1911 Selden 40R Varsity Roadster
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1911 Selden 40R Varsity Roadster

George Selden produced upper mid-priced vehicles from 1907 to 1914, and trucks until 1932. His legacy does not center around his automobile production, but rather his trade as a patent lawyer and his claims to have invented the automobile in the United States. In 1895 he held a patent that allowed him to collect payment on any road vehicle that was fitted with an internal combustion engine for the next 17 years.

Henry Ford refused to pay, and Selden commenced litigation for patent infringement, resulting in the most celebrated patent suit in history. Selden won his case; Ford appealed the decision and won a 1911 reversal in his favor. As a result all royalties to Selden were stopped. To add to the misery, a fire destroyed part of his factory. Even with these major setbacks, Selden still produced his highest level of vehicles in 1911, with 1,628 examples built.

Engine: 356 cu. in. 4 Cyl.
Horsepower: 40
Transmission: 3-Speed
Wheelbase: 125”
Rarity: 1 of only 6 surviving Seldens
            7424 Seldens were built from 1908-1914
Base Price: $2500
Owners:  Un-Broken Chain of Ownership
         -  1911-1927 Fred Todd, Rochester NY, (original owner)
         -  1927-1953 Car Abandoned on Todd's Orchard
         -  1953-1976 Bought by Clarence Sharp (got it running)
         -  1976-1983 Transferred to Floyd Sharp (son)
         -  1983-1991 Bob Rohrer, Naples FL (started restoration)
         -  1991-2007 Bob Mahoney, Leicester NY
                      (restored in 1996)
Awards: - AACA Senior Grand National and
                 AACA Restoration of the Year 1996
                 Pebble Beach 1997—2nd in Class