Autocar Company
Encyclopedia
The Autocar Company is a Hagerstown, Indiana
specialist manufacturer of cabover vocational truck
s, mainly for refuse applications. Started in 1899 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania
as a manufacturer of Brass Era
automobiles, and from 1907, trucks. The last cars were produced in 1912, but the company continued as a truck maker until 1953 when they were taken over by the White Motor Company
. White was taken over in turn by Volvo Trucks
in 1980 with Autocar continuing as a division. In 2001, it was sold to Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, which continues to use the brand name for their line of trucks.
in 1897 but became the Autocar Company in 1899 when it moved to Ardmore, Pennsylvania
, outside Philadelphia. One of the company's early cars was the Pittsburgher. By 1907, the company had decided to concentrate on commercial vehicles, and the Autocar brand is still in use for commercial trucks.
Based on the minutes
of company board of directors
meetings during 1903-1907 it is known that in 1903 the Board of Directors included the president, Louis S. Clarke, the secretary, John S. Clarke, as well as, James K. Clarke. Both Louis Semple Clarke and his brother John S. Clarke were members of the fabled South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
of Johnstown Flood
fame.
(1867–1957) was a successful mechanical engineer. Among Clarke's innovations were the spark plug
for gasoline engines, a perfected drive shaft system for automobiles, and the first design of a useful oil circulation system. Clarke's insistence of placing the driver on the left hand side of the vehicle led to that standardization throughout most of the automotive industry worldwide, and consequently we drive on the right side of the road. The patented porcelain
-insulated spark plug process was sold to Champion
and remains the industry standard.
Clarke was also a talented photographer. His family were members of the elite South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club above Johnstown, Pennsylvania
, whose earthen dam at Lake Conemaugh burst on May 31, 1889, causing the Johnstown Flood
.
Clarke sold his interest in Autocar in 1929 and retired from business. He died in Palm Beach, Florida
, on January 6, 1957, and is buried in Allegheny Cemetery
, in Pittsburgh.
The first car in 1900 was a single cylinder chain drive
runabout. About 27 were made.
The 1904 Autocar was equipped with a tonneau
, it could seat 4 passengers and sold for US$1700. The horizontal-mounted flat-2, situated at the front of the car, produced 11 hp (8.2 kW). This was a somewhat unusual engine design for the time, with most companies producing inline
designs. A 3-speed transmission was fitted. The steel and wood-framed car weighed 1675 lb (760 kg). The early cars had tiller steering.
In 1905 the company was selling the Type XII car for $2,250 and another it called the Type X for $1,000. It discontinued the Type XI and sold the last of them in 1905. The cars now had wheel steering with left hand drive.
The Type X was a runabout. During the 1905-1906 model year the company produced 1000 Type X cars. The manufacture of 500 Type XV runabouts was authorized for 1907 in place of 500 touring cars (Type XIV) in addition to the 1000 runabouts already planned. At special meeting on June 19, 1906 held at 711 Arcade Building, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, the board authorized the hiring of a general manager
by the name of Harry A. Gillis at a salary of $10,000 per year. Production of 300 Type XVI cars and 500 Type XVII were authorized during a Board Meeting on November 21, 1906.
Commercial vehicles were made from 1907 and soon outnumbered cars.
As of 1911, Autocar was making only trucks. The first model had a 97-inch wheelbase, a one and a half ton capacity, and a 2-cylinder gasoline engine under the seat. Later, engines had 4 and 6 cylinders, and wheelbases became longer. Conventional
engines became the company's focus.
In 1929, Autocar sold 3300 units, though the number fell to 1000 in 1932 and continued to decline during the Great Depression
. Larger trucks with "Blue Streak" gasoline engines and Diesel engine
s, mainly from Cummins
, came later.
During World War II
, Autocar supplied 50,000 units to the military; during its entire prewar history, the company had only built 70,000 units. Civilian production resumed in 1944 and sales increased greatly after the war. Autocar soon had 100 dealers.
However, the boom after the war ended quickly, and in 1953, Autocar sold out to White Motor Company
. White replaced Blue Streak engines with its own Mustang, and production of gasoline-powered trucks ended in 1965.
The Ardmore plant was replaced in 1954 with a new plant in Exton, Pennsylvania
, though the Ardmore plant burned while being torn down in 1956 and the fire could have destroyed a neighborhood.
Autocar's "Custom Engineering" process for meeting each customer's needs led to a reputation as "World's Finest".
AP Off-road vehicles became an important product for Autocar. The 1964 AP19 shown in September 2007 at a Golden Age Truck Museum exhibit "has a GCW of 900,000 lbs, a 30,000lb front axle, planetary rear axles rated at 200,000 lbs, and was originally powered with a 525 HP Cummins V-12 diesel which was later replaced with a 6-cylinder Cummins KT rated at 750 HP."
The Exton plant ended production in 1980, with production moving to Ogden, Utah
.
White was taken over in turn by Volvo
in 1980 with Autocar continuing as a division. In 2001 Andrew Taitz purchased the company and structured it under Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, which used the brand name for their line of trucks.
models which were also re-badged Western Star
for sale in the Canadian
market through the early 1990s.
Volvo-White bought GMC
's heavy truck business in 1987 creating the Volvo WhiteGMC brand. Volvo dropped any reference to White, and is now Volvo Trucks North America.
The last traditional Autocar with a "Custom Driver Cab" was made in Ogden on December 18, 1987. After that, Autocars were made in the style of other Volvo-White products, with the bow-tie emblem on the radiator and hood side panels. The name changed to Volvo-Autocar in 1996.
Autocar remained a part of Volvo until 2000, when the marque was withdrawn from the market. After Volvo acquired the North American operations of Renault Trucks
in 2001, as the merged company would have an excess/uncompetitive share of the refuse truck market sector, Volvo agreed to sell select vehicle designs for the Xpeditor low cab forward heavy duty product, intellectual properties
and the Autocar Company brand rights to Highland Park, Illinois
based Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, LLC (GVW).
. In 2003 Autocar and UAW entered into a contract to officially unionize the facility. UAW Local 3050 was then ratified. The company produces LCF Class 8 trucks, primarily for refuse and waste disposal. The company’s Xpeditor product line offers state-of-the-art features ranging from improved ergonomic cabs, integrated controls, and a new hybrid drive
refuse truck. The company has a nationwide service network in the US. Autocar’s customer base includes large fleets, private fleets and municipalities in the United States and Canada.
Hagerstown, Indiana
Hagerstown is a town in Jefferson Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,787.-Geography:Hagerstown is located at ....
specialist manufacturer of cabover vocational truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s, mainly for refuse applications. Started in 1899 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...
as a manufacturer of Brass Era
Brass Era car
The automotive Brass Era is the first period of automotive manufacturing, named for the prominent brass fittings used during this time for such things as lights and radiators. It extends from the first commercial automobiles marketed in the 1890s until about World War I...
automobiles, and from 1907, trucks. The last cars were produced in 1912, but the company continued as a truck maker until 1953 when they were taken over by the White Motor Company
White Motor Company
White Motor Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer from 1900 until 1980. The company also produced bicycles, roller skates, automatic lathes, and sewing machines. Before World War II, the company was based in Cleveland, Ohio.-History:...
. White was taken over in turn by Volvo Trucks
Volvo Trucks
Volvo Trucks is a global truck manufacturer based in Sweden, owned by Volvo Group - AB Volvo it is the world's second largest heavy-duty truck brand....
in 1980 with Autocar continuing as a division. In 2001, it was sold to Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, which continues to use the brand name for their line of trucks.
History
The company was called the Pittsburgh Motor Vehicle Company when started in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
in 1897 but became the Autocar Company in 1899 when it moved to Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...
, outside Philadelphia. One of the company's early cars was the Pittsburgher. By 1907, the company had decided to concentrate on commercial vehicles, and the Autocar brand is still in use for commercial trucks.
Based on the minutes
Minutes
Minutes, also known as protocols, are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting, starting with a list of attendees, a statement of the issues considered by the participants, and related responses or decisions for the issues.Minutes may be...
of company board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
meetings during 1903-1907 it is known that in 1903 the Board of Directors included the president, Louis S. Clarke, the secretary, John S. Clarke, as well as, James K. Clarke. Both Louis Semple Clarke and his brother John S. Clarke were members of the fabled South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club was a Pennsylvania corporation which operated an exclusive and secretive retreat at a mountain lake near South Fork, Pennsylvania for more than fifty extremely wealthy men and their families...
of Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...
fame.
Founder
Autocar founder Louis Semple ClarkeLouis Semple Clarke
Louis Semple Clarke, or Simpson Clarke or simply LS was born in 1866 to Charles John Clarke, the son of Thomas Shields Clarke .-Family:...
(1867–1957) was a successful mechanical engineer. Among Clarke's innovations were the spark plug
Spark plug
A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed fuels such as aerosol, gasoline, ethanol, and liquefied petroleum gas by means of an electric spark.Spark plugs have an insulated central electrode which is connected by...
for gasoline engines, a perfected drive shaft system for automobiles, and the first design of a useful oil circulation system. Clarke's insistence of placing the driver on the left hand side of the vehicle led to that standardization throughout most of the automotive industry worldwide, and consequently we drive on the right side of the road. The patented porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
-insulated spark plug process was sold to Champion
Champion (spark plug)
Champion is an American brand of spark plugs.Originally Champion was a Fortune 500 Company founded by Robert A. Stranahan and Frank D. Stranahan in 1908 in Boston, MA and then moved to Toledo, OH in 1910 to be close to the Willys-Overland Auto Company....
and remains the industry standard.
Clarke was also a talented photographer. His family were members of the elite South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club above Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
, whose earthen dam at Lake Conemaugh burst on May 31, 1889, causing the Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...
.
Clarke sold his interest in Autocar in 1929 and retired from business. He died in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, on January 6, 1957, and is buried in Allegheny Cemetery
Allegheny Cemetery
Allegheny Cemetery is one of the largest and oldest burial grounds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.It is a nonsectarian, wooded hillside park located at 4734 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood and bounded by Bloomfield, Garfield, and Stanton Heights...
, in Pittsburgh.
Products
Chain drive
Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles...
runabout. About 27 were made.
The 1904 Autocar was equipped with a tonneau
Tonneau
right|thumb|260px|1903 [[Ford Model A |Ford Model A]] rear-door TonneauTonneau cover , describes a hard or soft cover used to protect unoccupied passenger seats in a convertible, roadster, or for a pickup truck bed. Hard tonneau covers open by a hinging or folding mechanism while soft covers open...
, it could seat 4 passengers and sold for US$1700. The horizontal-mounted flat-2, situated at the front of the car, produced 11 hp (8.2 kW). This was a somewhat unusual engine design for the time, with most companies producing inline
Straight engine
Usually found in four- and six-cylinder configurations, the straight engine, or inline engine is an internal-combustion engine with all cylinders aligned in one row, with no offset...
designs. A 3-speed transmission was fitted. The steel and wood-framed car weighed 1675 lb (760 kg). The early cars had tiller steering.
In 1905 the company was selling the Type XII car for $2,250 and another it called the Type X for $1,000. It discontinued the Type XI and sold the last of them in 1905. The cars now had wheel steering with left hand drive.
The Type X was a runabout. During the 1905-1906 model year the company produced 1000 Type X cars. The manufacture of 500 Type XV runabouts was authorized for 1907 in place of 500 touring cars (Type XIV) in addition to the 1000 runabouts already planned. At special meeting on June 19, 1906 held at 711 Arcade Building, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, the board authorized the hiring of a general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
by the name of Harry A. Gillis at a salary of $10,000 per year. Production of 300 Type XVI cars and 500 Type XVII were authorized during a Board Meeting on November 21, 1906.
Commercial vehicles were made from 1907 and soon outnumbered cars.
As of 1911, Autocar was making only trucks. The first model had a 97-inch wheelbase, a one and a half ton capacity, and a 2-cylinder gasoline engine under the seat. Later, engines had 4 and 6 cylinders, and wheelbases became longer. Conventional
Conventional truck
A conventional truck is a type of truck with its engine in front of the driver , as opposed to underneath with no nose like in a cab over. This model is the most popular for American truckers. The design gives the driver more leg room and a smoother ride. These models of semi-trucks hold their...
engines became the company's focus.
In 1929, Autocar sold 3300 units, though the number fell to 1000 in 1932 and continued to decline during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Larger trucks with "Blue Streak" gasoline engines and Diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s, mainly from Cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
, came later.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Autocar supplied 50,000 units to the military; during its entire prewar history, the company had only built 70,000 units. Civilian production resumed in 1944 and sales increased greatly after the war. Autocar soon had 100 dealers.
However, the boom after the war ended quickly, and in 1953, Autocar sold out to White Motor Company
White Motor Company
White Motor Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer from 1900 until 1980. The company also produced bicycles, roller skates, automatic lathes, and sewing machines. Before World War II, the company was based in Cleveland, Ohio.-History:...
. White replaced Blue Streak engines with its own Mustang, and production of gasoline-powered trucks ended in 1965.
The Ardmore plant was replaced in 1954 with a new plant in Exton, Pennsylvania
Exton, Pennsylvania
Exton is a census-designated place in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population was 4,842 at the 2010 census. The Exton Square Mall is located within Exton along with several other shopping centers, making Exton the major shopping district in Chester...
, though the Ardmore plant burned while being torn down in 1956 and the fire could have destroyed a neighborhood.
Autocar's "Custom Engineering" process for meeting each customer's needs led to a reputation as "World's Finest".
AP Off-road vehicles became an important product for Autocar. The 1964 AP19 shown in September 2007 at a Golden Age Truck Museum exhibit "has a GCW of 900,000 lbs, a 30,000lb front axle, planetary rear axles rated at 200,000 lbs, and was originally powered with a 525 HP Cummins V-12 diesel which was later replaced with a 6-cylinder Cummins KT rated at 750 HP."
The Exton plant ended production in 1980, with production moving to Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
.
White was taken over in turn by Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
in 1980 with Autocar continuing as a division. In 2001 Andrew Taitz purchased the company and structured it under Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, which used the brand name for their line of trucks.
Subsidiary of White/Volvo
In 1953 White purchased Autocar, which continued thru to the 1970s as part of the "Big Four" White brands. In 1980, with White insolvent, AB Volvo acquired the U.S. assets and brands, to become Volvo-White LLC. Volvo produced trucks under both the White and Autocar brands, with a majority of Autocar products becoming cab over engineCab forward
The term cab forward refers to various rail and road vehicle designs which place the driver's compartment substantially farther towards the front than is common practice.- Rail locomotives :...
models which were also re-badged Western Star
Western Star
Western Star may refer to:* Western Star Trucks* Western Star * Western Star ButterNewspapers* The Western Star * The Western Star * The Western Star...
for sale in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
market through the early 1990s.
Volvo-White bought GMC
GMC (General Motors division)
GMC is a manufacturer of trucks, vans, military vehicles, and SUVs marketed in North America and the Middle East by General Motors Company. In January 2007, GMC was GM's second-largest-selling North American vehicle division after Chevrolet, ahead of Pontiac....
's heavy truck business in 1987 creating the Volvo WhiteGMC brand. Volvo dropped any reference to White, and is now Volvo Trucks North America.
The last traditional Autocar with a "Custom Driver Cab" was made in Ogden on December 18, 1987. After that, Autocars were made in the style of other Volvo-White products, with the bow-tie emblem on the radiator and hood side panels. The name changed to Volvo-Autocar in 1996.
Autocar remained a part of Volvo until 2000, when the marque was withdrawn from the market. After Volvo acquired the North American operations of Renault Trucks
Renault Trucks
Renault Trucks is a French truck manufacturer with its corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Originally part of Renault, it has been owned by Volvo Group since 2001....
in 2001, as the merged company would have an excess/uncompetitive share of the refuse truck market sector, Volvo agreed to sell select vehicle designs for the Xpeditor low cab forward heavy duty product, intellectual properties
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
and the Autocar Company brand rights to Highland Park, Illinois
Highland Park, Illinois
Highland Park is a suburban municipality in Lake County, Illinois, United States, about north of downtown Chicago. As of 2009, the population is 33,492. Highland Park is one of several municipalities located on the North Shore of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.-Overview:Highland Park was founded...
based Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, LLC (GVW).
Contemporary activities
The Autocar company now employs 200 at its manufacturing facility in Hagerstown, IndianaHagerstown, Indiana
Hagerstown is a town in Jefferson Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,787.-Geography:Hagerstown is located at ....
. In 2003 Autocar and UAW entered into a contract to officially unionize the facility. UAW Local 3050 was then ratified. The company produces LCF Class 8 trucks, primarily for refuse and waste disposal. The company’s Xpeditor product line offers state-of-the-art features ranging from improved ergonomic cabs, integrated controls, and a new hybrid drive
Hybrid drive
A Hybrid Drive, Hybrid Hard Drive , or Hybrid Hard Disk Drive is a type of large-buffer computer hard disk drive. It is different from standard hard drives in that it integrates a cache using non-volatile memory or even a small solid-state drive...
refuse truck. The company has a nationwide service network in the US. Autocar’s customer base includes large fleets, private fleets and municipalities in the United States and Canada.
Products
- A-64/AT-64
- A-75
- ACX- In current production
- AU
- DC
- KK
- CK(Half-Cab Cement Mixers)
- RL
- RM
- U
- E³
- WX
- WXLL
- XSpotter- In current production
External links
- Autocar Trucks—Official website
- UAW Local 3050 Official website
- lowermerionhistory.org—Autocar in Lower Merion Township
- Autocar Truck Pictures—Barraclou.com
- hankstruckpictures.com—Hank's Truck Pictures (Autocar)
- pennhighlands.edu—Photos by Clarke taken at the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club.