New Britain, Connecticut is known as “The Hardware City,” home to the Stanley Works and the Corbin Lock Company (later part of American Hardware), Fafnir Bearing, North & Judd and Landers, Frary & Clark. Stanley, North & Judd and Landers concentrated on building, household and marine products, but Fafnir bearings often found their way into cars, particularly cars built by the Corbin Motor Vehicle Company. It was fitting, then, for New Britain’s Klingberg Family Centers to feature New Britain-built cars, and those from other Connecticut cities, in their 2010 Vintage Motorcar Festival held this past June 19th.
Over the years, more than 130 makes of automobiles have been built in the Nutmeg State, most of them prior to World War I. Thus, the Klingberg show was largely a celebration of brass, and there was plenty of it. The oldest Connecticut car present was a 1903 Pope-Hartford Model B, made in nearby Hartford. In fact, cars from Colonel Albert Pope’s various entrprises that were best represented at the show, with other Pope-Hartfords from 1909, 1910, 1912 and 1913 and a 1907 Columbia, the engine of which was a major attraction. Next most populous and perhaps more remarkable was a clutch of five Corbins, probably the largest gathering of the marque since the last one left the factory in 1912. Corbin contenders dated from 1908, 1909, 1910 and two 1911s.
Surprisingly, the longest-lived Connecticut marque, Locomobile (1900-1929) fielded only one car, a 1908 Model E. Cutest by far was the 1914 Trumbull cyclecar of Bridgeport dealer and restorer George Dragone.
Other brass-era makes, like International Harvester, were represented, and there were plenty of Full Classic makes on hand, including Packard, Brewster-Ford and an imposing Inskip-bodied 1940 Cadillac. Best of Show was judged to be John Parker’s 1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost.
Overall an eclectic show, the Klingberg Festival welcomes collector cars from more modern times, as well as rat rods and unusual postwar vehicles like this 1948 three-wheel Davis. Of particular interest to me was a newly-awakened 1930 Model A Ford panel truck that had come from my home town.
What more could a proud Nutmegger want? Well, perhaps a Houpt-Rockwell, built in neighboring Bristol, if any have survived.
The Klingberg Family Centers, a private, nonprofit multi-service agency aiding children and families, will be holding the next Vintage Motorcar Festival on Saturday, June 18, 2011. If you’ll be near New Britain you should check it out.
