Vintage Vehicle Club

of Australia (1919-1930) Inc.

Lincoln Pioneer Six was manufactured in Australia from 1919 with the famous Continental Red Seal Brand motor.

The Australian 

Lincoln Pioneer Six 

Charles Innes was born in Banffshire, Scotland in 1882 and immigrated to Australia. He established a Motor Garage in Railway Street, Chatswood.  He was frequently referred to as an engineer who had a vision for an Australian produced car, designed for Australian conditions and in 1918 he realized his dream with the construction of the first ‘ Lincoln Six’. aka “Lincoln” or “The Lincoln Pioneer Six” and the “Australian Lincoln”

First Lincoln

Charles Innes claimed that he designed his car on paper to suit Australian conditions from the best components available on the American and European markets. Mr. Charles Innes often described himself as an engineer first and a car salesman second. He travelled to America in 1918 with his plans for his “car”. Innes purchased sufficient components to construct a rolling chassis, with the help of some American friends.  They fitted a temporary seat, and then drove the chassis from Detroit to the Pacific Coast along the then incomplete Lincoln Highway, a distance of some 3,338 miles.  On arrival in San Francisco, having proved his design, he ordered components for a number of cars.

Production

All mechanical components for the early Lincoln Sixes were imported, only the bodies were made locally. Upon his return to Sydney, Charles Innes established his factory in Chalmers Street, Sydney adjacent to Central Railway Station. Shortly after setting up his factory, Charles Innes began the task of sourcing many of his components from local suppliers. Components such as radiators, guards, step irons, petrol tanks, engine mounts, tyre carriers, spring hangers, springs etc. were made locally – all other components were imported:- engine (well respected Continental Red Seal Motor - Model 7W engine), gear box (Detroit Gear & Machine Company), Clutch (Borg & Beck, front axle and differential (Timken), wheels (Firestone), steering box (Gemmer), chassis frame (US Chassis Frame Company), fuel system (Zenith & Stewart/Auto Vac), starter, generator, ignition, ammeter (Autolite), speedo (Stewart), lights (Hall Lamp Company),


The vehicles received a good reception at the capital city motor shows from 1920. The Lincoln Six was frequently reviewed as ‘…exceptionally fine in quality, beautiful in appearance, luxurious in equipment, easy to control and thoroughly reliable.’ In 1923 the Lincoln Six introduced a “New Model”. Built on new chassis, some were possibly sourced from the Receivers for the Australian Six.  The last Lincoln is believed to have been assembled in late 1926 or early 1927.

Two Disastrous Events

Unfortunately Charles Innes experienced several major set backs that may have caused any lesser man to walk away from his vehicle assembly enterprise. There are two significant chapters in the history of the Lincoln Six that are note worthy:

“On the night of June 18, one of the most disastrous fires Sydney has known, took place. It resulted in the destruction of A. H. Burnet & Co. Ltd large eight story building, the Crescent Shirt Co.’s factory and the building occupied by the Lincoln Motor Car Coy. The Bowser Equipment which stood inside the entrance to the Lincoln Motor Car Coy.’s premises came through practically unscathed. The fire that swept Chalmers Street, Sydney recently took Mr. Innes’s factory in its stride, destroying the whole of his assembling plant, a large shipment of components and, worst of all, his blue prints.  It seems he was without insurance.

The Lincoln Motor Car Coy was registered at Help Street, Chatswood on the 17th December, 1918 as a business name. In America, on 8th August 1919 the Lincoln Motor Co. was registered in Detroit, Michigan by the Leland family, subsequently purchased by Henry Ford in February 1922 as his new “flagship”.
A series of Claims and Counter Claims for name use were lodged in local Courts, ultimately ending in the high court of Australia. Charles Innes, trading as the “Lincoln Motor Car Coy.” was successful at the first hearing, but on appeal to higher Courts the decision was over turned, giving both Companies the right to use the word “Lincoln” in the same market. The loss of the Law suit had a great impact on Charles Innes and although the LMCC continued until late 1926 or early 1927 Charles Innes was not active in the business shortly after the Court ruling was handed down.


Charles Innes and Adele Mabel Innes were long time residents of Sydney’s North Shore. Charles Innes passed away in 1968 at the age of 85 years.

The American Lincoln 

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