Ben Briscoe and Jonathan Maxwell didn't have a lot of working capital in 1903 so they convinced the consummate investor of the time that their new Maxwell automobile was a worthy venture. None other than J.P. Morgan put up the necessary $150,000 and the Maxwell-Briscoe Company was born. Alice Ramsey was the first woman to drive across the country in a Maxwell, and many famous names were involved over the years, including William Durant and Walter Chrysler who was at the head of the company in its last year of production, the same year this little coupe was produced. This particular 1923 Maxwell Opera Coupe is an older but very sound restoration that also has the distinction of participating in the very first Great Race Rally across America. These are very rarely seen cars that have a very interesting provenance. Finished in green with a black top, the car went through a restoration back in the 60's. We have a framed set of 8 pictures that were taken in the 60's of the restoration and while the car was stripped to bare metal. The gentleman that we purchased the car from in Oklahoma has had the car since 1986. While showing its age in a few places, overall the car is very solid and has kept well through the years. The paint is in very good condition with no major scratches or dings to the body. The fenders are all steel and are equally as nice as the body. There is a small trunk in the rear in front of the spare tire. Inside, the car is finished in a light green that was very popular for the period. The seats do show some fading as you can see in the photos but no major wear or tears. The seating arrangement inside the car is very interesting as the front passenger seat folds up, under the dash for the rear passenger to get in or out. There is a compartment just behind the drivers seat for storage. The passenger side rear window does have a crack in it. Both windows are operated by straps that are pulled up and a push button lock to keep them in place. The dash is in good condition and all gauges appear to work with no problems. The four cylinder under the hood runs great and starts up with a turn of the key and a press of the starter button on the floor. The motor is very clean and is still running on its original 6 volt system. It has had an updated coil and distributor installed for reliability. The underside of the car is very solid and all of the wood looks great. The steel wheels look great and only show a few small spots of peeling. They are wrapped with Olympic bias ply tires that are in good condition with no rot or cracking. In the trunk, you will find a small box with necessary roadside assist supplies. It appears that all of this was originally for the great race and is a great piece of history to add to this great car. The Vin number is 441639 and is being sold on a clean Oklahoma title showing that the previous owner had the car since 1986.