During 1905, the Stanley Motor Carriage Company began introducing several new series of steam cars, ushering in a whole new era of manufacture.

Moving the boiler out from under the seat to the front of the chassis allowed more space for passenger comfort, as well as larger boilers.

The boiler venturis, being at the extreme front, were force-fed by the forward movement of the car, resulting in better combustion.

The forward-mounted boilers were given a curved-front hood, giving rise to the nickname “coffin nose.” From then until the adoption of condensers in 1915, all models used some variation on this theme.

At this time, a giant step was taken, lengthening the wheelbase to 98 inches and mounting a 20-inch boiler at the front of the “coffin.” Designated Model F, it was extolled in the company catalog: “For the short run or the long-distance tour, there is no car in the world better able to get you and your party there and back.” With its 20-horsepower engine, the Model F would (and...