Gregory [1] (United States) - AllCarIndex

The Gregory-Craun Motor Company was established in 1920 in Kansas City, Missouri, by Ben E. Gregory and William H. Craun. Gregory, who had a long-standing interest in front-wheel drive technology, was inspired by J. Walter Christie, a pioneer in the field. His experience included driving a Christie racing car in 1912 and working on army trucks during World War I in Hoboken, New Jersey.

The company produced a range of vehicles, including a tourer based on a Scripps-Booth chassis, which featured a unique design with the engine mounted in reverse and a De Dion front axle. In addition to this, Gregory developed a racing car powered by a Curtiss OX-5 engine and later experimented with a Hispano-Suiza V8 aero engine. In 1922, a roadster was listed for sale at $1,550, and it is estimated that around ten units were produced, with assembly carried out by the O.E. Szekely Company in Moline, Illinois.

After a hiatus, Gregory re-emerged in the automotive industry post-World War II with a new model simply referred to as the Gregory. The company’s brief existence from 1920 to 1922 marked an early exploration of front-wheel drive technology in American automotive history.