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Car : Mercer 35 T
Year : 1912
Engine : 4 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :110×126 mm
Cylinder capacity : 4789 cc
Gears : 3 or 4 forward
Brake horse power : 58
Maximum speed : 75 mph
Wheelbase : 9 ft 0 ins ( 2.74 m)
Suspension : front and back :semi-elliptic leaf- springs integrated with Hartford friction shock absorbers
The name Mercer enjoyed great prestige for some years in the U.S.A. because of its sports cars which were also used for racing. Founded in 1911 in Trenton, New Jersey, Mercer was backed by Washington August Roebling, son of the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The 35 T was, for some time, the company’s most successful car. Initially powered by a twin block T-head engine, in 1915 it was changed to a single-block L, the new model being called the Series 22. It had a 4-speed transmission, compared with three on the Type35. It now developed 58 bhp at 1,700 revs, with a maximum speed of around 75 mph. Its total weight was less than at a ton (1,016 kg).
Already in 1911, its first year of production, Mercer participated in the Indianapolis 500 Miles. The twin-block engine was pepped up for the occasion to give 60 bhp at 2,000 revs. Placed 12th and 15th , the company saw its efforts amply rewarded. In the 1912 500 Miles, a Mercer came third, and in the 1913 race, second. Although the company also made classic touring vehicles (with a certain loss of character as a result), it fell on hard times and was unable to recover. Production ceased in 1925, though the name was revived five years later on two cars made by the Elcar company.