The Big Car Database

Keeton

Keeton Motor Company was a pioneer brass era automobile maker based in Detroit, Michigan.

Keeton's 1913 "48" was a six-cylinder five-passenger tourer with left-hand steering, 12½ in (31.75 cm)-diameter electric headlights, starter, and horn. There were four forward speeds, an 80 mph (128 km/h) speedometer, and the choice of wires spoked wood wheels. It had the radiator just in front of the cowl, behind the engine, the "proper and protected position", according to its ads.The folding top was mohair and the windshield folded. Like most cars of the era, it came standard with a tool kit, which in this case included an electric trouble light, tire iron, pump, jack, and tire patch. It sold at US$2750, at a time when American's lowest-price model was $4250, the Lozier Light Six Metropolitan started at $3,250, the Enger 40 and Ford Model F were $2000, the FAL $1750, the Cole 30 and Colt Runabout $1500, the high-volume Oldsmobile Runabout went for $650, Western's Gale Model A was $500, a Black from $375, and the Success was $250.

Keeton also offered the five-seat Riverside Tourer and Meadowbrook Roadster at $2750, the Tuxedo Coupé at $3000, with a chassis price (suitable for custom coachwork, typical of the likes of Rolls-Royce or Duesenberg at the time) of $2250.

Models

By the end of 1910, Forest M. Keeton left the Croxton-Keeton Motor Car Co. to manufacture an American Automobile called the Keeton in Detroit, Michigan.

The Keeton was a big American Automobile that was similar in design to the "French Type" Croxton-Keeton of which Forest M. Keeton designed in 1909.

The Keeton was described as "An European Type - At an American Price!"

The Keeten automobile answered every requirement of foreign design car at an American price. The 1913 Keeton models included a five passenger "Riverside" Touring Car completely equipped for $2,750.00, two passenger "Meadowbrook" Roadster for $2,750.00 and a Tuxedo Coupe priced at $3,000.00. By 1914 the Keeton line consisted of 3 more body styles.

The Keetons were equipped with a six cylinder engine that developed 48 horsepower. Features included electric starting, electric lighting, speedometer, clock, horn, mohair top, windshield, wire wheel, tools and auxillary seats. The Keeton had a dashboard radiator and a Renault type slanting hood.

In 1912 Forest M. Keeton purchased the Seitz Automobile and Transmission Company in Wyandotte, MI for the purpose of building Keeton six cylinder cars.

In January of 1914 the The Keeton Motor Co. was absorbed by the American-Voiturette Co. maker of the Car-Nation Cyclecar. However, by the end of 1914 the American-Voiturette Co. was bankrupt and in liquidation. Liquidators sold off 600 Car-Nation Cyclecars at $350.00 each and over 100 Keeton's at $1000.00 each in 1915. The Keeton's were a bargain as most had a list price of $3,000.00 to $4,000.00 each.