| Great Southern Automobile Company | |
| Type: | Automobile Manufacturing |
| Genre: | Touring Cars, Roadsters, Buses |
| Foundation: | 1909 |
| Founder: | Eugene F. Enslen |
| Fate: | Bankruptcy |
| Location City: | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Location Country: | United States |
| Area Served: | United States |
| Industry: | Automotive |
| Products: | Automobiles Automotive parts |
| Num Employees: | 200 (as of 1910) |
The Great Southern Automobile Company was the first automobile manufacturer in the central South.[1] It was incorporated in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1909[2] and manufactured automobiles, automobile parts, and buses from its plant in Ensley, where it also maintained a repair department. Its founding officers were Eugene F. Enslen, president; Ike Adler, vice-president; John Kyser, secretary and treasurer; and Eugene F. Enslen, Jr., general manager.
In early 1910, it announced a Model "50" touring car with a wheel base of 124 inches, a 5.25x6 inches bore and stroke engine, capable of 60 bhp.[3]
In 1912, it opened salesrooms in the Empire Building, then the tallest building in Birmingham. The manager was W. O. Fields.[4]
In 1913, it was manufacturing two models:[5]
In 1914, it dropped the Great Southern 30, and concentrated on the manufacture of just the Great Southern 50 chassis, formerly titled the Great Southern 51.[6] The new 50 model was a seven passenger touring body.
By 1915, it was manufacturing a chassis and body for a "one-man, pay-enter" motor bus that was 22 feet long, 8 feet 9 inches high, 7 feet 6 inches wide, rated at 2.25 tons capacity, and could carry 25 passengers.[7]
The company went bankrupt in 1917.[8] Alabama's other pre-1950 car manufactures include Preston Motor's Premocar in Birmingham and Keller in Huntsville.