1911 Pope-Hartford Model W Pony Tonneau

A green 1911 Pope-Hartford Model W Pony Tonneau touring car arriving at Clearman's restaurants during the 2023 Holiday Motor Excursion presented by the Horseless Carriage Club (HCCA) of Southern California. This car is one of 693 Pope-Hartfords built in 1911 and is believed to have been originally purchased by Thomas J. Watson, Sr., who would become CEO of IBM. The current owner's father purchased it in 1946 for $200 and, after restoring it, drove it for over 50,000 miles. This car was displayed at the 1982 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it won First in Class. It was shown at Pebble Beach again in 2015 where it also participated in the Tour d'Elegance.

If I were elected to rule Vatican City, this would be my ride. It already has my title displayed in huge letters up front, and it's way classier than any popemobile ever made. It also doesn't hurt that it's a two-time Pebble Beach entrant. There's nothing like the experience of seeing a brass era car driving among mundane modern machinery, and I'm glad this owner wasn't afraid to celebrate New Year's Eve by putting more miles on his prized possession!

Would you drive this car frequently if it were in your garage? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!