Welch Motor Car Company

Watson, their "Chelsea Manufacturing Company" (which they had initially established to produce small metal components) began assembling vehicles.

[2] It became "The Welch Motor Car Co." based in Pontiac, Michigan, 43 mi (69.2 km) east, from 1904 to 1911 on the west end of Osmun Street.

[1] The steering column telescoped for the driver, and an unusual two-speed transmission with all gears always in mesh was incorporated.

Shaft drive coupled power to the rear wheels, and a honeycomb radiator was used for engine cooling.

[1] Early in 1904, with financial assistance from Arthur Pack and George Hodges, the Chelsea firm was reorganized as the Welch Motor Car Company.

[1] The Welch brothers did not take the usual approach of putting their cars into races to win sales.

They believed that the market would want reliable, well-built, and luxuriously- appointed vehicles of high quality, which would provide assured, comfortable and steady performance overall road conditions.

[1] Rear- and side-entrance tonneau bodies were produced in 1904, carrying capacity as large as seven passengers.

[1] The jump-spark ignition incorporated a large bronze distributor located on the dash, so the individual spark jumps were clearly visible to the driver and passengers.

Although the four-cylinder cars would remain essentially unchanged, these new larger six-cylinder machines would be priced as high as $7,000.

A double ignition system was incorporated using both a Bosch high tension magneto and a battery and coil.

[1] A conventional three-speed sliding selective transmission, with a single reverse, was introduced, beginning with the 1909 models.

[1] The six-cylinder Touring car had a very long hood, ornate multiple twist horn, acetylene tank, zig-zag windshield, separate step leading up to the rear seat, sweeping front fenders, and long sloping top straps.

[1] Still another smaller machine, the model S, was introduced for 1911, this engine cast in pairs and with two camshafts located within the crankcase.

[1] The touring car price of $3,100 ($4,000 for the limousine ($130,800 in 2023 dollars) [3] included all lamps and tools as well as the top, windshield, curtains, tire cover, shock absorbers, speedometer, and clock.