American Motors Incorporated
Encyclopedia
American Motors Incorporated (AMI) designed, manufactured, and sold a mini-van for commercial delivery use. This company was not related to AMC
, a major automaker formed in 1954 by the merger of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation
and the Hudson Motor Car Company
.
in New York City
, as well as a factory and service facility upstate
in Troy, New York
.
was only 60 inches (1,524 mm) with a 25 hp engine, and it was priced at US$
890 (suggested retail price
). The Delcar was the first American vehicle with independent suspension
on all four wheels, though the suspension used airplane landing gear-like rubber tension cords.
As well as the Delcar van, one or more station wagon
s were produced using the same chassis
. The station wagon could seat six. A model was built for export, the Amco
.
customers demand a such a specialized service vehicle.
General
AMC
AMC may refer to:* AMC , a short-lived British steam car manufactured in London in 1910*AMC Networks, an American media company** AMC , originally American Movie Classics, a cable television channel owned by AMC Networks...
, a major automaker formed in 1954 by the merger of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation
Nash-Kelvinator Corporation
Nash-Kelvinator Corporation was the result of a merger between Nash Motors and Kelvinator Appliance Company. The union of these two companies was brought about as a result of a condition made by George W...
and the Hudson Motor Car Company
Hudson Motor Car Company
The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other brand automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, from 1909 to 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation to form American Motors. The Hudson name was continued through the 1957 model year, after which it was dropped.- Company strategy...
.
History
American Motors Incorporated was established around 1946. It was very short-lived because it does not seem to have been in operation after 1949. It had executive offices on Park AvenuePark Avenue (Manhattan)
Park Avenue is a wide boulevard that carries north and southbound traffic in New York City borough of Manhattan. Through most of its length, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, as well as a factory and service facility upstate
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
in Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
.
Products
The company manufactured a mini-van designed for business delivery use. It was called the Delcar. The wheelbaseWheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
was only 60 inches (1,524 mm) with a 25 hp engine, and it was priced at US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
890 (suggested retail price
Suggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
). The Delcar was the first American vehicle with independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
on all four wheels, though the suspension used airplane landing gear-like rubber tension cords.
As well as the Delcar van, one or more station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
s were produced using the same chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
. The station wagon could seat six. A model was built for export, the Amco
Amco
The Amco was an American automobile manufactured primarily for the export market, designed by D.M. Eller and built by American Motors Incorporated of New York City....
.
Lack of success
Small delivery vehicles such as the Delcar did not succeed. Purchasers would be limited by their carrying capacity. A larger truck can haul more cargo resulting in less cost per mile traveled. Few niche marketNiche market
A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact...
customers demand a such a specialized service vehicle.
Sources
InlineGeneral
- Original Delcar retail sales brochureBrochureA brochure is a type of leaflet. Brochures are most commonly found at places that tourists frequently visit, such as museums, major shops, and tourist information. Brochure racks or stands may suggest visits to amusement parks and other points of interest...
(four pages) printed by AMI - see images. - Mechanix IllustratedMechanix IllustratedMechanix Illustrated was an American magazine founded in the first half of the 20th century to compete against the older Popular Science and Popular Mechanics...
, August 1949 — brief article and picture depicting the Delcar. - Special Interest Auto (SIA) magazine (Hemmings Motor NewsHemmings Motor NewsHemmings Motor News is a monthly magazine catering to traders and collectors of antique, classic, and exotic sports cars. It is the largest and oldest publication of its type in the United States, with sales of 215,000 copies per month, and is best known for its large classified advertising sections...
), October 1978 — brief article about the Delcar.