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VINTAGRAPH • WPA • WWII • YOU MEAN A WOMAN CAN OPEN IT?

Arriviste: 1922

        UPDATE: A Washington Post news item identifies this as a Custer "Cootie Car."
Jan. 22, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Woman in three-wheeled vehicle." The electric chair last spied here. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

        UPDATE: A Washington Post news item identifies this as a Custer "Cootie Car."

Jan. 22, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Woman in three-wheeled vehicle." The electric chair last spied here. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

 

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It's not all that it seems.

This is indeed a car built by the Custer company of Dayton Ohio. But the "Cootie Car" was a cute little car that was built purposely for amusement parks. If you ever get to see one they're quite detailed, and were gas or electric. This however is a Custer Chair car. It was available as an electric/battery powered car (which this appears to be) or with a Briggs and Stratton gasoline motor. It was built for and popular with adults who were unable to walk due to polio. It is unique and helpful in that the tiller was not just for steering, but the chair moved forward when you pushed the tiller forward, and in reverse when you pulled it backward, and so you did not need your legs or feet to drive it. So this is really a predecessor to the scooters and chairs that are used today.

She wouldn't look so snooty...

if she knew she was in a Cootie (Car). In fact, she'd probably "flea" the scene.

Bushel Bag Of Cooties

Perhaps this one example is the source of the worldwide cootie epidemic.

Roaring Twenties!

This Lady, with her nose in the air, probably a member of the 1% enjoying the Roaring Twenties. Sadly history now repeats in our Roaring Teens.

Mice on a treadmill?

Anyone have any idea what powered this thing?

[Electricity, according to the caption. -tterrace]

Mystery Car

Dave, are there any more pictures of this thing? There's a nameplate riveted on the stem (like on a bicycle), and the part we can appears to say "CAR", or more likely, "CAB". With a view from the front, we could see the full name, and maybe find out who made it.

And that cotter pin on the front axle doesn't look secure - it's installed upside down (the open end should be facing down, not up), and it looks too short - the ends should be long enough so the ends can be bent around the axle.

[Click the link in the caption. -tterrace]

Comme il faut

Madame maintains her hauteur whilst running down small dogs and pedestrians.

Attitude adjustment needed

If you look at an enlarged view of the lady's face close-up, she seems to have a superiority complex, makes me want to say "well ain't you somethin'?"

Margaret Hamilton

...vibe of the week!

Before the Snowstorm

Judging by the date, this photo was taken probably only a day or two before the big snowstorm featured a few days ago on Shorpy.

Looking down her nose at you

Now I see what that phrase really looks like.

Beautiful

Cotter key!

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