Four Wheel Drive
Encyclopedia
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin
, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.
(4x4) car, the "Battleship", in 1908. Its success led to the founding of the company. "Badger" was dropped from the name in 1910, and the name was changed to the FWD Corporation in 1958.
The success of the four-wheel drive in early military tests prompted the company to switch from cars to trucks. In two world war
s, U.S. and Allied armies depended on such four-wheel drive vehicles.
FWD vehicles were made with a track width of 4 ft 8½in so they could quickly be used on a standard gauge
railway line merely by changing the wheels.
A British subsidiary was set up at Slough
in 1921. In 1926, the British FWD, also known as the Quad, was produced with a larger 70 bhp engine.
A Canadian subsidiary was set up in conjunction with Dominion Truck of Kitchener, Ontario
by 1919.
A relationship with premier race car constructor Harry Miller resulted in the Four Wheel Drive Miller that competed successfully at Indianapolis in 1931 and later. This car, with lockable center differential, is arguably the first modern all wheel drive
car. One example survives and has competed in premier vintage race car meets such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed
. "The Last Great Miller" by Griffith Borgeson
gives a complete history of this landmark car.
In 1932, AEC took a controlling interest in the British company and began to use more standard AEC components in the Slough-built vehicles. To distinguish these from imported U.S. FWD vehicles, they were marketed under the name Hardy. Production ceased about 1936, but AEC exploited its experience with all-wheel drive in its Second World War Matador
(4x4) and Marshall (6x6) vehicles.
In 1963, FWD acquired Seagrave Fire Apparatus
who then moved from their old location in Columbus, Ohio
, to their current location at FWD in Clintonville, Wisconsin. Many tower ladders in the 1990s using Seagrave chassis were branded as FWD. They used Baker Aerialscopes for the boom which FWD had also acquired over the years along with Almonte Fire Trucks.
Randolph Lenz, Chair of FWD's parent company, Corsta Corp., became embroiled in a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
suit and in 2003 all assets of FWD: FWD Corporation, Seagrave, Baker Aerialscope and Almonte Fire Trucks were sold to an investment group headed by former American LaFrance
executive James Hebe. Today, the Seagrave group is a flagship company of ELB Capital Management.
Clintonville, Wisconsin
Clintonville is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,736 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Clintonville is located at 44°37'27" North, 88°45'29" West ....
, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.
History
Zachow and Besserdich developed and built the first successful four-wheel driveFour-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
(4x4) car, the "Battleship", in 1908. Its success led to the founding of the company. "Badger" was dropped from the name in 1910, and the name was changed to the FWD Corporation in 1958.
The success of the four-wheel drive in early military tests prompted the company to switch from cars to trucks. In two world war
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s, U.S. and Allied armies depended on such four-wheel drive vehicles.
FWD vehicles were made with a track width of 4 ft 8½in so they could quickly be used on a standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
railway line merely by changing the wheels.
A British subsidiary was set up at Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
in 1921. In 1926, the British FWD, also known as the Quad, was produced with a larger 70 bhp engine.
A Canadian subsidiary was set up in conjunction with Dominion Truck of Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
by 1919.
A relationship with premier race car constructor Harry Miller resulted in the Four Wheel Drive Miller that competed successfully at Indianapolis in 1931 and later. This car, with lockable center differential, is arguably the first modern all wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
car. One example survives and has competed in premier vintage race car meets such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Goodwood Festival of Speed
The Goodwood Festival of Speed, commonly abbreviated as FoS and referred within the United Kingdom as simply the Festival of Speed, is an annual hill climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles that is held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England.Typically held in late June or...
. "The Last Great Miller" by Griffith Borgeson
Griffith Borgeson
Griffith Borgeson was an influential American race car historian, described by the Society of Automotive Engineers as one of the world's preeminent automotive historians....
gives a complete history of this landmark car.
In 1932, AEC took a controlling interest in the British company and began to use more standard AEC components in the Slough-built vehicles. To distinguish these from imported U.S. FWD vehicles, they were marketed under the name Hardy. Production ceased about 1936, but AEC exploited its experience with all-wheel drive in its Second World War Matador
AEC Matador
The AEC Matador was an artillery tractor built by the Associated Equipment Company for British and Commonwealth forces during the Second World War.AEC had already built a 4 x 2 lorry, also known as the Matador ....
(4x4) and Marshall (6x6) vehicles.
In 1963, FWD acquired Seagrave Fire Apparatus
Seagrave Fire Apparatus
Seagrave Fire Apparatus LLC is a manufacturer of fire apparatus that specializes in pumper and rescue units, as well as aerial towers. In addition to manufacturing new equipment, they refurbish, repair and upgrade older Seagrave apparatus, including National Fire Protection Association updates to...
who then moved from their old location in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, to their current location at FWD in Clintonville, Wisconsin. Many tower ladders in the 1990s using Seagrave chassis were branded as FWD. They used Baker Aerialscopes for the boom which FWD had also acquired over the years along with Almonte Fire Trucks.
Randolph Lenz, Chair of FWD's parent company, Corsta Corp., became embroiled in a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is a United States government corporation created by the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933. It provides deposit insurance, which guarantees the safety of deposits in member banks, currently up to $250,000 per depositor per bank. , the FDIC insures deposits at...
suit and in 2003 all assets of FWD: FWD Corporation, Seagrave, Baker Aerialscope and Almonte Fire Trucks were sold to an investment group headed by former American LaFrance
American LaFrance
American LaFrance is an emergency and vocational vehicle manufacturer, currently based in Summerville, South Carolina. Focusing primarily on emergency apparatus fire engines and fire aerial including ambulance and rescue vehicles.-History:...
executive James Hebe. Today, the Seagrave group is a flagship company of ELB Capital Management.
External links
- FWD Truck Pictures (Hank's Truck Pictures)
- http://www.eliason-snowmobile.com/ early product.
- http://www.archive.org/details/americasmunitio01deptgoog early vehicles
- http://www.landships.freeservers.com/new_pages/fwd_truck_info.htm liberty truck
- http://www.mace-b.com/38TMW/Missiles/MM-1.htm teracruzer