F.R.P.

1915 F. R. P.

Classic F.R.P

Finlay Robertson Porter, a native of Lowell, Ohio, served as chief engineer at the Mercer Company from 1910 to 1915 and was a designer of the Mercer Raceabout, one of the fastest and most desired automobiles in the United States during its heyday.
Porter was mostly self-educated having left school at age 11 and then immersing himself in mail order courses in mechanical engineering. His first job, before going with Mercer, was general manager of the Empire Brass Works in East Stroudsburg. Pennsylvania.While with Empire Brass, Porter along with Charles C. Worthington, a noted pump maker, designed a steam automobile. However, when the boiler exploded whenever the auto stopped, he turned to Mercer and gasoline engines.Porter became increasingly well known in automotive circles, especially after having designed the powerful T-head engine for Mercer in 1910 but like many engineers of the time, he dreamed of manufacturing his own automobile.
A major falling out with Mercer over the Company’s switch to an L-head engine led to Porter’s resignation and the decision to strike out on his own. Using his initials to name his new creation, the F.R.B. was born. His first automobiles were race cars powered by Knight engines; three of which were built to compete in the 1914 Indianapolis 500. The racers developed engine problems and never made the starting line but that experience led Porter to develop and build his own engine, a brilliant single-overhead-camshaft four that produced some 100 hp and could propel his autos to road speeds well in excess of 80 mph.
Three different models of the F.R.P. were produced, the Model A Raceabout on a 110” wheel base, the Model B Runabout on a 130” wheel base, and the extraordinary Model C seven passenger Touring car that could deliver 12 mpg and cruise at 80 all day long. Wanting to better Mercer, Porter spared no expense in the quality of materials used to build his automobiles or in the time consuming attention to detail that went into every car.
It is no wonder that his autos were priced at $5,000.00 - making them one of America's most expensive automobiles. Sadly, Porter’s masterpieces were not commercially successful and with the advent of World War I, the F.R.P. factory closed and was taken over by the government. His parts, plans, and drawings were sold to the American & British Manufacturing Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut.