Premier

1903-1915 Premier Motor Manufacturing Co. Indianapolis, Indiana.
1915-1923 Premier Motor Car Co. Indianapolis, Indiana.
1923-1926 Premier Motors Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.

George B. Weidely, who would later become renowned as a proprietory engine manufacturer, organised the Premier Motor Manufacturing Company with partner Harold O. Smith. Weidely had build his first car in 1902, a water cooled motor buggy, but felt that air-cooling would be more satisfactory for the Premier, whose name had been suggested by Sam Miles, publisher of The Motor Age magazine. The firm adopted an oak leaf for it's radiator badge and later claimed this as the first use of an emblem as an automotive trademark.
The Premier had four cylinders with overhead valves and a sliding gear transmission. The 4 cylinder Models A and F were joined by a 2 cylinder model in 1904, the twin being interestingly larger and at $2500 twice the price of the 4 cylinder Model A.
Both air and water cooled models were offered by 1907 and the following year air-cooling was abandoned for good. Also in 1908 a 6 cylinder car was added to the line up. Prices now topped £3700.
Premiers completed three Glidden Tours with perfect scores. Three Premier cars were constructed for the 1916 Indianapolis 500 race, but the best they could manage was a 7th place finish. The other two cars did not complete the race, one was crashed and the other succumbed to lubrication failure. George Weidley and Harold Smith had left the company following a 1914 receivership; the next year the firm's debts were settled by a syndicate headed by F.W. Woodruff, an Illinois banker. The firm was then re-organised as the Premier Motor Car Company.
In 1918 the firm boasted of "The Aluminium Six with Magnetic Gear Shift". Premier engines were made with aluminium crankcases and used aluminium pistons. The "Magnetic Gear Shift" was a novel and forward looking product of the Cutler-Hammer Corporation, which featured a set of gear-change controls mounted on the steering wheel.
L.S.Skelton, a physician who also promoted the Skelton car of St. Louis, Missouri, took control of the firm by 1920. Skelton's death in the following year resulted in yet another receivership, resolved by the intervention of Frederick L. Barrows and reorganisation as Ptremier Motors Inc., in 1923. Barrows also bought the Monroe car from Frank Strattan, who had purchased the moribund Indianapolis manufacturer. Barrows incorporated the Monroe into the Premier model range as the Model B 4 cylinder car which was produced alongside the 6 cylinder Model 6-D in 1924 and 1925. An order for 1000 taxicabs was taken in 1923 and shortly afterwards Barrows announced that Premier Motors would concentrate on taxi production. The firm sold out to National Cab and Truck Company in October 1926, and was dissolved soon after.