Marketed as “The Cheapest Automobile in the World – Everybody Should Have One”, the Orient Buckboard was the product of The Waltham Manufacturing Co. of Massachusetts. That company had graduated from bicycle manufacture in the latter years of the 19th Century to producing an electric vehicle in 1899. Charles Herman Metz, the founder of the company, soon switched production to petrol engined vehicles, initially adopting De Dion and Aster engines. By 1902 the company was manufacturing its own engines and when Leonard Gaylor joined the company in 1902 the Orient Buckboard came from his drawing desk. It was powered by a rear-mounted, vertical, single-cylinder engine of 4hp, weighed just 400 lbs, had a claimed top speed of 35mph and would climb a 1:12 hill in top gear. Steering was by tiller and the flexible hickory wooden platform provided the suspension.
This rare survivor has continuous history since the 1920s when it was acquired by a garage in part exchange. In the early 1960s it was rescued from that garage for preservation, however restoration did not commence until 1995 when it was brought from the U.S.A. to England. Much of the work was undertaken by respected veteran restorers, Brentclass. Upon completion of the restoration this vehicle completed three trouble-free runs to Brighton and in 2001 crossed the Madeira Drive finishing line 34th out of almost 400 starters at an average speed of approximately 14mph. Restoration has included an engine rebuild, axle refurbishment, repairs to petrol and oil tanks, the clutch and brakes have been relined and tyres, tubes and wheel rims renewed. The bench passenger seat has been reupholstered in buttoned leather. More recent work carried out by the present owner has included conversion of the exhaust to lead-free, enclosing of the electrics (following the wet Brighton Run in 2003), re-rubbering and brass-edging of the front platform and other general and detailed maintenance. Mechanical condition is described by the vendor as excellent. This charming and quirky American veteran must surely today offer the most economical and exciting ride for two people down the A23 to Brighton. It is Swansea registered, V.C.C. dated with Certificate No.2219, currently licenced and MoT tested and, most importantly, comes with an entry for the 2004 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.