Rider-Lewis was a brass era automobile built first in Muncie and then Anderson, Indiana from 1908 to 1911.[1]

Rider Lewis Motor Car Company

Excellent Six
Type	Automobile manufacturer
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1908; 114 years ago (1908)
Founder	Ralph Lewis, George D. Rider
Defunct	1911; 111 years ago (1911)
Successor	Factory: Nyberg Automobile
Headquarters	Anderson, Indiana, United States
Key people	Ralph Lewis, George D. Rider
Products	Automobiles
Production output	250 approx. (1909-1911)

History

Ralph Lewis of Boston, designed an overhead valve, overhead cam six-cylinder engine of 40/45-hp. George D. Rider financed manufacturing and the Rider-Lewis Motor Car Company was established. Rider-Lewis introduced the automobile at the Indianapolis Motor Show in March 1908 priced at $2,500 (equivalent to $75,398 in 2021). Production began in Muncie in a converted factory, though in 1909 the company moved to a newly built factory in Anderson, Indiana.[1]

For 1910 the "Excellent Six" was joined by a four-cylinder Model Four automobile selling for $1,050, equivalent to $30,536 in 2021 . In September 1910 the company was in receivership, though production continued. In October the Rider-Lewis property in Anderson was attached by court order when creditors thought Rider-Lewis was preparing to move out of state. A few more Model Fours were built into early 1911, but by March the Rider-Lewis plant was sold to Nyberg Motor Works.[2][1]

• 
  1909 Rider Lewis Four IV Advertisement
• 
  1909 Rider Lewis Six VI Advertisement

References

External links

• Rider-Lewis, Nyberg Factory - Historic Structures
• Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. IN-38, "Rider-Lewis Motor Car Company, West Second Street & Sycamore, Anderson, Madison County, IN", 13 photos
• Herald-Bulletin Article - 1 Factory 3 Cars by Beth Oljace, 2011
• Herald-Bulletin Article - Several Auto Factories by David Humphrey, 2013

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rider-Lewis vehicles.