How to Identify Your Saxon
Getting an exact date and model for your Saxon is a challenge. There are certain identifying characteristics of roadsters and touring cars, and some of these are shown below. There is no certainty, for example, from your registration date that your car was built, or even sold, in that year. Production numbers are not entirely clear and serial numbers, on many cars, have been lost over the years. That said, here’s what to look for:
Serial Numbers:
On the Roadster: - they are stamped into the wooden frame (though through the years here numbers tend to get erased) and they appear on a metal plate below the front seat. Each engine is numbered.
On the Six - the serial number appears on a plate on the dash, and may also appear on a bar between the front fenders. Engines also have number plates.
If you can gain access to a contemporary parts manual, much can be learned about your car from its wiring and electrical parts, as well as details from individual parts.
The following identification chart was recently crafted by Saxon historian and technical expert Elliot Fletcher.
Saxon Model Identification Guide
The small 4-cylinder Saxon had four models during its five year production span (1914-1918) The 6-cylinder Saxon also had four models during its five year production (1915-1919). An entirely new large 4-cylinder Saxon was built in 1920.
SALIENT VISUAL FEATURES
MODEL A (note: Type designations are Elliott Fletcher’s)
A -- LH Drive
A1 -- RH Drive
A2 -- Delivery Car
A3 -- RH drive with magneto
Type I Gas tank fill under one piece hood
First 2200 A & 10 A1 cars
Type II Gas tank fill through cowl
Cars 2200-5000 A & 10-65 A1 cars
Type III Gas tank fill through cowl & running boards replace step plates
Cars 5000-5776 A & 65-200 A1
Type IV Gas tank fill through dash
After 5776 A & 200 A1 cars
Type V Body has curved door tops. (this is the new model B body)
After 7517 A & 483 A1 cars
MODEL B (1st)
B L.H. drive New body has curved door tops with wood trim
Windshield is hinged at the bottom
B1 R.H drive Same body design as above
B2 Delivery Car. Body is same as the model A2 Delivery
MODEL 14
14 L.H. drive New body has curved door tops without wood trim
Windshield is hinged about 1/3 up the windshield
15 R.H. drive Same body style as above
MODEL B (2nd)
B5R L.H. drive New body has taller body, doors and larger trunk
B6R R.H. drive Same body style as above
B7R R.H. drive With magneto.
Same body style as above
MODEL S Small six cylinder touring
Carburetor on right side of motor
Double Y intake manifold
Quarter elliptical springs
Vertical windshield
Running boards - long aluminum plates over splash aprons with boards under
MODEL S2 Conventional intake manifold
Running boards wood with battleship grey linoleum
MODEL S3/S4 Carburetor on left side of motor
Slanted windshield
Cantilevered half elliptic rear springs
MODEL Y18 Appears to be same as the S3/S4
MODEL 125D/G Large four cylinder with boxy body
Elliot Fletcher, with help from Walter Prichard, compiled these production statistics
Saxon Passenger Car Serial Numbers by Models
From "The Horseless Age" (May 1. 1918 page 57 & Motor Age (1912-1920 appendix page 286)*
Model Year Model Serial Number Number built
4 cy 1914 A 100 - 9740 9641
1914 A1 101 - 321 221
1914 A2 101 - 519 419
1914 A3 100 - 300 200
1915 B 10102 - 15002 4901
1915 B1 351 - 1300 950
1915 B2 342 - 736 395
1916 14 101 - 9574 9474
1916 15 101 - 127 27
1917 B5R 9601-X18399 8799
1917 B6R X1-X128 128
1917 B7R X790-X1222 433
TOTAL 35588
6 cy 1915 S 101 - 4843 4743
1916 S2T 5101-1919 14099
1916 S2R 101-2100 2000
1917 S3T, S4T 19201-X40602 21402
1917 S4R 2101-X5192 3092
1917 S4S 30700-X42973 12274
1918 Y-18T 2101-7249 6449
1918 Y-18R 101-1030 1194
1919 Y-18T 7650-8400 751
1919 Y-18R 1031-1060 30
TOTAL 66034
4 cy 1920 125D 90001-90750 750
1921 125D 90751-90860 110
1922 125G 90861-91000 140
TOTAL 1000
*the Motor Age data does not include the Saxon export models prior to 1917. Both sources have typos which required interpolation. The same problem exists with data from Branham, & National used car market reports.