Boss [1] (United States) - AllCarIndex

Boss was an American automobile brand that operated from 1897 to 1909, based in Reading, Pennsylvania. The company was originally known as Boss Knitting Machine Works, founded by James L. Eek, who had previously built his first steam car in 1892. It took five years for Eek to transition from prototype to production, launching a 7-horsepower, two-cylinder vehicle that was available in either a two-seater runabout or a four-seater model.

Throughout its production run, Boss cars featured a unique design with the running gear mounted on an unsprung sub-frame. The power output of the vehicles increased over the years, reaching 8 horsepower in 1905 and 10 horsepower by 1907. Despite these advancements, the wheelbase of the cars remained relatively short at 75 inches (1904 mm) throughout their production. Ultimately, Boss cars were never a primary focus for Eek, as the automobile venture was a sideline to his knitting machine business. In total, only 22 cars were produced over the thirteen years of operation.