1904 St Louis Runabout Timken
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Restored 1904 St. Louis Car Becomes Symbol of 100 Years

CANTON, Ohio, Feb. 8 1999

On February 4, The Timken Company
unveiled a restored 1904 St. Louis car, one of the oldest cars
originally equipped with Timken(R) tapered roller bearings, to attendees of
the company's Centennial Community Dinner in Canton. For the remainder of the
year, the car will travel to Timken Company Centennial events and be displayed
in the lobby of the company's Canton headquarters as a symbol of innovation
and industry leadership.

Fifteen current and retired Timken Company associates spent more than a
year restoring the vehicle. The car was stripped down to its bare frame and
all parts were either repaired or replaced. Care was taken to restore the
car's functionality and to enhance its condition to better than its original
state.

"At the dawn of the century, Henry Timken envisioned the potential of the
automotive industry and eagerly accepted the opportunity to produce axles with
his tapered roller bearings for the St. Louis Motor Carriage Co.," said Robert
L. Leibensperger, executive vice president, chief operating officer and
president — bearings. "This renovated vehicle is a symbol of both Henry
Timken's ingenuity and his enduring contribution to society."

Mr. Leibensperger orchestrated the purchase of the St. Louis car. An avid
collector of antique cars, he arranged the purchase through his contact with
Charles Rhoads, an Illinois-based automotive historian. The Timken Company
bought the car in February 1997 in anticipation of the Centennial celebration.

During the restoration process, W. R. Timken, Jr., chairman, president and
chief executive officer, and his brother W. J. Timken, vice president, removed
and inspected the original Timken bearings from the car's rear axle.

"I was amazed at the condition of the bearing — it was still
operational — as well as its design, which was similar to the company's
UNIPAC(TM) bearing design of the 1970s," said W. R. Timken, Jr. "Our Research
associates are carefully inspecting the bearings to learn more about
manufacturing at the turn of the century."

Less than a year after Henry Timken and his two sons founded The Timken
Roller Bearing Axle Company in 1899, Henry sold three sets of bearing-equipped
axles to his neighbor, George Dorris, then chief engineer of the St. Louis
Motor Carriage Co. Approximately 360 St. Louis cars were manufactured between
1899 and 1905. Only eight St. Louis cars are known to exist, and The Timken
Company's car is one of the three 1904 models that have been located.

"This vintage vehicle is interesting," said Dick Mautz, principal quality
advancement analyst, who was the restoration team's historian. "The body is
made entirely of wood, and the car weighs only 1,400 pounds. It has only one
brake, and the brake shoes were originally made of wood. Each St. Louis came
with a set of wrenches, a spare can of oil, an extra spark plug, matting and a
gong, the 1904 equivalent of today's horn."

The St. Louis was known for its durability. The car's advertising slogan,
"Rigs that Run," reflected the vehicle's reliable service and its ability to
travel on a variety of surfaces, from city streets to country roads. Timken
bearings helped the vehicles run smoothly and carry heavier loads.

"Henry Timken told his sons never to put their name to anything they would
have cause to be ashamed of," said W. R. Timken, Jr. "I believe he was proud
of his alliance with the St. Louis Motor Carriage Co., and he would be equally
impressed by the company's current associations with leading organizations
around the world."