1918 Roamer Model C6 Four-Passenger Sport Touring
Offered by RM Auctions | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 11-12, 2012
I’ve seen the Roamer described as a “cheap Rolls-Royce” and if you look at the radiator grille, you can kind of see a resemblance. Maybe “more affordable Rolls-Royce” is a better way of putting it. The Roamer was introduced in 1916 by the Barley Motor Car Company of Streator, Illinois. The company was founded by Albert C. Barley, Cloyd Y. Kenworthy and Karl H. Martin and as moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1917. They would also built cars under the Barley and Pennant names.
The 54 horsepower model you see here was introduced in 1918. It uses a Continental Red Seal straight six. The four-passenger convertible body style is quite attractive – especially in white with bright red interior and wire wheels. Roamer built about 12,000 cars until they closed up shop in 1929 and they are rather rare today.
This one is expected to sell for between $70,000-$90,000. For more information, click here. And for more from RM, here.
Update: Sold $93,500.
Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2016, $66,000.
Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2020, $95,200.