1912 · The Beginning
The First Trainor Motorcar
Our family passion for motorcars dates back to the first Trainor family car — an imposing 1912 Stoddard Dayton delivered with closed coachwork for harsh Chicago winters and a warm weather body. Description on photo from the late Edward Vincent Trainor (EVT).
Motor Row · 2216 S. Michigan Ave.
The Lincoln Automobile Company
Chicago's Motor Row was home to 116 carmakers with elaborate showrooms in architecturally significant buildings. Here is a picture of EVT's Lincoln Automobile Company showroom — at the heart of the golden age of American motoring.
1951 · Indianapolis
The Ed Trainor Special
E.V. and son Tully are pictured here with the Ed Trainor Special at the 1951 Indianapolis qualification trials. The Miller supercharged race car was the first rear-engined car to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and was owned by Preston Tucker to promote his ground-breaking car.
1929 · The Stock Certificates
A Legacy Tested
One hundred shares of Lincoln Automobile Company stock were issued just months prior to the stock market crash of 1929. Litigation brought by industrialist Henry Ford challenged the naming rights of EVT's dealership, following Ford's purchase of Lincoln Motor Company from renowned engineer Henry Leland in 1922.
Hyde Park · Trainor Motors
A Name Reinvented
EVT's original Motor Row showroom was renamed Trainor Motors and relocated to Hyde Park — carrying the family's passion for exceptional motorcars into a new chapter. A legacy that endures to this day through Chicago Vintage Charters.
