VIGGO TORBENSEN was a pioneer in the automotive industry and founder of the Torbensen Axle Company He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, He was educated in Danish public schools and studied engineering at the Naval Technical School, graduating in 1879. After 2 years as a machinist's apprentice and a year working in England, he came to America where he was employed by a succession of firms. In 1892, Torbensen traveled to Germany for further training. Returning to the U.S. in 1899, he designed and produced the first internal automobile gear drive used in this country while managing the DeDion-Bouton Motorette Co. of Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1912, he founded the Torbensen Gear & Axle Company at Newark, NJ and moved it to Cleveland in 1915.
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2010 Shannons Melbourne Classic Auction
