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1923

Last Daytona Speedster & Last Paige Truck

Nameplate: Paige Jewett
Model: 6-70 18-22
Cylinders: 6 6
Horsepower SAE: 70 50
Wheelbase: 131 112
1923 Daytona
1923 Daytona (Bill Roberts collection)
Saturday Evening Post ads (Bill Roberts collection)
Our Ideal Paige - Your Ideal Car, March 3, 1923
Why Jewett Six Wins Wise Buyers, March 17, 1923
Our Ideal Paige Ideally Equipped, March 31, 1923
Jewett: A Coupe for Four Real Folks $1445, April 14, 1923
Paige: Smart Comfort on All Trails, September 15, 1923
Paige: Luxury's Limit in Comfort and Performance, October 13, 1923

The company discontinued the smaller series of Paiges when 1923 models were announced, because of the popularity of the Jewett. The big six, the new 6-70, carried on the Paige name. Next, in the spring the five year-old Paige truck line was phased out to make room for Jewett production. Last, by summer the company announced the building of a new Jewett plant to be ready at the beginning of 1924.

1923 Jewett
1923 Jewett Special Touring, The American Magazine, 1923 (Bill Roberts collection)

The 6-70 line contained seven models with prices ranging from $2,450 for a four-passenger phaeton up to $3,435 for a seven-passenger limousine. This was the last year that Paige offered the Daytona speedster that had created such excitement when it was introduced in 1921. Paige also dropped the practice of naming open cars. Touring cars became phaetons.

All the 6-70 models came fully equipped, including double-bar spring bumpers front and rear, a motometer with lock, a folding luggage rack at the rear, dual sidemounts, a cowl ventilator, an adjustable, opaque green glass sunshade over the top of the windshield, a power tire pump with the hose always connected and ready for instant use, and a tool kit stored in the driver's door. Paige sealed the steel universal joints, which did not have to be serviced for 15,000 miles.

Jewett
1923 Jewett. Stina and Sten Andersson in Slottskogen Park, Gothenburg, Sweden. (Sten Andersson collection)

The limousine featured a plate glass partition that could be lowered into the back of the front seat "to convert the car into a companionable sedan" whenever the owner drove. When the car was chauffeur driven, there was a handy speaker phone to provide communication when the partition was up. It included such amenities as: taffeta silk roller shades on the rear windows; a vanity case with inlaid walnut that contained perfume vials, a mirror, and memo pad and pencil; a solid walnut steering wheel; and walnut window moldings in the back - an elegant car for just $3,435.

The Jewett lineup consisted initially of four models, but during February the company announced three Special models, which had a side-mounted spare tire, front and rear bumpers, trunk rack and trunk. Jewett touring cars remained "touring cars", unlike their big brothers, which had become Paige "phaetons".

1923 Jewett Special Touring
1923 Jewett Special Touring (Joe Benetka collection)

All were finished in a Japanese Blue, a special color just for these models. The Special sedan and touring had a rear-mounted trunk with a rack and had a spare cord tire mounted on the left running board with a unique cover. All three models had a nickel-plated radiator shell and headlamps, double bumpers front and rear, a motometer, and an automatic windshield cleaner (as a wiper was called then). These Specials also had an adjustable sun visor. Jewett buyers could drive a car that was nicely appointed but not as expensive as a full-sized Paige.

Among the competition, this was the year of Ned Jordan's famous Somewhere West of Laramie ad for the Jordan Playboy. He promised owners the sheer exhilaration of riding "lean and rangy into the red, Wyoming sunset", which even today sounds appealing.

Elsewhere in 1923:

  • Firestone introduces the automobile balloon tire.
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