The Alphabet of Cars
By Steve Wiener
What does a 1999 Xanthos have in common with a 1915 Brewster Roadster? The common link is they are both part of John and
Heather Moir’s Alphabet Car Collection. The whole idea was started in 1946 when John returned home from the Air Force and his
father gave him the family 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster so he would have a car in college. After meeting and marrying Heather John
added 1950 AC Buckland Tourer and a 1911 Brasier Runabout and now there was A-B-C. That was when Heather warned John that if
he continued he would have a car for each letter of the alphabet. John thought that was a great idea and the quest began. It took John
46 years (until 1992) when he completed the alphabet with a 1923 Yellow Cab Model A-2.
May 21 - 19 cars caravanned from the Interstate 95 New Hampshire Rest Area to Chocorua, NH where the Alphabet Car Collection is
housed in the Ca’a Bahn adjacent to the Moir’s home. The floods of 2006 didn’t stop us. John and Heather were great hosts and
everyone enjoyed the uniqueness of this amazing collection. John has contacted several large collections (incl: Harrah’s) and he has
not discovered anyplace that has a car for each letter no matter how large the collection is. His search included finding the Xanthos
(with the Lotus engine) in the UK. Many of the letters are represented not by what you first might expect (for example for “D” one
might have expected a Dodge, but alas to John “D” stood for 1900 De Dion Bouton, vis-à-vis Model D.
Without peaking see if you can come up with a manufacturer for each letter.
The collection actually consists of 59 cars (14 of which are AC’s from 1912 through 1973) so there was plenty for everyone.
On the return trip 19 of us stopped at Whittier House in Ossipee, NH for lupper (or was it sunch?). The conversation quickly became
how much we enjoyed seeing the cars and how different this collection was.
1923 YELLOW CAR MODEL A-2 (the last letter)
1930 CADILLAC V-16 TOURER (the first letter) with photo of 9 year old John when his Dad bought it in 1933
Minute Man Section Members and guests at the Ca’a Bahn
Cars from A to Z
A: 1912 AC Box Van, 3 Wheeler
B: 1915 Brewster Roadster, Model 41
C: 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster
D: 1900 De Dion Bouton, vis-à-vis Model D
E: 1911 E.M.F. Roadster, Model 30
F: 1933 Ford V-8 Woodie
G: 1914 G.N. Cyclecar, Grand Prix Model
H: 1953 H.R.G. Roadster Model 1500 WS
I: 1901 International Charette
J: 1928 Jowett Sport Racer, Model 7/17
K: 1911 Kelsey Motorette, 3 Wheeler
L: 1934 Lancia Belna Eclipse Model (Pourtout Body)
M: 1927 Morgan, Aero Model, 3 Wheeler
N: 1953 Nash Healey Roadster (Farina Body)
O: 1904 Orient Buckboard
P: 1937 Packard Woodie Model 115C (Baker-Raulang Body)
Q: 1905 Queen, Model C
R: 1931 Rollls-Royce 20/25 (Ramseier Body)
S: 1912 Spacke Cyclecar, Prototype
T: 1958 Triumph TR-3A
U: 1911 Unic Phaeton, Model G-2 (Gordon Carriage Works Body)
V: 1925 Voisin, Model C3L (J. Rothschild Body)
W: 1921 Wolseley Convertible Coupe, Model 10
X: 1999 Xanthos, Model 23B
Y: 1923 Yellow Cab, Model A-2
Z: 1910 Le Zebre Cyclecar, Model 13
(in case you dispute the Le Zebre as “Z” there is also a 1984 Zoe Zipper, 3 Wheeler)