Why was the chauffeur left exposed to the elements in antique luxury automobiles?

[peteski]

Actually my GF brought up this point after seeing the photo below.  She has a valid point.

The rich people are sitting in the back section protected from the weather, but the poor chauffeur doesn't even have roof over his head!  It is not just this car - there are many examples of this type of coachwork (even represented in models).  Why didn't they care about the well being of the individual the passengers in the back basically entrusted their lives to?

 

[Danno]

It harkens back to the buggy and carriage days when the team driver rode up top on a buckboard seat; he had 360-degree visibility and an elevated perspective. The hoi-polloi rode inside the carriage in comfort, safety and protection from the elements. As carriages morphed into "town cars" such as the one depicted, the owner, Lord of the estate, saw no reason to change the tradition that set him apart from the mere mortal, servant up front in the elements.

Very much a caste kinda thing.  People in their places, you know.

?  

[Ace-Garageguy]

If one uses some logic and gets beyond the social-justice outrage (and does a little research into reality) it soon becomes apparent that most "town cars" were equipped with weather protection for the driver as well: removable roof panels and roll-up windows or side curtains.

It would hardly be decorous to have your chauffeur opening your door while soaked to the skin and streaming water or covered in ice and snow when you arrived at the opera, now would it? AND...cars with fully open driver's compartments weren't used in inclement weather anyway, for the most part. This is the reason that, quite logically, some town-cars were described as "all weather" when they had provisions for protecting the driver.

The photos below (which took a whopping 5 seconds to find) clearly show attachment points above the divider window for a removable roof section, or snaps above the windshield for a soft panel. (EDIT: There appear to be alignment pins for a removable roof panel sticking up from the top of the windshield frame on the Brewster above as well.)

                                    

EDIT: Brewster with removable roof section in place:   

Edited November 10, 2020 by Ace-Garageguy

[Snake45]

7 hours ago, Danno said:

The hoi-polloi rode inside the carriage in comfort, safety and protection from the elements.

The "hoi-polloi"? 

[Ace-Garageguy]

2 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

The "hoi-polloi"? 

The term refers to the common people, the unwashed masses...not the rich.

[Snake45]

32 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The term refers to the common people, the unwashed masses...not the rich.

[Mark]

There's an early Three Stooges short called "Hoi Polloi".

"Make it three, and you've got a wager!"

[Danno]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The term refers to the common people, the unwashed masses...not the rich.

Arrgh.  You are, of course, correct.  I got my mix all talked up.  Ooops.

Returning that obscure term back to obscurity!  LOL.

?

[Jon Haigwood]

I thought it was a French translation for "Holly Molly"'.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Jon Haigwood

[SfanGoch]

It's "Holy Moly", favorite expression of Billy Batson, alter ego of Captain Marvel.

[larman]

The Johan Cadillac V16 Town Car. had the driver roof insert with the kit, IIRC.

[peteski]

Interesting responses guys (including the 3-Stooges reference). Thanks!

[Russell C]

23 hours ago, Danno said:

...the hoi-polloi rode inside the carriage in comfort, safety and protection from the elements. ...

Had to look that one up, now that the guys mention it. I thought it meant the rich, folks, too. Substitute "highfalutin" instead, a Mark Twain-style dig at the rich folks, I think.

[Reegs]

And to be even more pedantic, it's "hoi polloi', not 'the hoi polloi'.

[Brian Austin]

For fun, here are a couple of pages from a book dating to 1922.

 

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015002942632&view=1up&seq=259&q1="town car"

[bbowser]

Interesting, great history lesson in auto design.

[peter31a]

Believe it or not, there were a number of Town Car and Town Car Delivery vehicles built on the Model A Ford chassis. They are highly prized due to rarity by collectors today.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

On 11/10/2020 at 6:05 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

 

                            

EDIT: Brewster with removable roof section in place:   

 

Now THAT is a kit I wish was available. Heck, I would be thrilled with just the grill and front end pieces in resin, as they would be amazing on some hot rods. 

[Richard Bartrop]

I know there's at least one custom Ford out there with a Brewster front end.

EDIT:  Found it Ollie's Hines 1934 Ford custom.

 

Edited November 14, 2020 by Richard Bartrop

[lordairgtar]

On 11/9/2020 at 11:34 PM, Danno said:

It harkens back to the buggy and carriage days when the team driver rode up top on a buckboard seat; he had 360-degree visibility and an elevated perspective. The hoi-polloi rode inside the carriage in comfort, safety and protection from the elements. As carriages morphed into "town cars" such as the one depicted, the owner, Lord of the estate, saw no reason to change the tradition that set him apart from the mere mortal, servant up front in the elements.

Very much a caste kinda thing.  People in their places, you know.

?  

Hoi Polloi is Greek. It means the masses. So Hoi Polloi relates to the proletariat. The chauffeur wood be hoi polloi, not the other way around.

 

[ewetwo]

This is one of the reasons my favorite movie is Sunset Boulevard. It even had leopard skin upholstery in the movie. 

[Dave Van]

Neat cars IMHO

 

[Richard Bartrop]

Go back a little further, and the horse drawn origins are even more obvious.

 

[Modelbuilder Mark]

23 hours ago, Richard Bartrop said:

I know there's at least one custom Ford out there with a Brewster front end.

EDIT:  Found it Ollie's Hines 1934 Ford custom.

 

Wow!  That looks fantastic to me. Thank you for finding and sharing!

[Brian Austin]

Horseless carriages for sure!

 

Pages below from Horseless Vehicles by Gardner D. Hiscox, from 1901, a volume still in circulation at a local library!

 

Most vehicles in this period appear to have been completely open to the elements.  Brrrr.

In some examples here you can see a driver's perch that mimicked that of the horse-drawn predecessors.