Milburn Light Electrics
Milburn Wagon Company
1914 - 1923
Egeskov Castle's 1920 ("1914")
| 1920 Milburn Light Electric Note: Though this car is described as a "1914", however, based on the S/N, body and chassis type (brougham), this car is an even later model. Its serial number and features suggest it is a 1920 model. | |
 Photo courtesy of Egeskov Castle museum (note the New Jersey license plate---the pink Milburn on the postcard was listed as being from the New Jersey Antique Auto Museum)  From a postcard in the collection of Clarence Milburn (See the reverse side of the postcard.) (See this car, also, as the first car on our "Missing Milburns" page.) | |
| Owner: | Leif Nowicki |
| Email: | Jörgen Johansen, Curator museum-at-egeskov.dk |
| Location: | Egeskov Castle, Denmark |
| Serial number (location?): | 2-1784-7 |
| Motor number (title): | |
| Body number (square plate): | 9922 (deduced from postcard references to this ID#--fits into body #s for this era) |
| Model: | Milburn Light Electric Coupé (Model 15) |
| Wheels: | Wood |
| Color: | Light red or pink, with white wheels and black roof |
| Upholstery: | |
| Seating capacity: | 4 -- Rear seat for 2; auxiliary, fold-down front seats for 2 additional under the windshield |
| Windows: | |
| Steering control: | Lever (tiller) |
| Speed control: | Lever |
| Top speed: | 20 mph |
| Range: | 50 miles |
| Forward speeds: | 4 |
| Reverse speeds: | 2 |
| Length overall: | |
| Width overall: | |
| Height overall: | |
| Wheelbase: | 100 inches |
| Track: | 50 inches |
| Tires: | 30 x 3½ pneumatic |
| Tread: | |
| Brake systems: | Contracting and expanding on rear wheels |
| Curb weight: | 1,400 pounds (without batteries) |
| Instrumentation: | |
| Lights: | |
| Heater: | |
| Motor: | General Electric 2 hp |
| Drive train: | Worm gear |
| Controller: | Non-arcing rotating drum, 4 speeds forward, 2 speeds reverse |
| Springs: | Chrome vanadium steel; front is semi-elliptic; rear is cantilever ("found only in expensive European gas cars.") |
| Axles: | |
| Batteries: | 22 cells, 15 plate |
| System voltage: | Originally 42 volts |
| Charger: | |
| Equipment: | |
| Price, new: | $1,485 f.o.b., Toledo, Ohio |
| Owner's remarks: Yes we have a car in the museum, it is from 1914 and the previous owner was the president (USA) wife.
Webmaster's remarks: We would guess that this might be the often-reported, but never pictured, car that President Woodrow Wilson is reputed to have driven around the White House grounds. If this is so, then the car would have belonged to his wife, Edith. The car has been on our "Missing Milburns" page (first entry) from a postcard describing it as a "1914 Millburn Electric Auto" from the "Roaring 20s Autos and New Jersey Antique Auto Museum". Antique-car photographer Lars-Göran Lindgren of Sweden has identified the car from our "Missing Milburns" page as one in Denmark, saying: "I found an article with the Denmark Milburn. This article, Gavnö Slott Autojumble, is from the magazine 'Classic Motor' no 10 Oct 1991. The 1914 Milburn won first prize in the Concours de Charme-competition. Update 100609: This car appears to have had several owners and based on features and S/N is a 1920 Model 27L. Its ownership history appears to have included, from earliest: (1) unknown, US, 1950's, car suspected to be white with some logo on the side (2) Gordon Kavanaugh, Canada, bought and painted car early 60's, (3) NJ Antique Auto Museum, (4) Egeskov Castle |
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