1903 Dyke No. 1 Gasoline Runabout
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 10-11, 2019
Andrew Dyke founded the first automobile supply catalog business in 1899. But because no one really yet needed parts, he decided to build some cars (and sell some kit cars) while he waiting for the need to arise.
This is one of the kits, as his early cars were electrics, and the 1904 Dyke-Britton was a four-cylinder touring car. Essentially, you bought the running chassis from Dyke and them went about sourcing a body. This is powered by either a one or two-cylinder engine – the auction catalog does not make it clear, and the photos are not of any help.
Only three such cars remain, and the current owner of this car purchased it directly from a Harrah dispersal sale in 1985. It’s been freshened and modified (slightly) for an improved top speed: 30 mph. You can read more about this no reserve car here and see more from RM here.
Update: Sold $60,500.