A large cast iron block engine, it shows patina with aging. Some newer parts have been swapped in.

Undercarriage
Very solid and mostly surface rust free, this undercarriage is very nicely preserved and structurally sound. Even the body hangers and under the running boards are good. Mechanical drum brakes are seen on the rear, and leaf sprung suspension is noted on all 4 corners. Floorpans are all solid, painted blue as are the underside of each door at the rockers.

Drive-Ability
After some shade tree tinkering with a clean of the cap, rotor and points this car started and ran. It works fine and shifts with relative ease. Steering is good, as are the mechanical brakes.

A very rare example of the Earl, which most people did not even know existed. Straight out of Michigan, this 1923 Model the last year of production, is in overall solid condition. Some paint issues in a few spots, but it does run, and is fully functional.

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.