History
Maxwell was originally purchased by the Pitman family in the late 50s early 60s as a buckboard with a saw bench mounted on the tray. It was driven between family properties of what is now known as Pitman Road, Windsor Gardens and Sandy Creek Golf Course, cutting wood for the family.
During WWII John Pitman, my Great Uncle, built two tractors for working the family farm, one with a Thorneycroft motor the other a Maxwell motor. This Maxwell tractor broke a crankshaft which resulted in the engine from the Maxwell buckboard being removed to keep the tractor going. (Both of these tractors were still operational in early 2000s)
The Maxwell buckboard was left unattended, less motor for many years.
In the late 60s on acquiring a 1959 Chrysler Royal V8, John decided to transplant the running gear into the Maxwell. Originally Maxwell did not have front brakes, John used a Dodge front end and installed the Chrysler Royal 313 V8, 2 speed auto and diff into Maxwell.
The front brakes were fitted to the Dodge front end, and the Chrysler Royal radiator into the Maxwell surround. He then built a wooden cab and tray, utilising the Chrysler Royal dashboard.
The Maxwell passed a police inspection and was on the road again!
Unfortunately the finishing touches were never completed, it lacked driver and passenger comforts. John’s wife said “it was too cold, too rough and too noisy” so it was then garaged again, on blocks for 20 years.
In 1993 after becoming a member of the family my Dad had heard about the car and arranged to see it. After a lengthy discussion with John, he agreed with my father’s assistance to again get the Maxwell back on the road. Reconditioning of brakes, replacement of all rubber hoses and a new battery were required. Many items were improved as John had not been satisfied with them during the first build.
The Maxwell was pushed out of the shed and started!
During this time my Dad had made several offers to buy the car but had been refused.
Looking back, my father feels as if he was being tested to prove he was worthy of restoring and maintaining the Maxwell as Uncle John had wanted it.
Eventually Dad promised to keep the car in the family and Uncle John changed his mind.
On the day I turned 16 I started learning to drive the Maxwell.
Over the past 25 years my Dad and I have continued to maintain the Maxwell in John Pitman’s honour. The motor and gear box has been rebuilt twice, interior re-trimmed twice, wire spoke wheels, chrome grill, new radiator and canopy for long distance trips.
‘Maxwell green’ has been colour matched and re-sprayed twice.
Maxwell has done trips to Bendigo, Echuca, Mungerannie, Renmark, Alice Springs, and Birdsville. It has also been the daily driver when modern cars have let us down.
Maxwell shares the garage with Alison’s 1922 Dodge Roadster and Jeep Wrangler.
Next winter Maxwell will receive a respray to the original black paintwork and timber re-vanishing.
What is a Maxwell?
The Maxwell Motor Company was a brand of automobiles manufactured in the United States of America from about 1904 to 1925.
Maxwell produced vehicles to target the increasing requirement for low priced cars by introducing the Model 25, their cheapest four yet. At $695, this five-seat tourer had high-tension magneto ignition,electric horn and (optional) electric starter and headlights, and an innovative shock absorber to protect the radiator.
Maxwell eventually over-extended and wound up deeply in debt, with over half of its production unsold in the post-World War I recession in 1920. The following year, Walter P. Chrysler arranged to take a controlling interest in Maxwell Motors. One of his first tasks was to correct the faults in the Maxwell, whose quality had faltered. This improved version of the car was marketed as the "Good Maxwell."
In 1925, Chrysler formed his own company, the Chrysler Corporation. That same year, the Maxwell line was phased out and the Maxwell company assets were absorbed by Chrysler. The Maxwell automobile would continue to live on in another form however, because the new 4-cylinder Chrysler model that was introduced for the 1926 model year was created largely from the design of the previous year's Maxwell. And this former Maxwell would undergo another transformation in 1928, when a second reworking and renaming would bring about the creation of the first Plymouth.
Memories
Maxwell was originally purchased by my family in the late 50s early 60s as a buckboard with a saw bench mounted on the tray. It was driven between family properties of what is now known as Pitman Road, Windsor Gardens and Sandy Creek Golf Course, South Australia, cutting wood for the family.
During WWII John Pitman, my Great Uncle, built two tractors for working the family farm, one with a Thorneycroft motor the other a Maxwell motor. This Maxwell tractor broke a crankshaft which resulted in the engine from the Maxwell buckboard being removed to keep the tractor going. (Both of these tractors were still operational in early 2000s)
The Maxwell buckboard was left unattended, less motor for many years.
In the late 60s on acquiring a 1959 Chrysler Royal V8, John decided to transplant the running gear into the Maxwell. Originally Maxwell did not have front brakes, John used a Dodge front end and installed the Chrysler Royal 313 V8, 2 speed auto and diff into Maxwell.
The front brakes were fitted to the Dodge front end, and the Chrysler Royal radiator into the Maxwell surround. He then built a wooden cab and tray, utilising the Chrysler Royal dashboard.
The Maxwell passed a police inspection and was on the road again!
Unfortunately the finishing touches were never completed, it lacked driver and passenger comforts. John’s wife said “it was too cold, too rough and too noisy” so it was then garaged again, on blocks for 20 years.
In 1993 after becoming a member of the family my Dad had heard about the car and arranged to see it. After a lengthy discussion with John, he agreed with my father’s assistance to again get the Maxwell back on the road. Reconditioning of brakes, replacement of all rubber hoses and a new battery were required. Many items were improved as John had not been satisfied with them during the first build.
The Maxwell was pushed out of the shed and started!
During this time my Dad had made several offers to buy the car but had been refused.
Looking back, my father feels as if he was being tested to prove he was worthy of restoring and maintaining the Maxwell as Uncle John had wanted it.
Eventually Dad promised to keep the car in the family and Uncle John changed his mind.
On the day I turned 16 I started learning to drive the Maxwell.
Over the past 25 years my Dad and I have continued to maintain the Maxwell in John Pitman’s honour. The motor and gear box has been rebuilt twice, interior re-trimmed twice, wire spoke wheels, chrome grill, new radiator and canopy for long distance trips.
‘Maxwell green’ has been colour matched and re-sprayed twice.
Maxwell has done trips to Bendigo, Echuca, Mungerannie, Renmark, Alice Springs, and Birdsville. It has also been the daily driver when modern cars have let us down.
Maxwell shares the garage with Alison’s 1922 Dodge Roadster and Jeep Wrangler.
Next winter Maxwell will receive a respray to the original black paintwork and timber re-vanishing.
What is a Maxwell?
The Maxwell Motor Company was a brand of automobiles manufactured in the United States of America from about 1904 to 1925.
Maxwell produced vehicles to target the increasing requirement for low priced cars by introducing the Model 25, their cheapest four yet. At $695, this five-seat tourer had high-tension magneto ignition,electric horn and (optional) electric starter and headlights, and an innovative shock absorber to protect the radiator.
Maxwell eventually over-extended and wound up deeply in debt, with over half of its production unsold in the post-World War I recession in 1920. The following year, Walter P. Chrysler arranged to take a controlling interest in Maxwell Motors. One of his first tasks was to correct the faults in the Maxwell, whose quality had faltered. This improved version of the car was marketed as the "Good Maxwell."
In 1925, Chrysler formed his own company, the Chrysler Corporation. That same year, the Maxwell line was phased out and the Maxwell company assets were absorbed by Chrysler. The Maxwell automobile would continue to live on in another form however, because the new 4-cylinder Chrysler model that was introduced for the 1926 model year was created largely from the design of the previous year's Maxwell. And this former Maxwell would undergo another transformation in 1928, when a second reworking and renaming would bring about the creation of the first Plymouth.
