Being sold with NO Reserve is this 1924 Rollin Touring Project.
All proceeds from this sale will be going to help continue the legacy and fund new construction and education programs at Owls Head Transportation Museum.
The Rollin automobile had advanced technology, brakes on all four wheels (mechanical internal expanding type), pistons and connecting rods of special aluminum, lubrication oil through a pump and a four-bearing crankshaft. There were four models: Touring ($995, equivalent to $17,690 in 2023),…
Being sold with NO Reserve is this 1924 Rollin Touring Project.
All proceeds from this sale will be going to help continue the legacy and fund new construction and education programs at Owls Head Transportation Museum.
The Rollin automobile had advanced technology, brakes on all four wheels (mechanical internal expanding type), pistons and connecting rods of special aluminum, lubrication oil through a pump and a four-bearing crankshaft. There were four models: Touring ($995, equivalent to $17,690 in 2023), Brougham, Sedan and a three-passenger Coupe($1,175). Cars were sold in the US, Australia and a very few in Europe. The cars were designed and built by Rollin H. White, formerly chief engineer of the White Motor Company.
The car was planned as an economical automobile to capture a share of the lower price market. Its engine was similar to that of the Cletrac tractor, a White subsidiary. The chairman was Rollin Henry White. His father, Thomas White, was chairman of the White Sewing Machine Company, and the White Motor Company. The Rollin was too high-priced for the market for which it had been intended. In its most successful year, 1924, approximately 3,622 units were produced. By the end of 1925 the factory was closed due to bankruptcy.
As of 2018, there are several Rollin automobiles in the US and in Australia, as well as a few in Europe, at least one in the Netherlands and two in Sweden.
This is a list of what is known about this car from the donor
Subject: ROLLIN LIST of items (correct vs not correct)
Hood sides are correct ( remanufactured from original pieces). Hood top is from a Chevy and needs to be properly fitted.
Radiator shell is correct – radiator tanks are wrong.
There is a guy in Amesbury MA (John Iacobucci) who has two original Rollin radiators.. ( Email: john@iacobucci.net, 5 Hillside Ave., Amesbury, MA 01913, Tel: 978 388 2282)
Windshield Bronze Casting Posts are correct (copies of original posts). The windshield is a mid 20’s Buick and needs to be cut to size to fit the bronze castings.
Rear End is NOT correct. It was in a Rollin coupe supplied by Bessette Motor Works, 39 Cemetery Rd., Charlton, MA 01597. Tel 508 248 0133, email: apbjab@verizon.net) Rear end will work fine and will look exactly correct if modified to fit with a transverse spring. The springs need to be replaced with a transverse spring, the hangers I had made up and are in one of the boxes in the car.
Wheels – two of the wheels are Rollin wheels. Two of the wheels came with the Chevy rear end and are correct 12 inch wheels but may need some modification to fit properly to the hubs (new hubs were machined copying an original Rollin hub).
Spare tire carrier – remanufactured and very close to being 100% correct. I copied an original spare tire carrier and had the brackets copied exactly. The rim is from a 1926 Buick and is a correct 21 inch size. So only a little modification to attach to the car is needed.
Gas tank – is very close to original dimensions (was bought on ebay). Armand Bessette has an original tank that can be measured for placement of filling spout, exact measurement etc. etc.
Motor – Motor is missing a lot of parts – The oil pan is missing but there is a model of one in the car that I was going to modify for the engine (should fit with modifications). Starter and generator can be used from other mid 20’s car (Armand used Model A ones for his Rollin coupe)
Being sold with a Bill Of Sale
*The following ratings were provided by the consignor, based on a scale of ‘Poor’, ‘Fair’, ‘Good’, ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent’. (Excellent = 100% restored)