Product Details

Historical Context

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Moon Motor Car Company was located in St. Louis, Missouri. The company had a venerable reputation among the buying public, as it was known for fully assembled, easily affordable mid-level cars using high-quality parts. Often this meant the manufacturing process required more human intervention, leading to operating losses.

The company was founded by carriage maker Joseph W. Moon in 1905. Moon produced both cars and trucks. Moon Motor's peak production year was 1925 when the company produced 10,271 vehicles.

In addition to the Moon name, Moons were sold under the Hol-Tan name in 1908. Moon produced the Diana via its subsidiary the Diana Motors Company in 1925 - 1928. Another subsidiary produced the Windsor in 1929-1930.

The firm also produced a cotton picker built under contract from the American Cottonpicker Corporation.

Beginning in 1924, Moon was increasingly unable to meet dealership orders. The company went out of business at the start of the Great Depression in 1930; the Moon factory was purchased by Ruxton automobile.

Moon automobiles are on display at the Missouri History Museum and Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri and Pioneer Village Foundation Museum in Minden, Nebraska. The amusement park Six Flags St. Louis also features a ride using the Moon automobile body.

Walt Disney famously had to sell his Moon Roadster to help finance the production of Steamboat Willie in 1928.

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