THE MOTOR MATT/BOB STEELE/MOTOR POWER SERIES
By Stanley R. Matthews

Notes

Titles

These were a series of dime novels -- nickel novels, actually; each cost 5 cents  -- about the adventures of daring racer, inventor, and all-around daring guy, Motor Matt. Each ran 31 pages. 

Dime novel collector Lee T. Allen brought to my attention the fact that "the Motor Matt stories were placed in consecutive groups of 3 to produce the Bob Steele series of books. The two are the same, word for word, except that the name of the hero was changed from Motor Matt to Bob Steele." 

The author of the "Bob Steele" series, also advertised as the "Motor Power" series by publisher David McKay, was given as "David Grayson," according to the text of a McKay advertisement sent me by Darrell Johnson. The text of the advertisement follows:

 

David Grayson's Famous Motor Stories for Boys
 
Mr.Grayson is an accomplished writer of up-to -the-minute juvenile stories which are eagerly read by modern American lads.
 
In his new stories, his characters have exciting adventures with every kind of motor-driven machines--motor cycles, automobiles, aeroplanes and submarines.
 
You may readily see what a vast field for adventures Mr. Grayson has chosen.
 
Now Ready
 
Bob Steele's Motor Cycle
Bob Steele on High Gear
Bob Steele from Auto to Airship
Bob Steele Afloat in the Clouds
Bob Steele's Submarine Cruise
Bob Steele in Strange Waters
Bob Steele's Motor Boat
Bob Steele's Winning Race
Bob Steele's New Aeroplane
Bob Steele's Last Flight

 

 

  1. MOTOR MATT; or, The King of the Wheel -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  2. MOTOR MATT'S DARING; or, True to His Friends -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  3. MOTOR MATT'S "CENTURY" RUN; or, The Governor's Courier -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  4. MOTOR MATT'S RACE; or, the last flight of the comet -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  5. MOTOR MATT'S MYSTERY; or, Foiling a Secret Plot -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  6. MOTOR MATT'S RED FLYER; or, On the High Gear -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  7. MOTOR MATT'S CLUE; or, The Phantom Auto -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  8. MOTOR MATT'S TRIUMPH; or, Three Speeds Forward -- 1909. Street and Smith. 
  9. MOTOR MATT'S AIR-SHIP; or, The Rival Inventors -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  10. MOTOR MATT'S HARD LUCK; or, The Balloon House Plot -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  11. MOTOR MATT'S DARING RESCUE; or, The Strange Case of Helen Brady -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  12. MOTOR MATT'S PERIL; or, Cast Away in the Bahamas -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  13. MOTOR MATT'S QUEER FIND; or, The Secret of the Iron Chest -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  14. MOTOR MATT'S PROMISE; or, The Wreck of the Hawk -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  15. MOTOR MATT'S SUBMARINE; or, The Strange Cruise of the Grampus -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  16. MOTOR MATT'S QUEST; or, Three Chums in Strange Waters -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  17. MOTOR MATT'S CLOSE CALL; or, The Snare of Don Carlos -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  18. MOTOR MATT IN BRAZIL; or, Under the Amazon -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  19. MOTOR MATT'S DEFIANCE; or, Around the Horn -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  20. MOTOR MATT MAKES GOOD; or, Another Victory for the Motor Boys -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  21. MOTOR MATT'S LAUNCH; or, A Friend in Need -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  22. MOTOR MATT'S ENEMIES; or, a Struggle for the Right -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  23. MOTOR MATT'S PRIZE; or, The Pluck that Wins -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  24. MOTOR MATT ON THE WING; or, Flying for Fame and Fortune -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  25. MOTOR MATT'S REVERSE; or, Caught in a Losing Cause -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  26. MOTOR MATT'S "MAKE AND BREAK"; or, Advancing the Spark of Friendship -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  27. MOTOR MATT'S ENGAGEMENT; or, On the Road with a Show -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  28. MOTOR MATT'S "SHORT-CIRCUIT", or, The Mahout's Vow -- 1909.
  29. MOTOR MATT'S MAKE-UP; or, Playing a New Role -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  30. MOTOR MATT'S MANDARIN; or, Turning a Trick for Tsan Ti -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  31. MOTOR MATT'S MARINER; or, Filling the Bill for Bunce -- 1909. Street and Smith.
  32. MOTOR MATT'S DOUBLE TROUBLE; or, The Last of the Hoodoo -- 1909. Street and Smith.

Source:

WorldCat Holdings

Mary Crosson's "Plain Jane" Series Listings Main Page