Collection Type: AUTO

The St. Louis Police Department used this three-wheeled custom-built motorcycle in its traffic division. It is powered by a Honda CX500 twin cylinder, water-cooled, shaft drive engine. This police trike can reach speeds up to 80 miles per hour.

This portable gasoline caddy from the 1920s allowed vendors to sell and pump gasoline at the curbside. A hand-cranked rotary pump was used to dispense fuel into a customer's vehicle. This gas caddy was donated to the Museum by Standard Oil in 1971.

Buick built trucks for a very short time. One body style available was the “Old English Motor Bus." It is believed that this is one of the only surviving models of this type. Typically, they were used by hotels as a courtesy vehicle or for sightseeing. The twelve passenger bus has a 2 cylinder 22 horse power engine located under the front seat and it is chain-driven. Donated in 1973 by William S. Abbott, this rare antique was restored to operating condition in 1995 through the generosity of the Buick Automobile Dealers of St. Louis.  

Physicians used buggies of this type to make house calls to their patients often bartering for their services. The Banner Buggy Co. was one of the largest horse-drawn vehicle manufacturers in the country. Circa late 1800s- early 1900s Banner Buggy Co. This two-passenger Doctor’s Buggy was built by Banner Buggy Company of St. Louis, Missouri. In 1910, the company’s president announced Banner would venture into automobile manufacturing. However, this only resulted in a few protypes and some assembly work and eventually building cars for Chevrolet. After WWI the president, Russell E. Gardner and his sons started manufacturing the Gardner automobile from 1920-1931.

Service cars operated in the same manner as buses and streetcars as they had regular routes with regular stops. Cab drivers and bus companies loathed these cars as they were cheaper to ride  and stole potential customers. By the 1960s, most service car companies had shut and survivors operated limited routes in north St. Louis. The Consolidated Service Car Co. was the last to offer rides and was eventually bought by Bi-State in 1962. However, most drivers owned their cars and continued their service. With the support of the Committee of Racial Equality (CORE), they charged no fare but accepted 'donations' as 'freedom riders.' Bi-State added more routes to compete with the unlicensed service cars but the African American residents boycotted the buses in these areas. The dispute was settled in 1966. This is the last running and remaining service car. Engine type: 6-cyl. L-Head; Displacement: 230 cubic inches; Horsepower: 103; Built in: San Leandro CA; Donors: Herman Perkins, Anthony Sansone, Consolidated Service Car Co.; Acquired by Museum in 1967.

Although the St. Louis County Police Department was not established until July 1, 1955, this 1925  Dodge Brothers 2-door coach was restored and painted to replicate a police car of the 1920s. This car served as a public relations attraction and was displayed at many community events before it was donated to the Museum in 2004. Engine type: L-head 4 cylinder; displacement: 212.3 cubic inches; horsepower :24.03; wheelbase: 116 inches; donor: Charles and June Gallagher.      

This Elgin Model D street sweeper was the company's first machine designed specifically for automobile traffic.  The brushes concentrated on the curbs instead of the center of the street waste removal typical for horse-drawn traffic.  This 1929 street sweeper is believed to be the oldest street sweeper in America

Although farm equipment was at the heart of the International Harvester's business, it also included a highly competitive truck line established in 1907. With growing competition in the farm machinery industry, the company launched a national ad campaign in 1954 called, "The International Truck Caravan." The caravan showcased the truck line and toured the country stopping at at local dealerships. International Harvester built light-duty trucks until 1975. The company's truck division was sold to Navistar International Corporation in 1986. Engine Type: 6 cylinder Horsepower: 100 Displacement: 220.5 Cubic inches Price New: $1,484.00 Built in: Canto IL Donated to the Museum in 1988 by William and Irene Blackwell.

The Model TT was a one-ton truck that derived from a Model T car chassis; it utilized a stronger frame, heavier rear axle, and the addition of two rear springs.  The truck debuted in 1917 selling for $600.00.  Ford only sold the engine and the chassis leaving it up to the buyer to either custom complete the truck cab and body themselves or pay a coach builder to finish it for them. By the 1920's Ford added the option of a cab, which cost another $45-$65. The versatility of the TT made it useful to farmers and merchants; as fire trucks, dump trucks, and passenger vehicles.  By 1928, 1.3 million Ford Model TTs had been sold. This truck arrived at the museum in 1997 in several crates. A team of dedicated volunteers re-assembled and restored it. Engine Type: 4 cylinder Horspower: 20 Displacement: 176.7 cubic inches Price New: $550.00 Built in: Detroit MI Donated to the Museum in 1997 by William Englebrecht.

This Chicago truck was an "assembled" vehicle that was created using components from various suppliers; it was a common practice, with dozens of brands manufacturing trucks in the United States. The Chicago truck company was founded in 1906 for the sale and maintenance of trucks and built its first vehicle in 1919. The firm was out of business by 1932. Featuring a four-cylinder Hercules engine with a chain drive, and solid tires, this truck was used for many years by the donor for transporting fuel tanks. Engine Type: 4 cylinder Hercules Horsepower: 27 Displacement: 251 Cubic inches Price New: $2,290.00 Built in: Chicago IL Donated to Museum Of Transportation in 1964 by Standard Oil Company of Indiana.