Editing Rambler (automobile) (section)

==Rambler 1897–1914==
[[File:Emblem Rambler.JPG|thumb|Emblem plate for the Rambler by the Thomas B. Jeffery Company (ca 1900s).]]

The first use of the name Rambler for an American-made automobile dates to 1897 when [[Thomas B. Jeffery]] of [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], builder of the [[Rambler (bicycle)|Rambler bicycle]], constructed his prototype automobile.<ref name=":0" />

After receiving positive reviews at the 1899 Chicago International Exhibition & Tournament and the first [[New York International Auto Show|National Automobile Show]] in [[New York City]], Jeffery entered the automobile business. Following the sudden death of his [[Gormully & Jeffery|Rambler]] partner, R. Philip Gormully, Jeffery sold their bicycle business to the [[American Bicycle Company]], but retained rights to the Rambler name. In 1900, he bought the old [[Sterling Bicycle Co.]] factory in [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]], and set up shop.<ref name=":0" />

Thomas Jeffery and his son Charles experimented with such early technical innovations as a [[steering wheel]] (as opposed to a [[tiller]]), [[Left hand drive|left-hand driving]] and the engine placement under a [[Hood (car)|hood]] instead of under the seat, but they was decided that such features were too advanced for the motoring public of the day. The first Ramblers were [[Tiller|tiller-steered]], had right-hand drive, and the [[Single-cylinder engine|single-cylinder]] engine was positioned under the seat. Rambler innovated various design features and was the first to equip cars with a [[Spare tire|spare wheel-and-tire assembly]]. This allowed the driver, when experiencing a [[flat tire]], to exchange the spare wheel and tire for the flat one, rather than patching.<ref name=":0" />

Jeffery started commercially [[Mass production|mass-producing]] automobiles in 1902. By the end of the year the company had produced 1,500 motor cars, priced at US$750 ({{Inflation|US|750|1902|fmt=eq}}), one-sixth of all cars that were manufactured in the U.S. during that year. The [[Thomas B. Jeffery Company]] was the second largest auto manufacturer at that time, behind [[Oldsmobile]].<ref name=":0" />

In 1904, Jeffery built 2,342 Ramblers. Higher-powered [[Straight-twin engine|two-cylinder]] versions with front-mounted engines and steering wheels were now available. In 1905, the single-cylinder was discontinued, and three larger two-cylinder models priced from $1,200 to $3,000 were offered (equivalent to between US${{Inflation|US|1200|1905|fmt=c|r=-3}} and ${{Inflation|US|3000|1905|fmt=c|r=-3}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}). A Rambler [[four-cylinder]] was introduced in 1906.<ref name=":0" />

New employee [[Edward S. Jordan|Edward S, Jordan]], who would later become Jeffery's secretary and general manager, provided [[advertising copy]] such as "The Right Car at the Right Price", “June Time Is Rambler Time”, and other similarly evocative phrases. By 1906, Rambler was considered an industry leader, with one of the best-equipped automobile factories. Thomas Jeffery was not interested in increasing mass production, however, and settled into a pattern of producing 2,500 Ramblers a year.<ref name=":0" />

In 1910, all Ramblers were now four-cylinder medium-priced cars. While on vacation in 1910, Thomas B. Jeffery died of a heart attack and his son Charles took over the newly incorporated Thomas B. Jeffery Company. Charles increased annual production by about 500 cars and, in 1912, introduced new Ned Jordan model names such as Cross Country, Country Club, Knickerbocker, and Valkyrie. For 1913 the last Rambler branded models were the Cross Country [[Roadster (automobile)|roadster]] and [[touring car]], an Inside Drive [[coupe]] and the Gotham [[Limousine]], priced from US$1,650 to $2,750 (equivalent to between US${{Inflation|US|1650|1913|fmt=c|r=-3}} and ${{Inflation|US|2750|1913|fmt=c|r=-3}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref name=":0" /> 

In 1914, [[Charles T. Jeffery]], Thomas B. Jeffery's son, replaced the Rambler brand name with [[Jeffery (automobile)|Jeffery]] in honor of his now-deceased father.<ref name=":0" />

In 1916, the Thomas B. Jeffery Company was purchased by [[Charles W. Nash]] and became [[Nash Motors]] Company in 1917. The Jeffery brand name was dropped at the time of the sale. The manufacture of [[Nash Motors|Nash]]-branded automobiles commenced. In 1937, the concern became the [[Nash-Kelvinator|Nash-Kelvinator Corporation]] through a merger with the major appliance maker.

<gallery widths="220" heights="180">
File:1901 Rambler A -Charles T. Jeffery.jpg|Thomas Jeffery in his prototype Rambler motor vehicle 1901
File:Rambler 1903 6HP Runabou on London to Brighton VCR 2010.jpg|Rambler 6HP Runabout 1903
File:Rambler 1903 6.5 HP Runabout on London to Brighton VCR 2010.jpg|Rambler 6 1/2HP Runabout 1903
File:Rambler 1904 7HP Rear-Entrance Tonneau on London to Brighton VCR 2010.jpg|Rambler 7HP Rear-entrance tonneau 1904
File:Rambler1908.jpg|1908 Rambler advertisement
File:1909 Rambler.jpg|A 1909 Rambler
File:1913 Rambler 5-passenger Touring.JPG|1913 Rambler five-passenger [[touring car]]
File:1913RamblerTruck.jpg|1913 Rambler truck on display at the [[Iowa 80]] Trucking Museum, Walcott, Iowa.
</gallery>