The Magic of Steam

With the introduction of the Model 735 Stanley the Stanley Motor Carriage Company took up a vigorous advertising campaign touting the advantages of the steam car over the "internal explosion engine" powered automobile.  This brochure provides interesting insight into how the steam car was being marketed in 1918 when the Model 735 was introduced.  By this time the internal combustion engine powered automobile had already reached dominance over the steam car so Stanley was taking a different approach.

As you read through the pages of this brochure you will notice that Stanley made great effort to point out that there are minimal electrics (only the lights), no clutch or transmission, no carburetor, and no high-voltage ignition system on a Stanley.  An emphasis is placed on the fact that the technology of a Stanley has been around for over 100 years; is extremely simple; totals about three dozen moving mechanical parts; is a proven technology; and has been refined to the highest extent possible.  Perhaps the most interesting argument revolves around the idea that the public demanded internal combustion engine powered cars because there are more of them therefore they must be better! and that early automotive engineers were obsessed with obtaining "power directly from fuel".

This booklet is an excellent example of marketing.  We hope that you enjoy reading it and find the material presented interesting reading.

Click on the image at the left to view the brochure in PDF format.  The centerfold of the brochure is reproduced at the end so that you can see it as an entire page.