A Rare Early Steamer

Naohiro Tanaka has sent in this photo of a rare 1900 Mobile Surrey. Mobiles are not common in preservation, and even less common in the Surrey style, most of the surviving cars being 2 seater runabouts.

Following the posting of this photo on Steam Car Network's Facebook page, George Hounslow posted a photo of this same car, at a much earlier date, from his archives. The Following Conversation resulted.

Naohiro Tanaka Where did you get it?
This sold Las Vegas auction at early 90's

George Hounslow I got it from a motoring Historian friend, along with a lot of other steam car literature. Is the car yours?

Naohiro Tanaka YES
And going to sale now 
Have any other infor for this car?

Naohiro Tanaka Do you know where is vin no. & engine no.is? I couldn't find
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George Hounslow On my Grandfather's 1900 Mobile (photo attached, courtesy of ian.tamp on Flickr), the engine number is stamped onto one side of the engine frame, in the area around the crankshaft. The vin no. is sometimes stamped onto the wooden frame that the body panels attach to, and that holds the engine, boiler, fuel tank, etc., but this may not be the case if any of the wooden frame has been replaced at anytime during the car's life.

George Hounslow The only other information on this car I have is from what I have found on the Virtual Steam Car Museum website. I believe the car was in the D. Cameron Peck Collection at one time and also on exhibit at the Cars of Yesterday museum in Sarasota, Florida. It seems to have been painted red and black at one time. Here's the link to that page-                                                                                   http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/mobile_company_of_america.html.

George Hounslow Your car appears to have an aftermarket Kelly Pilot Burner and Controller. Here's some more information on it from the virtual steam car museum-
http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/kelly_handle_bar_company.html.

 Naohiro Tanaka Thank you for help.

(Photos courtesy of Naohiro Tanaka, ian.tamp on Flickr, The Virtual Steam Car Museum and George Hounslow).