Monday, February 3, 2020

The Only

Francois Richard (say it like the French, Ri-Shard) came to the US in 1904 bringing a reputation for mechanical innovation, having built a medal-winning 2 stroke engine in France. He soon made the acquaintance of Alfred Vanderbilt, for whom he built a race car for the 1906 Ormond- Daytona Beach Race. Three years later he introduced the Only, a two seat car powered by a 201 cu.in. single cylinder engine with a 10 inch stroke. 
The 1913 ad shows the racy car which cost $800, a very reasonable sum at the time. It was not a success and the company was reorganized later that year under a new name, the Metropol. That venture also failed.  

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