A high wheeler is a car which uses large diameter wheels that are similar to those used by horse-drawn vehicles. These cars were produced until about 1915, predominantly in the United States. Design High wheelers were derived from horse-drawn wagons, and often were conversions of these. Similarly to these wagons, they often feature wood-spoke wheels, suspensions and boxy wooden bodies. The large-diameter slender wheels were frequently with solid rubber tires, to provide ample ground clearance on the primitive roads of the late 19th century. These cars were produced in many body styles. The most common were the motorized wagon (utility vehicle) runabout, roadster and buggy, some with detachable tonneaus. History Before gasoline engines became widely available, high wheelers were powered by electric motors or steam engines. The decline of the high wheeler began when standard automobiles became more sophisticated and inexpensive. The end came with the popularity of the Ford Model T. The last high wheelers were built around 1915. Manufacturers The following companies produced high-wheeler cars: ABC Anchor Buggy Åtvidabergs Vagnfabrik Best Black Buckeye Clymer Cole* Columbia Electric* De Schaum DeWitt Duryea Electrobat Eureka Fuller* Hatfield Haynes-Apperson* Hobbie Accessible Holsman Holyoke International Harvester* Jeannin Jewell/Jewel* Keystone Kiblinger King* Lindsley Luverne* McIntyre* Reliable Dayton Schacht* Sears Single Center Sperry Electric Staver Success Waverley Electric* Woods* * * Companies which also produced cars other than high wheelers References Sources Kimes, Beverly Rae and Clark Jr, Henry Austin. Standard Catalog of American Cars: 1805-1942 (Third Edition). Iola, WI: Krause. 1996. Car body styles Car classifications Highwheeler 1890s cars 1900s cars 1910s cars Veteran vehicles Brass Era vehicles