1917 Woods Dual Power Type 44 Roadster - Sale proceeds to benefit the StarterMotor charity

30th Jul, 2025 12:00
Pavilion Gardens | Buxton, Derbyshire

https://www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/l...

A rare and historically significant early example of a 'hybrid' powered vehicle
Rebodied in the current style during a full overhaul during the 2010s
Gifted to StarterMotor in 2021 and now to be sold to benefit the charity
Extant from 1899 to 1919, the Woods Motor Vehicle Co. of Chicago was among the longest-lived of several early American marques specialising in the manufacture of electric vehicles. During the 1910s, electric cars started to lose out to more accomplished and practical petrol cars, so Woods responded by launching the fascinating Dual Power in 1916, which had an 1,125cc, 12hp four-cylinder Continental petrol engine and an auxiliary electric motor. The electric motor could power the car up to 20mph, with the petrol engine taking over for higher speeds up to around 35mph.

Besides the petrol engine, the Type 44 used a DC electric motor with an electro-mechanical (magnetic) clutch between, and 48-volt power supplied by Exide batteries. Fewer than 1,900 of these complex and expensive 'hybrid' cars were ever made. Sadly, the Woods Motor Co. went into decline and just four examples of the Type 44 are thought to survive. Significantly, the other three are all museum exhibits, being kept at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, and the National Automobile Museum of the Netherlands, so this represents a unique opportunity to acquire the only Dual Power available for private ownership.

This fantastically innovative Edwardian machine comes with history dating back to 1980, when it was sold to a German enthusiast. It was shipped to New Zealand for a restoration by Wallace McNair in 1984 before returning to Germany, where it was tragically involved in a fire at a storage facility in 2011 which destroyed the original body and irreparably damaged the engine. The chassis was fortunate to survive in a restorable condition, so it was rebuilt over 10 years with a racy two-seat roadster body. It was then gifted in 2021 to StarterMotor, a charity set up to help young enthusiasts enter the classic car industry, which is now offering it for sale to raise funds.

The reconstruction involved sourcing a replacement Continental engine, and the electric motor was re-engineered using a traction motor inside the original casing. The car was brought back to an operational standard, albeit without the ability to self-charge on account of the modified motor. However, the electrical circuits were later removed by the restorer, so the Woods will require rewiring before it can be used again. Looking very fetching with its skimpy sports body, the Woods would make an ideal recommissioning project as it is, though a more committed restorer might be encouraged to replicate the original brougham body. This rare and unusual machine will, of course, be very welcome at Veteran Car Club events, and the entire proceeds plus a third of the buyer’s premium will go to StarterMotor.

For more information, please contact:
Lucas Gomersall
[email protected]
07484 082430