Chief Manufacturing Company was established in 1908 in Buffalo, New York. The company focused on producing automobiles during the early years of the automotive industry in the United States.
One of the notable models produced by Chief was a two-seater runabout, which featured a 10/12 horsepower air-cooled two-cylinder two-stroke engine. The vehicle utilized a friction transmission system and a single-chain drive, which were characteristic of early automotive engineering.
Despite its innovative design, the Chief runabout was produced in limited quantities and was priced at $600, which may have contributed to its rarity. The company did not achieve significant commercial success, and as a result, few units were manufactured before it ceased operations.
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