May-June 2016 ride
Derek E. Moore, Curator of Transportation, Cleveland History Center, Cleveland, Ohio
The vehicle
1926 Jordan Model A House Car
- Jordan Model A chassis
- Wiedman Body Co. recreational vehicle body
- 258” long, 84” wide
- 28.8hp, 268.6in3 (4.4L), 8-cylinder engine
- Kitchenette, two wardrobe closets, wash basin, icebox, chemical chamber (bathroom)
- Called Big White Elephant by family who vacationed in it for generations
The Jordan House Car has been at Cleveland’s Western Reserve Historical Society’s Crawford Auto Aviation Museum for many years. What makes it special?
The family that had it the longest owned it from 1930 to 1974, and they used it for family vacations. It came out at a time when more people were starting to afford automobiles, and some people wanted something more than a basic automobile. As far as we know, this is the only recreational vehicle built on a Jordan car chassis. Most of these sorts of vehicles were built on truck chassis.
Why is the fact that it’s built on a Jordan car body so interesting?
The Jordan Motor Car Co. was a pioneer in marketing and branding, and they sold themselves as sporty, active vehicles – not quite a sports car but something with a little more fun and personality than other cars. So, building a house on the back of one really goes in the opposite direction of where the brand was going.
To enter the contest, visit TodaysMotorVehicles.com/MyFavoriteRide and fill out the entry form. Only completed forms will qualify.
The entry deadline is July 1, 2016, with winners announced in the Aug/Sept issue.
Have fun, and good luck!
For a full set of rules, please visit TodaysMotorVehicles.com/MyFavoriteRide.