Brewster is the most significant American coachbuilder in history, and one of the oldest, active from 1810-1937. Their first known bodywork on an automobile was in 1896, on an electric car, and a gasoline powered car in 1905, on a Delaunay-Belleville chassis. Eventually they would use chassis from a variety of makers. From 1915-1925 and 1934-1935 they produced their own line of opulent and expensive automobiles at their plant in Long Island City.
Fame[]
"You're the top! You're a Ritz hot toddy. You're the top! You're a Brewster body." The coachbuilder was immortalized in the Cole Porter song, "You're the Top" and is the only American to ever win the Gold Metal at the Paris International Exposition, a gathering of Europe's finest coachbuilders.
The manager of New York's National Horse Show, Edward King, was once asked whether he considered Brewster to be the Tiffany of carriage manufacturers: "My opinion is that Tiffany was the Brewster of jewelers." (indeed Tiffany was the younger company.)
Colonel Paul Downing for American Heritage Magazine, wrote in 1956: "However, it is doubtful that it can honestly be said that America took her place in the world of really fashionable carriages until the firm of Brewster & Company of Broome Street took the lead. It became a saying in the trade that a new style was of no value until it was established by Brewster."
Notes[]
- Brewster kept records of all family crests and colors of its customers. The Astor's was a blue, J. P. Morgan's dark green, and the Vanderbilt's had a shade of maroon. These reserved colors would sometimes make it difficult for new customers to choose a body color.
- Brewster formulated a secret oil-based finish, which required much less maintenance than varnishes used at the time. Other firms tried and failed to duplicate it.
- The company would build its own cars after the sinking of the Lusitania. They were smaller than the chassis it normally built upon, for navigating the streets of Manhattan. They cost as much as "a Packard Twin Six limousine plus a fleet of five Model T Ford roadsters"
- In response to chauffeurs regarding glaring street lights at night, Brewster styled a windshield with a four pane design after much research. Although it wasn't patented, it became known as a "Brewster windshield" and was widely copied by body builders and production automobiles.
- Brewster was unique among coachbuilders, because they often sold complete cars, as well as building their own.
- The Brewster and Co. Aircraft Division was founded in 1924, and did not fare well during the Depression. It did produce a scout bomber (XSBA-1), and won a Navy contract to build carrier fighters.
- Brewster has also made speedboat hulls.
- Brewster made children’s pony carts as well as coaches designed to hold 20 or more people.
- The Brewster-bodied Ford chassis Town Car with heart-shaped grill is the only classic Ford designated by the Classic Car Club of America.
- Many automotive engineers and designers had their start at Brewster. The designer and engineer of Pierce-Arrow's cast-aluminum bodies from 1904-1920, James Way, first worked at Brewster. Head of Lincoln's coachbuilding division Henry Crecelius Sr. was persuaded to work there by Edsel Ford, from Brewster. Raymond Dietrich started at Brewster as a draftsman before being fired for secret designing for other makes. Harry Lonschein founded Rollston after starting out at Brewster.
Notable Owners:
- Louis Comfort Tiffany - Brewster's second gasoline auto chassis, a Panhard et Levassor
- John D. Rockefeller, Sr. - His Crane-Simplex had two Brewster bodies, for summer and winter. It is one of the last remaining Rockefeller Family cars.
- John D. Rockefeller, Jr. - Also owned a Crane-Simplex.
- Vincent Astor
- Edsel Ford - Purchased the first Brewster-bodied Ford available, it was the only one made with the standard Ford grille instead of the Brewster heart-shaped grille, and had the standard Brewster dash rather than the Ford dash which was usually installed.
Entertainers/Ford Brewster owners:
- Al Jolson - A known enthusiast of the new Brewster, owned four and two-seat convertibles
- Cole Porter
- Lily Pons
- Gertrude Lawrence
- Fred Waring
- Victor Moore