Jackson Model G “The Black Widow”. Cream version

Jackson Model G “The Black Widow”. Rolls-Royce designed one exactly like this for King Albert of Belgium. When this car arrived in London, coming from a scrapyard in Texas, it was full of spiders. That was the reason why the wood of the bodywork was totally rotten.

Made in USA in 1906

Motor: 4 cylinders; 6400 cm³

Power: 45 hp

The Jackson Automobile Company was an American Brass Era automobile manufacturer located in and named for Jackson, Michigan. The company produced the Jackson from 1903 to 1923, the 1903 Jaxon steam car and the 1904 Orlo.

Full production started in 1903 with a single-cylinder engine car that closely resembled the Oldsmobile Curved Dash. The cylinder count in the engines doubled the next year, and doubled again in 1906. Not long after full production started, Carter left the firm to create the Cartercar.

He left due to a disagreement with his partners, who did not wish to use the friction drive transmission he had developed. After Carter left, Jackson automobiles lacked any distinct feature, but they were well-built and long-lasting. In 1910, Matthews bought out Lewis, leaving him as the sole remaining partner. Lewis left to start the Hollier car. Matthews installed his sons in the president, secretary and treasurer positions within the company.

The engines used by the company continued to grow, with a Northway six-cylinder engine becoming available in 1913, and a Ferro V8 available in 1916. Later cars resembled the contemporary Rolls-Royce. Indeed, the company used the phrase “The Car with the Keystone Radiator” in advertisements.

Jackson also produced their own engines with valves in the cylinder heads and overhead camshaft. By 1912 larger vehicles used a multiple metal disc type clutch running in an oil bath, with the smaller horsepower cars using the more standard leather faced cone clutches.

The 1921 Princess Coupe was a hit at the Chicago Auto Show, but obtaining credit was difficult during that year’s recession.

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