Steam Cars

According to the Standard Catalog of American Cars, there were more than 450 different steam automobile manufacturers in the United States.

The king of the steam cars is clearly the Doble. After that, you have Stanley, Locomobile, White, Grout, and hundreds of other makes—many of which most people have never even heard of. With some of these obscure makes, only one example survives today.

So here’s the question for the steam-car crowd:

If a Doble is off the table because you don’t have a spare million lying around, what steam car would you most want to own and why?

I’ve owned four Stanleys over the years: one condensing car and three non-condensing cars.

Random picture from the internet I saved at one point.

Sep 15, 2026

Reply to TomLaferriere…

Replies (15)

· 2d

I'd have whatever mutt fit in my budget. I've always wanted to play with a steam car.
I'm sure I could learn whatever I need to know.

· 2d

The American Steam Car from around 1930 was a limited-production steam automobile built by Thomas S. Derr through the American Steam Automobile Company in West Newton, Massachusetts. It was one of the last serious attempts to keep steam-powered passenger cars viable after gasoline engines had already taken over the market.

en.wikipedia.org

Derr was a former MIT faculty member who specialized in servicing, rebuilding, and improving Stanley steam cars. Starting in the mid-1920s (sources vary slightly between 1924 and 1926), he began offering complete cars under the American Steam Car name. These were not fully original designs from the ground up. Instead, he typically used Hudson chassis, bodies, and many other components, then installed his own or modified steam powerplants. The cars carried American Steam Automobile Company hubcaps, condenser emblems, and nameplates to distinguish them.

· 2d

Although they typically don't have the performance of the earlier cars, I like the later Condensing cars. The very last model Stanley, the 750 would be the one I would want. And this coupe is the 750 I would want.

· 2d

Another one I would want, although there hasn't been one publicly available in decades would be a 40 HP White.

· 2d

There are a few Lane's still in existence. I would take one of those.

· 2d

A White is the way to go. Perhaps the most usable steam car every built.

· 2d

Jim Crank who wrote the Doble book says the White is the best steam car ever made. And he was a Doble bobo.

· 1d

I have a copy of Jim's book. Excellent coverage of all steam cars.

· 2d

Looking at the first photo in the topic, what steam car has an electronically fired pilot besides a Doble? Is this a Stanley retrofit?

· 2d

Stanley guys have modified some cars for electronic ignition, but not many to my knowledge. Interesting to know what our steam guy @Chris would say about this. Not sure if the American I posted had a spark ignition or not. I think that is the only surviving car and it is in England.

No idea how the white ignited its burner?

· 1d

The White has a continous flame in the form of a sub burner which servered to pre heat the gasolene into a gas for the main burner and also to light the main burner when it modulated. Stanleys are the same . However the stankeys have a tendency to blow out the pilot light fairly regurlatly so the electronic sparker that you see is a continuous spark to keep the pilot lit. I have never seen the American Derr car, however I imagine it could well have had electric fan and spark ignition as per Doble.

· 18h

A lifetime ago, I serviced hot-water pressure washers.
They use an oil furnace burner which is self-igniting. It's a very simple system using electrodes and a high voltage supply to provide a large arc flame in the path of the atomized diesel fuel.
I'm certain something could be easily built with a Model T buzz coil that would provide the same effect.

· 18h

Shawn, I might be mis-remembering a bit but Abner Doble's first company Doble-Detroit when belly up but they used part of the ignitor technology in home heating oil conversions that went on for 30 or 40 years.

· 18h

Cool. I learned something today!