The Dietz 1910 Runabout

Here are some photos of the Dietz 1910 Runabout... which was really a half-scale replica built in the late 1970s. The particular gas one being converted to electric was built by my Dad's company, The Henry G. Dietz Co. Inc., in 1977. I (professor Dietz) was personally deeply involved in creating these cars.

The Gas Version Prior to Conversion

Pinewood Derby Car That Started This

The idea to make this really began with my pinewood derby entry one year in Cub Scouts:

The Soapbox Derby Car

I later built a soapbox derby entry that looked just like it, and that drew lots of press attention. Here are some photos of it from back in the day...

Those were as soon as I had completed building the car, and before the race (with the paint still wet). My brother, Paul, actually drove the car in the race:

We didn't win on speed, but did win for "Best Construction."

Gas and Electric Versions in the 1970s

The version my Dad's company made couldn't fit the 5HP Gas Engine in the sloped rear compartment, which is why it was instead built with a chunkier luggage-compartment back. The actual Mercer Raceabout, which was created in 1910 and competed very successfully in races in 1911, looked like this or this or this, and of course had the famous T-head engine in the front.

On Display At IEEE Electro77

In The Factory in the 1970s

For Sale in the 1970s

On TV In NYC in the 1970s

In Action in the 1970s