Heine-Velox

Heine-Velox was an American luxury automobile marque associated with Gustav Otto Ludolf Heine, a San Francisco businessman whose earlier career was in the piano trade. The marque produced a small number of large, technically distinctive cars in two periods: an initial commercial effort in the mid-1900s and a more ambitious revival in the early 1920s. It remained a very small-scale enterprise and never developed into a sustained automobile manufacturer. Gustav Heine was born near Boizenburg, Germany, in 1868 and emigrated to the United States as a child. After moving to San Francisco at sixteen, he joined the Bruenn Piano Company as a piano tuner. He eventually took control of the business and renamed it the Heine Piano Company. His interest in automobiles developed early. In 1903 he operated one of the first Ford dealerships on the West Coast, giving him practical exposure to the emerging automobile market and its distribution networks. Heine soon began working with Colonel E. J. Hall, associated with the Hall-Scott Motor Company. Hall designed engines and hill-climbing equipment for Heine and worked in several capacities, including driver, repairman, chauffeur, salesman and business partner. Before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, Heine built three touring cars. The disaster destroyed both the Heine Motor Company and the Heine Piano Company. Afterward, Heine offered one of his touring cars to federal troops for transporting supplies, wounded personnel and bodies, then left San Francisco for Milwaukee to arrange a new manufacturing agreement. The first Heine-Velox production effort used the Mauvais Motor Company, owned by Roy Mauvais, as manufacturer. A 45-horsepower car was produced in 1906 and promoted as having comparatively few parts for its size and weight. Heine planned production of approximately fifty cars annually and sought publicity through a proposed speed contest against a Fiat automobile in 1907. The contest was abandoned after disagreement over the proposed format, and the projected production volume was not achieved. Automobile production ended in 1908. Heine later returned to automobile manufacture after acquiring the Economy Steel Manufacturing Company. Using resources from that business, he commissioned a new car that appeared at a San Francisco auto show in 1921. The revived Heine-Velox was marketed as a custom-built luxury automobile and used a V-12 engine supplied by the Weidely Motor Company. Its 148-inch wheelbase and reported price of $17,000 to $25,000 placed it above nearly every other American car of the period, including much better-known luxury marques. The 1921 car combined imposing dimensions with several unusual design details. Its body was attached to the frame from the sides rather than simply mounted on top, producing a low-slung appearance and claimed structural and handling benefits. It used hydraulic brakes on all wheels, pivoting windows that could be locked in position, high-mounted fender headlights with selectable beams, lockable luggage compartments in the running boards and a dashboard tilted approximately forty-five degrees. Other claimed features included a gravity-fed system intended to maintain oil level automatically and a dashboard-operated cold-weather starting system. The cars were presented as technically advanced and exceptionally powerful, although production remained extremely limited. Heine-Velox automobiles included a Sporting Victoria, two sedans and a limousine built around 1921 and 1923. The company was dissolved in 1923 after the Economy Steel Manufacturing Company closed. Gustav Heine subsequently moved to Southern California, where he concentrated on piano playing and composition and continued collecting or purchasing automobiles for personal enjoyment. He died in 1959. A small number of Heine-Velox cars survived in museums, private collections and restoration projects, making the marque primarily a subject of automotive history and collector interest rather than an operating brand.

Heine-Velox developed from Gustav Heine's combined interests in mechanical enterprise, automobile distribution and luxury goods. Heine's principal business before entering automobile manufacture was the Heine Piano Company in San Francisco. The firm had originated as the Bruenn Piano Company, where Heine worked as a tuner after moving to the city. He later took ownership and changed its name. His automobile involvement began in 1903, when he became one of the early Ford dealers on the West Coast. In 1904 he met E. J. Hall, an engineer connected with Hall-Scott Motor Company. Hall designed engines and hill-climbing equipment for Heine and subsequently worked for him in a broad operational role. Before the 1906 earthquake and fire, Heine completed three touring cars. The disaster destroyed the Heine Motor Company and the piano business. Heine used one of the surviving touring cars to assist federal troops with transport duties before relocating to Milwaukee to arrange further automobile production. The first Heine-Velox cars were built through an agreement with the Mauvais Motor Company, owned by Roy Mauvais. The 1906 model was a 45-horsepower automobile promoted around its relatively low part count in relation to its substantial size and weight. Heine attempted to establish a regular production program and proposed a 1907 contest against a fast Fiat automobile. The race did not take place after the parties disagreed about adding another car to the event. The intended annual output of fifty vehicles was not reached, and Heine ended this phase of automobile production in 1908. The marque returned after Heine acquired the Economy Steel Manufacturing Company. That acquisition provided industrial resources for designing and building a new automobile. The revived car was displayed at a San Francisco auto show in 1921 as a custom-built luxury model. It used a Weidely-supplied V-12 engine, four-wheel hydraulic brakes and a wheelbase measuring 148 inches. The car's price, reported at $17,000 to $25,000, made it the most expensive American automobile of its time according to contemporary comparisons cited in the marque's historical account. The revived Heine-Velox was notable for a range of distinctive design choices. Its body was mounted to the frame from the sides, lowering the body and increasing claimed rigidity. The windows pivoted instead of using conventional vertical regulators. The headlights combined high and low beams, while running-board compartments and additional storage spaces were lockable. The dashboard was inclined to improve the driver's position and conceal much of the steering column; the handbrake and gear selector were positioned for access without excessive leaning. The car also incorporated a gravity-based oil-level system and a starting arrangement controlled from the dashboard for cold conditions. Only a handful of later cars are documented: a Sporting Victoria, two sedans and a limousine from the 1921–1923 period. The enterprise ended in 1923 when the Economy Steel Manufacturing Company closed and the company was dissolved. Heine moved to Southern California, where he pursued music and personal automobile collecting until his death in 1959. Surviving examples have passed through museums, private collections and restoration projects. The marque is therefore remembered for ambitious engineering and extraordinary exclusivity rather than production scale or commercial success.

• 1923

  Company dissolved

  [1]Heine-Veloxen.wikipedia.org

  The Heine-Velox enterprise ended after the closure of the Economy Steel Manufacturing Company.

• 1921

  V-12 luxury car introduced

  [1]Heine-Veloxen.wikipedia.org

  A new custom-built Heine-Velox featuring a Weidely V-12 engine and four-wheel hydraulic brakes was shown at a San Francisco auto show.

• 1908

  Initial automobile production ends

  [1]Heine-Veloxen.wikipedia.org

  Heine abandoned the first Heine-Velox production program after the planned annual output was not achieved.

• 1906

  First 45-horsepower Heine-Velox produced

  [1]Heine-Veloxen.wikipedia.org

  A 45-horsepower automobile was manufactured through the Mauvais Motor Company under the Heine-Velox name.

• 1906

  San Francisco earthquake destroys Heine businesses

  [1]Heine-Veloxen.wikipedia.org

  The earthquake and fire destroyed the Heine Motor Company and Heine Piano Company, disrupting the marque's first manufacturing effort.

• 1904

  Heine begins collaboration with E. J. Hall

  [1]Heine-Veloxen.wikipedia.org

  Heine met engineer E. J. Hall, who designed engines and hill-climbing equipment and later became a broad-based operational partner.

• 1903

  Heine enters automobile distribution

  [1]Heine-Veloxen.wikipedia.org

  Gustav Heine became associated with one of the first Ford dealerships on the West Coast, marking his initial major involvement in the automobile business.

Ultra-luxury, custom-built American automobiles emphasizing extreme size, exclusivity and unusual mechanical and body-design features.

• Touring car · 1906

  Heine-Velox 45 H.P.

  The first documented Heine-Velox production automobile, built in 1906 through the Mauvais Motor Company. It used a 45-horsepower power unit and was promoted as having fewer parts than other cars of comparable size and weight. Three cars had reportedly been built before the San Francisco earthquake, with additional cars associated with the 1907 and 1908 San Francisco automobile shows.

• Ultra-luxury automobile · 1921

  Heine-Velox V-12

  The revived Heine-Velox was a very large custom-built automobile with a 148-inch wheelbase and a V-12 engine commissioned from the Weidely Motor Company. Its design included four-wheel hydraulic brakes, side-mounted body construction, pivoting windows, integrated high- and low-beam headlights, extensive lockable luggage storage and a tilted dashboard. Its exceptionally high price placed it at the extreme top of the American market.

• Luxury touring automobile · 1921

  Heine-Velox Sporting Victoria

  One of the small number of V-12 Heine-Velox cars built during the marque's 1921–1923 revival. The surviving Victoria became associated with museum and collector display, illustrating the marque's emphasis on bespoke bodywork and exceptional scale.

• Luxury limousine · 1921

  Heine-Velox limousine

  A documented V-12 limousine from the final production period. The car passed through collection displays and later restoration work, and is one of the surviving examples used to represent the marque's ambitious custom-luxury program.

• 1923

  Dissolution of the automobile enterpriseStrategy

  Background

  The Economy Steel Manufacturing Company closed, removing the industrial base supporting the revived automobile project.

  Action taken

  The Heine-Velox company was dissolved.

  Aftermath

  Automobile production ceased permanently, while surviving cars entered private collections, museums and restoration projects.

  Source

• 1921

  Launch of the custom-built V-12 Heine-VeloxProduct launch

  Background

  After acquiring Economy Steel Manufacturing Company, Heine used resources from the business to develop a new luxury automobile.

  Action taken

  Heine introduced a large V-12 automobile at a San Francisco auto show, positioning it as a custom-built luxury car.

  Aftermath

  The model attracted attention for its engineering and price but remained an extremely limited-production automobile.

  Reported vehicle price. $17,000-$25,000 (1921)

  Source

• 1908

  End of the first production programStrategy

  Background

  Heine had hoped to produce approximately fifty cars per year after arranging manufacture through Mauvais Motor Company, but the planned scale was not realized.

  Action taken

  Heine ended automobile production under the initial Heine-Velox program.

  Aftermath

  The marque disappeared from production until Heine revived it after acquiring Economy Steel Manufacturing Company.

  Source

1. 1Heine-Veloxen.wikipedia.org