Carter died from complications of the injury, and the devastated Leland declared “the Cadillac will kill no more men if we can help it.”
When Cadillac engineers failed to design an adequate starting system, Leland offered the opportunity to Kettering and his “Barn Gang,” and the rest is history.
Today, that history is coming to life in the new addition to the Kettering Family Education Center at Carillon Historical Park, as the renovation of the original Deeds Barn nears completion. Just last month, the Kettering family loaned its 1912 Cadillac to the park.
“A while back I was discussing the renovation project with Susan Kettering, and she commented that the family owned a 1912 Cadillac, which was on display at the Henry Ford (museum),” explained Dayton History president Brady Kress. “Later I met with Charles Kettering, III about the continued renovation and he suggested that they get the Cadillac from the Henry Ford and put it on display in the original barn.”
When the renovation of the Deeds Barn is finished, the 1912 Cadillac will reside there.
Kettering, who held 140 patents when he died, also invented the original electric ignition system and electric lighting for cars, and Cadillac began using those in 1910.
Kettering and Col. Edward Deeds had formed the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co, which later became Delco and was purchased by General Motors in 1916. Kettering then went to work for General Motors and was director of research, a vice president and sat on the board of directors of GM until he retired in 1947.
The 1912 Cadillac on display is a two-tone blue and black touring model. It sold for $1,800 and is powered by a four cylinder, 4.6-liter engine that develops about 40 horsepower.
The car has a selective, sliding transmission with three forward speeds and reverse. It’s also a right-hand drive car, with high clearance and a floating rear end to traverse the rough and bumpy roads of 1912. It’s equipped with very skinny Firestone tires, with the words Non Skid on the tire tread, a marketing tool for the new angular tread on tires.
The 1912 Cadillac and the renovated Deeds Barn will officially open to the public in August.
To learn more about Carillon Historical Park, visit www.daytonhistory.org or call (937) 293-2841.
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