1915 Paige Touring Sedan, Fairfield, Model 6; 4-door, 7 passenger
Owner: Bernie and Janice Taulborg Collection
Original cost: $1,395.00
Number made: 4,631 in 1914; 7,749 in 1915
Engine, etc.: 6 cyl.; 29.4 hp; 123 ½ in. wheelbase
Paige Automobile company, Detroit, Michigan, 1909 – 1928
Paige Automobile was started in 1909 by investor Harry M. Jewett, a wealthy coal company owner. He bought into a car designed by Andrew Bachle and promoted by Fred O. Paige who later became president of Paige-Detroit Motor Car Co.
Mr. Jewett had learned more about cars and called the 1910 Paige-Detroit “a piece of junk”. He eased Paige out of the company and cleaned house in the engineering department. The “Detroit” part of the name was dropped and the company was reorganized.
The new Paige came out in 1911. The first car was a two-seater powered by a three-cylinder, two-stroke engine that displaced 2.2 liters. A four-cylinder, four-stroke model was offered a few years later. A six-cylinder engine became available in 1914.
The company progressed nicely, such that by 1916 it was known for its chic and graceful styling, using the slogan “The Most Beautiful Car in America”.
Their most famous car was the Paige Daytona built from 1922 – 1926. It was a sporty car that set many speed records. The Daytona 6-66 Speedster was advertised as “The World’s Fastest Car”, reinforced when a stripped down production model exceeded 100 miles per hour at a Daytona sand-beach track. In doing so, it broke every existing stock car record for speed after traveling a mile in a mere 35.01 seconds at a speed of 102.8 miles per hour.
Jewett stayed with the company until 1927 when, after losses mounted to $2.5 million, he sold out.
One more model year was produced before the company folded.
The Graham brothers bought the Paige-Detroit Car Company for four million dollars. The following year, Paige-Detroit cars became known as Graham-Paiges.
Of note: Notice tube to the right of the steering wheel on the dash. That is where the gas tank was filled – from inside the car.
Sources: Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1805 -1942. Beverly Rae Kimes, et al. 3rd ed. Krause Publications, 1996.
http://www.conceptcarz.com/z19652/Paige-Model-6-51.aspx (1917 model)
http://www.wcroberts.org/Paige_History.html
http://www.wcroberts.org/Paige_History/1915_Paige.html (Information about 1915 models)
