Pilot Motor Car Company Passport Cover
3.9" x 5.8" / Black
$28.99
Product Details & Size Guide
GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Take the story of Richmond, Indiana’s Pilot Motor Car Company along on your next journey. Founded in 1909 by George Seidel, the company moved from buggy-making into automobile production and adopted the forward-looking slogan “The Car Ahead.” Pilot’s history includes a growing six-cylinder lineup, a V8 offered for one year, and the Sportster introduced in 1922. After receivership in 1923, the company built its final cars in early 1924. This passport cover is a travel-ready expression of interest in American automotive history and a distinctive local marque.
The Pilot Motor Car Company was founded in Richmond, Indiana, in 1909 and headed by George Seidel, of the Seidel Buggy Company. Its first cars were built in the buggy factory while a separate automobile plant was being constructed across town. The company name is believed to have reflected Seidel’s wish to become a riverboat pilot, and its advertising slogan was “The Car Ahead.” The new plant could initially build 500 cars a year; production approached 1,000 in some later years. Pilot first used four-cylinder Teetor-Hartley engines, adding a six-cylinder model in 1913. From 1915 through 1924, the range was six-cylinder, except for a V8 option offered for one year, 1916. A larger Herschell-Spillman six joined the line in 1920, and the Sportster followed in summer 1922. The company took over Richmond’s Lorraine automobile maker and briefly produced a few Lorraine hearses. The 1920–21 depression did not spare Pilot: the firm entered receivership in 1923, and its final cars were built in early 1924. The factory was then sold to a local businessman. Seidel’s own cars reflected his hometown ties: he drove a Richmond, then a Pilot, and later a Davis.
Take the story of Richmond, Indiana’s Pilot Motor Car Company along on your next journey. Founded in 1909 by George Seidel, the company moved from buggy-making into automobile production and adopted the forward-looking slogan “The Car Ahead.” Pilot’s history includes a growing six-cylinder lineup, a V8 offered for one year, and the Sportster introduced in 1922. After receivership in 1923, the company built its final cars in early 1924. This passport cover is a travel-ready expression of interest in American automotive history and a distinctive local marque.
The Pilot Motor Car Company was founded in Richmond, Indiana, in 1909 and headed by George Seidel, of the Seidel Buggy Company. Its first cars were built in the buggy factory while a separate automobile plant was being constructed across town. The company name is believed to have reflected Seidel’s wish to become a riverboat pilot, and its advertising slogan was “The Car Ahead.” The new plant could initially build 500 cars a year; production approached 1,000 in some later years. Pilot first used four-cylinder Teetor-Hartley engines, adding a six-cylinder model in 1913. From 1915 through 1924, the range was six-cylinder, except for a V8 option offered for one year, 1916. A larger Herschell-Spillman six joined the line in 1920, and the Sportster followed in summer 1922. The company took over Richmond’s Lorraine automobile maker and briefly produced a few Lorraine hearses. The 1920–21 depression did not spare Pilot: the firm entered receivership in 1923, and its final cars were built in early 1924. The factory was then sold to a local businessman. Seidel’s own cars reflected his hometown ties: he drove a Richmond, then a Pilot, and later a Davis.
| 3.9" x 5.8" | |
| Height, in | 5.79 |
| Width (Closed), in | 3.94 |
| Width (Open), in | 8.03 |
| Depth, in | 0.39 |
Product features
- Two card slots plus pockets for boarding passes or IDs
- Cruelty-free black PU faux leather exterior
- RFID-blocking lining to protect against skimming
- One-size fits most passports (3.9″ × 5.8″)
- Vibrant front-cover print with potential edge fading on darker solids
Care instructions
- Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, two year warranty in the EU and Northern Ireland
Care instructions: Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth