Elwood Haynes had his start in the automobile business in 1893 when he purchased a Sintz marine engine, which he intended to install in a horse buggy. Lacking the necessary machinery to make the transmission and other mechanical parts he approached the Apperson Brothers machine shop and by July 4th 1894 drove his car down the streets of his hometown of Kokomo Indiana. Haynes and Apperson began building cars in 1898.

Haynes was fond of telling people that he built “the first car in America” a story he told for years. But the Duryea Brothers are credited with being the first to build a production vehicle in 1893.  Haynes is credited with inventing stainless steel and the thermostat.