About This Site
Galen and Jamison Handy in Clementine, a 1917 Model 62
Detroit Electric Cabriolet, one of the two remaining Polaroids taken c.1961 by
Tim L’amoureux, who drove by in Tucker #1009
There has always been an antique electric car in the family. My father, Jamison “Jux, Jamie” Handy (Jr. 1914–1996,) bought Clementine in 1935, while attending college in Detroit. He had reconnected with Alfred F. Renz (they first met briefly in Evanston, IL,) and did odd jobs for the last remnant of the Detroit Electric Car Company as a working enterprise.
When Renz closed down his little repair and rebuild factory in 1939, to pursue military contracts, Jux had moved to the west coast.
During WWII gasoline rationing he was able to justify the expense of shipping the car from Detroit to Los Angeles. Clementine was the first car I ever drove––a short distance on the driveway. Over the years He acquired a few more Detroit Electrics.
Jux thought it was a good idea to keep Detroit Electric alive as a legal entity, with hopes of finding backers to continue making cars. He became Secretary of Detroit Electric, as a dormant company registered in Michigan.
A. F. Renz sent my father the remaining Company artifacts, including shipping ledgers and engineering drawings (mostly ink on hard finished linen.)
In the early 1960s he had stationary printed with the Company logo, from an engraved copper plate, to solicit investors. He received a few letters expressing mild interest, but nothing serious. We did visit some great private car collections, for the care of a few remaining antique electrics, and examined several recent attempts at newer ones.
I was educated in architecture, but also studied electronics, and held a commercial broadcasting license. Most of my career was as a sound recording engineer, specializing in sound for picture, including movies and television, both scripted and documentary.
When my father passed I was left with his collection. Most of my knowledge of these cars and their history was word-of-mouth from him. To get a better Idea of the archive, culled from the various garages he rented, I started researching the subject. What became apparent was that much of the information in articles and books about electric cars made before 1940 was riddled with errors and false assumptions. I had the original shipping ledgers from Detroit Electric, from the first car shipped (1907) to the last one sold (1939.) Although there are some gaps, this information is pure data; not influenced by image makers in the marketing departments, rosy press releases about expected sales projections, or some sloppy research by the press or later day authors.
Every answer begged ten new questions, so I built serial number databases––relating to the date of vehicles, motors, and meters––from remaining cars and period registrations. The hard evidence and perceived history were often in clear conflict.
Over the past dozen years I have read through much of the period material, such as magazines, and trade publications, relating to electric vehicles. The archive is now expanded, with sales brochures and other literature, to fill in information on all of the brands. These resources have allowed me to clear up the model and manufacture date of individual electric vehicles for museums and collections around the world.
This site was originally put up in 2006, and had the best information available at that time. An update was long overdue.
I appreciate constructive contributions.
Galen Handy
1938 Peugeot 402 Darl’mat Pourtout Roadster
Galen visiting the O’Quinn collection, photo ©2009 Judé Routh