Cody Casey
The Pan Motor Company was a short-lived automobile manufacturer that produced around 750 vehicles between 1917 and 1922. The company was founded by Samuel (Sam) Connor Pandolfo, who dreamt up a new car design inspired by his extensive travels as an insurance salesman. The Pan-Car was designed to suit travellers, with fold-down seats for sleeping, compartments for tools and supplies, high clearance for bumpy roads, and even a Commissary Compartment for food and drinks. While the company initially generated buzz and sold stocks easily, it soon faced legal troubles, with Pandolfo convicted of mail fraud and sentenced to prison time. Despite its short existence, the Pan Motor Company and its innovative vehicle designs left a mark on the automotive history of the United States and Greece, with a Greek automobile producer also adopting the name Pan-Car decades later.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Pan Motor Company |
| Founder | Samuel (Sam) Connor Pandolfo |
| Years Active | 1917-1922 |
| Location | St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States |
| Number of Vehicles Produced | 750 |
| Vehicle Characteristics | Fold-down seats for sleeping, a "Commissary Compartment" for tools, gasoline, oil, water, and food, high clearance for bumpy roads |
| Other Products | Pan Tank-Tread Tractor |
| Controversies | Indicted for mail fraud, excessive spending on promotion, complaints from the Associated Advertising Clubs of Minneapolis |
| Outcome | Company struggled, produced car parts for other companies, and closed in 1922 |
| Legacy | Two surviving buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 |
| Similar Name | Pan-Car, a Greek producer of automobiles and light trucks from 1968 to 1994 |
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What You'll Learn
The Pan Motor Company's short and controversial existence
The Pan Motor Company was founded by Samuel (Sam) Connor Pandolfo, a former teacher and insurance salesman. Inspired by his extensive travels, Pandolfo set out to design a car suited for travellers. His new automobile would have fold-down seats for sleeping, a compartment for tools and extra gasoline, high clearance for bumpy country roads, and a place for food and drink.
In 1916, Pandolfo began selling stock for his car company, with shares priced at $10 each (equivalent to $289 in 2024). The stock sold easily, and by 1917, the company had 9,000 stockholders. On July 4, 1917, Pandolfo hosted a picnic in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where the Pan Automobile prototype premiered in front of a large crowd. St. Cloud was chosen as the official site for the new Pan Motor Company due to its proximity to Duluth's harbors and iron ore mines, as well as its access to two major rail lines and two power dams on the Mississippi River.
The company built a town called Pan-Town on the Mississippi to house its workers, which included fifty-eight homes, a fire department, and a hotel. However, the Pan Motor Company soon faced controversy. Despite raising capital by selling stock, the company spent a significant amount on postage ($30,000 to $40,000 a year) to promote and sell stock. As a result, the Associated Advertising Clubs of Minneapolis (the forerunner of the Better Business Bureau) lodged a complaint, claiming that Pandolfo spent more money on promotion than his Minnesota charter permitted.
On February 1, 1919, a Chicago federal grand jury indicted Sam Pandolfo and the company's officers on seven counts of mail fraud and one count of attempted mail fraud. While the counts against the officers were dropped, Pandolfo was convicted and sentenced to three years in Leavenworth Prison. The company struggled to produce car parts and metal products under their name until it finally closed in 1922. In total, the Pan Motor Company produced about 750 vehicles between 1917 and its failure in 1922, marking a short and controversial existence in the motor vehicle industry.
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Sam Pandolfo's vision for a new car design
Sam Pandolfo was an American businessman who founded the Pan Motor Company in 1917. He was also a teacher and an insurance salesman before he became an automobile entrepreneur.
Pandolfo's vision for a new car design was inspired by his extensive travels as an insurance salesman. He dreamt of a car that suited a traveller, one that was different from the automobiles of the day, which were largely considered a rich man's toy. His new car would have fold-down seats for sleeping, a necessity for a man who had often struggled to find a place to sleep during his insurance business travels. It would also have a compartment for tools and extra gasoline, high clearance for bumpy country roads, and a place for food and drink.
Pandolfo's vision was not just limited to the car's design but extended to the company's operations as well. He wanted to build a town called Pan-Town on the Mississippi to house his workers, with fifty-eight homes, a fire department, and a hotel. He also planned to build a hospital, a community house for entertainment, a school, and even a police force.
To raise capital for his venture, Pandolfo began selling stocks for $10 each in 1916. By 1917, he had 9,000 stockholders. On the Fourth of July that year, he threw a massive picnic to premiere the Pan Automobile prototype, serving 15,434 pounds of beef and 8,000 loaves of bread to a large crowd.
While Pandolfo's vision for his company and car design was grand, his business practices were questionable. He was accused of spending more on promotion than his Minnesota charter permitted and was eventually convicted of mail fraud, serving a few years in prison. Despite this, some considered him a hero and a visionary, and he remains an intriguing figure in the history of American automobile entrepreneurship.
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The company's unique approach to raising capital
The Pan Motor Company had a short and controversial existence. It was founded by Samuel (Sam) Connor Pandolfo, a former teacher and insurance salesman. Pandolfo's extensive travels as a salesman inspired him to dream up a new car design, one that suited a traveller. His new automobile would have fold-down seats for sleeping, a compartment for tools and extra gasoline, high clearance for bumpy country roads, and a place for food and drink.
Beginning in 1916, Pandolfo started selling stock for his car company. From New Mexico to Chicago, the $10 stocks (equivalent to $289 in 2024) sold easily. There were 9,000 stockholders by 1917. In March 1917, St. Cloud became the official site for the new Pan Motor Company. The site was chosen because of its proximity to the harbors and iron ore mines of Duluth, Minnesota. It also had two major rail lines and two power dams on its eastern border, the Mississippi River.
The company continued to raise capital by selling stock to pay for the construction of its facilities. Along with the largest drop forge plant west of Chicago, offices, and massive production buildings, the company built a town called Pan-Town on the Mississippi to house its workers. There were fifty-eight homes, a fire department, and a hotel. The company also spent an excessive amount on postage—$30,000 to $40,000 a year—to promote and sell stock.
In August 1918, Pandolfo sent 10 cars to the Minnesota State Fair and Iowa State Fair. He needed more stock sold so he could build an entirely new 1919 Pan 250 auto. To showcase the value of his new-style vehicle, Pandolfo sent three cars on an 11,000-mile trip through difficult American terrain. The cars got 14 miles per gallon, travelling off-road, and even made it up Pike’s Peak.
Despite these efforts, the company struggled financially. Only 735 cars were produced, and stockholders were not receiving any dividends. On February 1, 1919, a Chicago federal grand jury indicted Sam Pandolfo and all of the company's officers on seven counts of mail fraud and one count of attempted mail fraud. By the end of 1919, Pandolfo was fined $4,000 and sentenced to ten years in prison for mail fraud. Car production stopped, and the company closed in 1922.
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The legal troubles of the company's officers
The Pan Motor Company was a short-lived automobile manufacturer based in St. Cloud, Minnesota. It was founded by Samuel (Sam) Connor Pandolfo, a former teacher and insurance salesman. Pandolfo's travels as an insurance salesman inspired him to design a car suited for travellers, with fold-down seats for sleeping, compartments for tools and extra gasoline, high clearance for bumpy roads, and storage for food and drink.
The company was founded in 1916, and by 1917, Pandolfo had sold $10 stocks (equivalent to $289 in 2024) to 9,000 stockholders. With the money raised, he built a factory and the town of Pan-Town on the Mississippi to house his workers. However, the company's success was short-lived. In 1919, a federal grand jury indicted Pandolfo and all of the company's officers on seven counts of mail fraud and one count of attempted mail fraud. While the counts against the officers were dropped, Pandolfo was not so fortunate. He was convicted and served three years in Leavenworth Prison.
While the officers escaped conviction, the legal troubles had a significant impact on the company. The Pan Motor Company struggled to stay afloat, producing car parts for other companies and metal products under their own name. The bad press likely also affected their ability to attract investors and customers. By 1922, the company had closed its doors for good, leaving behind only the Pan Motor Company Office and Sheet Metal Works buildings in St. Cloud, which stand as a reminder of the company's short and controversial existence.
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The company's legacy in St. Cloud, Minnesota
The Pan Motor Company was based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and its legacy is still remembered today. The company was founded by Samuel 'Sam' Pandolfo, who chose St. Cloud as the base for his new car company in 1916, due to its proximity to Duluth's harbors and iron ore mines, as well as its access to two major rail lines and two power dams on the Mississippi River.
The company's first prototype car premiered on the Fourth of July, 1917, to a large crowd. The car was built by some of the greatest engineers of its day and included features such as tanks for spare oil and gas, tools, rotating headlights, and an ice box. The car's motor was built to be especially durable, with the ability to climb Pikes Peak.
The company's existence was short-lived and controversial. By the end of 1919, Pandolfo was indicted by a federal grand jury for mail fraud and was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison. He served three years before being released. The company struggled to produce car parts for other companies and create metal products under its own name until it closed in 1922.
Despite its short history, the Pan Motor Company left a mark on St. Cloud. The homes it built for its employees, as well as Pandolfo's office building and sheet metal works, still exist and are on the National Register of Historic Places. The St. Cloud Antique Auto Club has also restored several Pan cars, which can be found in the St. Cloud area.
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Frequently asked questions
The Pan Motor Company was a short-lived automobile manufacturer based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, that operated from 1917 to 1922. The company was founded by Samuel (Sam) Connor Pandolfo, who designed a car suited for travellers, with features such as fold-down seats for sleeping, compartments for tools and supplies, and high clearance for bumpy country roads.
The company faced controversy and legal issues, with its founder, Sam Pandolfo, being convicted of mail fraud in 1919. He served three years in prison, and the company struggled to produce car parts and metal products until its closure in 1922.
It is not clear if any Pan Motor vehicles still exist today. The company produced about 750 vehicles between 1917 and 1922, but there is no mention of their current status or preservation. However, the Pan Motor Company Office and Sheet Metal Works, the former manufacturing complex, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
