1908 Curtiss 4 cylinder

[BigLakeBob]

I was at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH a few weeks back and thought some of you may enjoy these photos. I believe it was a 1908 Curtiss engine for a dirigible. Bob#6738

[exeric]

Dale Axelrod, here in Florida is crazy about anything Curtiss. I have come to realize Curtiss was an amazing individual and seemed to be years ahead of his contemporaries.

[redfred84]

To me, the Curtiss is the ultimate American Motorcycle, then comes the Cleveland 4our. We have an original Vee Twinn Curtiss hanging in our SFMC Club house. The Club was establised in 1904, and is the oldest motorcycle club that has been in continous operation.
Too bad the V 8 can't be found.
RF.

[Chris Haynes]

To me, the Curtiss is the ultimate American Motorcycle, then comes the Cleveland 4our. We have an original Vee Twinn Curtiss hanging in our SFMC Club house. The Club was establised in 1904, and is the oldest motorcycle club that has been in continous operation.
Too bad the V 8 can't be found.
RF.

Fred,
You may be mistaken about a couple things. Although it has gone through a few name changes The Federation of American Motorcyclists, which was started as an offshoot of The New York Motorcycle Club in 1903, is still going strong as the AMA.
The Curtiss V8 has never been lost. Glenn Curtis donated it and it is in the collection of the National Aeronautical & Space Museum in Washington DC.

http://www.nasm.si.edu/imagedetail.cfm?imageID=1553

[redfred84]

Chris,
The FAM is like the AMA, not really a club. The Yonkers MC (our sister club) did start in '03, but they had a lapse during the second World War ( we did not). The V8 Curtis in the Smith' is a clone. Glad you don't judge Curtiss's.
The SFMC bike has been continously asked for reference by the Smith', the Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, and by Glen Bator, when he was with Otis Chandler. It is a well known fact that the Smith' V8 is a replica; they used to state that. Perhaps they have changed their tactics?
RF.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Bob and Eric, the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, is worth a visit as the the early years of US naval aviation are dominated by Glenn Curtiss. There are several early cutaway radial engines there showing incredible engineering and workmanship.

[rwm]

the dc.bike (aeronautical & space museum) is just one more museum bike made to look like the original!

[jurassic]

[duffeycycles]

the original v-8 motor is in an iowa aviation museum-iowa falls

[Chris Haynes]

I dunno Fred. When I was there they told me that it was donated to them by Curtiss. If it is a reproduction who reproduced it and when? What about the photo of it in the Curtiss museum? Was that also a reproduction? If someone in Iowa has the engine what happened to the rest of the bike? I know that Jim Lattin made a copy of the V4 Curtiss.

[Tom Lovejoy]

I have seen Jim Lattin's up close - its awesome. I think totally made up - not original - but its awesome, really well done.

[duffeycycles]

supposedly the correct bike is in the national museum the motor is not the original.this comes from the iowa museum ownerwho purchased copies of my original postcard at davenport because it shows the correct as raced carbs.most postcards show different carbs and were made later in hammondsport.the iowa motor has the wrong carbs

[tst]

I have been to the Curtiss Museum many times and the Smithsonian, the one in the Smithsonian is the famous bike we all know, It was donated to the Smithsonian, I think the last time I saw it it was in the new Air & Space museum display at Dules airport, why at the Air & Space, because it was a Aeroplane engine, the one at the Curtiss Museum is a reproduction, it was built with a Aeroplane engine, the V-8 in the bike was used in many Curtiss Aeroplanes, so they had a engine and reproduced the rest many years ago
Tim

[fillibuster]

wonder how true to form the rake/trail is on this thing.

[duffeycycles]

why is this thread 1908 4cyl? it was built in '06 ran in jan. '07 V-8 not 4