Diamond T

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Company emblem (later version)
Diamond T with the V-shaped windshield introduced in 1936 (built in 1937)
Diamond T (model year 1938)
Diamond T 969 Wrecker (YOC 1941)
Diamond T 969A Wrecker late version with open cab (built in 1943)
Heavy Diamond T 980 as a tank transporter (1945)
Diamond T 981 in the Yad la-Shiryon Museum / Israel (2006)

Diamond T (abbreviated to DT or just colloquially just T ) was an American automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer who began manufacturing passenger cars in 1907 , but discontinued it in 1911 and later became known worldwide for its heavy trucks and tractors . This important manufacturer of heavy military vehicles during the Second World War was also successful after the war, but was taken over by the White Motor Company in 1958, among others , and in 1967 it was merged with the Reo Motor Car Company, which had also been acquired ten years earlier, to form Diamond-Reo Truck Inc. However, the history of this new subsidiary of White ended with bankruptcy in 1975, production was continued by Consolidated Industries until 1978 , after which the famous Diamond brand name disappeared for good after the plant was closed in 1979 . A Diamond T was always considered to be a particularly high-quality commercial vehicle and was therefore also referred to as "The Cadillac of the Trucks" based on the US luxury car brand Cadillac . Diamond T vehicles are popular collector's items today .

history

founding

The company Diamond T was founded in 1905 by Charles Arthur Tilt as Diamond T Motor Car Company in Chicago , Illinois , was founded. Both the company headquarters and the factory were together on the same site next to other manufacturing companies on the edge of the city center. Since Tilt intended to build particularly high-quality vehicles, he consciously and symbolically chose the designation "Diamond" and the letter "T" after the initial of his surname.

Logo

The logo that Charles tilt at the suggestion of friends and his son in the form of a lying pound (Engl. Diamond ) designed itself was literally inspired by the company's name. In its early form, the white letter T in upper case, placed in the center of the character on a red background with a gold border, had a somewhat ornate design with inwardly curved continuations of the upper dash and the vertical part. In the later version, the T was made more evenly, somewhat similar to the contemporary typeface on typewriters .

Beginning as a car manufacturer

1906 REO runabout; Sweden / 2005 / Prins Bertil Memorial in Stockholm

In the year it was founded, the production of automobiles began, which quickly acquired a reputation for enormous engine performance, but also great reliability. Diamond T only used four-cylinder engines and, despite the high performance of the vehicles, relied from the outset on driving the rear wheels via a cardan shaft instead of the usual chains .

The first 40 HP model had a 6.4 liter engine. It was available as a runabout at US $ 3,250, a 4-5 seater touring at US $ 3,500, and a chauffeur-driven sedan at US $ 4,200. These were prices in the top market segment; Diamond T therefore competed with manufacturers of other former US luxury cars such as ALCo , Chadwick , Lozier , Pierce-Arrow , Packard or Thomas and, above all, vehicles imported from Europe.

In about seven years (according to other sources nine), where car production ran, built by hand models were available with a remarkable performance, mainly in the body -version as touring cars (English: touring car ) came to delivery. A model with 70 hp (55 kW ) is mentioned but not specifically documented ; that was a figure that racing cars reached around 1907.

But due to the rather high price and the pressure of the competition, nowhere near as many cars could be sold as originally hoped. A smaller Model D with, depending on the source, 30 bhp (22.4 kW) or 33 bhp (24.6 kW) from a 4.2 liter displacement and more moderate prices between US $ 2250 and 2300 apparently did not bring the desired success. At the request of a customer, the first truck was built in 1910 , and Tilt realized that this market had more potential.

As a result, the production of automobiles was stopped at least temporarily in 1911. It was a wise decision, as very few automakers the size of Diamond T were able to hold their own in this competitive market for a long time. It seems that some automobiles were built again in 1913, interestingly on a wheelbase that no other model of the brand had previously had. From then on, Diamond T concentrated on the production of trucks, which was initially started on a smaller scale and partly on a car basis.

Construction of commercial vehicles

In 1911, the company began to manufacture light commercial vehicles in the 1½ t class, and a short time later, in line with the goal of company founder Charles Tilt, also offered heavier vehicles. The commercial vehicle production developed for the company, mainly due to the high quality and later mainly due to various innovations, far better than initially thought possible. The sales figures rose continuously until 1916 and made the company known nationwide. During this time the first own fire engines were built.

First World War

Liberty Standard B truck (1918-1919)

During the First World War , in which the USA entered in 1917, Diamond T manufactured the Liberty truck lorry (German: Freiheit) of the medium payload class in large numbers for the US Army . Liberty was not a brand or model name, but the name of the government program under which the vehicles were built in almost the same design by 15 affiliated commercial vehicle manufacturers in order to provide the troops with urgently needed replenishment vehicles in the shortest possible time. Not all manufacturers built all models in the program. There were four specifications between 0.75 and 5 tons:

  • Liberty Standard AA; 26 bhp (19.4 kW), 3/4 tons; 4 × 2 ("Model AA")
  • Liberty Standard A; 26 bhp (19.4 kW), 2 tons; 4 × 2 ("Model A")
  • Liberty Standard B ; 52-58 bhp (38.8-43.3 kW) at 1360 rpm, 3 tons; 4 × 2, rear double tires ("Model B")
  • Liberty Standard C; 52-58 bhp (38.8-43.3 kW) at 1360 rpm, 5 tons; 4 × 3, rear axles double tires ("Model C")

All of them had four-cylinder in - line engines , with the Class B being by far the most popular at 3 tons. With the larger Class C 5 tons, it shared the engine developed by Continental , which was also built by other manufacturers under a license limited to military vehicles. It made 52-58 bhp (38.8-43.3 kW) at 1360 rpm. Class B was delivered ex works as a 4 × 2 with rear twin tires, Class C with double axles and twin tires. Diamond T delivered around 1500 Liberty Class B and C from.

This robust vehicle was used particularly in France , where the western front ran into Europe, and it did well. Many of these trucks stayed in France after the war and were mainly used by hauliers, with the manufacturer gaining a certain prominence in this same industry for the first time in Europe . However, Diamond T became known worldwide mainly after the First World War for its heavy trucks and tractors .

Interwar period

After the war, the well-known military truck was built in a slightly different form and new vehicles were presented at the same time, which were equally successful. When, in the late 1920s, there was a general desire for higher truck speeds, Charles Tilt's own vehicles were given new, rounded cab versions from 1932 onwards, which were visually based on the streamlined shape , which was a sensation at the time. In contrast to other manufacturers, the cabs, which were almost luxuriously equipped on the inside, were also conspicuous; from now on, every vehicle was also available as a DeLuxe version on request . With the new cab shape, the trucks not only looked more modern and faster, from 1930 (i.e. still with the old cabs) they also received completely redesigned engines and pneumatic tires instead of the usual solid rubber tires , with which they could actually drive much faster than the vehicles of the Competitor. The previous four-cylinder in - line engines were replaced in that year by newly developed, much more powerful and quieter six-cylinder in- line engines. One of the most important innovations was the use of a forged crankshaft with seven main bearings , which primarily benefited the durability of the machines. These high-torque six-cylinder gasoline engines of various displacement sizes , built by Hercules Motors , remained a characteristic of this brand for many years. As a further novelty, Diamond T introduced a cooler with fins, which, in contrast to the previously common designs with honeycomb, was far more efficient and also less sensitive. All trucks were fitted with hydraulic brakes on all wheels as standard (the larger ones later also had air brakes ), which ensured braking performance was superior to that of the competition. In addition, hydraulic double-acting shock absorbers were introduced, which in turn improved drivability and comfort. At the same time, Diamond T marketed its commercial vehicles through a well-organized sales network of dealers and workshops, first nationwide in the USA and later worldwide, which was another major innovation in this vehicle sector at the time. The main export markets were South America , Africa , the Middle East , Australia and Western and Northern Europe . In Germany , however, they were always rare, which was due, on the one hand, to the large number of domestic manufacturers represented, and, on the other, to the high import duty . In the early 1930s, Diamond T delivered a number of light trucks with a payload of 1 and 1½ tons to the American army, which was almost a specialty, as civil production was already more focused on the segment of medium and heavy commercial vehicles. While Marmon-Herrington in Indianapolis ( Indiana ) was still building the largest trucks ever until the mid-1930s , Diamond T was now able to catch up and offer a very similar range of products in a short time. Diamond T s were available from the factory in numerous designs and chassis versions; various other configurations were also possible upon customer request. Also known were the large fire engines ("Pumper") from Diamond T , which, due to their speed and reliability, had a similarly good name as those from American LaFrance , Mack , Reo or Seagrave. Many of these vehicles were custom-made at the request of the respective fire brigades , and some airfield fire engines were also built . What is less well known, however, is that Diamond T also produced buses - albeit not in large numbers - in the 1920s and somewhat more in the 1930s .

Second World War

In the late 1930s, Diamond T returned to the production of corresponding military vehicles , which, like their civilian counterparts, were to prove themselves well, as the global political situation became increasingly acute. During the Second World War , Diamond T mainly manufactured heavy transport vehicles and tractors for the US Army , which were among the largest and strongest of the Allies . All trucks built (models 968 , 970 ) had all-wheel drive , which improved traction and thus also the pulling power. The largest of these vehicles, such as the models 980 and 981 with the drive formula 6 × 4, which is also from the British Army as part of the Lend-Lease were ordered -Abkommens (after they aroused the attention of the Procurement Commission) have even been Ability to transport larger tanks such as the Churchill with a special trailer or, depending on the tank model, some of them on the vehicle itself. These heavy tractors, which were first equipped with a six-cylinder diesel engine at Diamond T (again an in-line six-cylinder from Hercules), were first used by the British in 1942 in the North Africa campaign ( Libya , Tunisia ) to destroy damaged tanks and tow it behind your own lines for repairs. From 1941 onwards, numerous heavy Diamond T towing vehicles , recovery vehicles and crane vehicles with 6 × 6 drive (model 969 ) were also built, as hardly any chassis from other manufacturers was so well suited for this due to the very robust construction . These special vehicles were also equipped with a powerful cable winch ex works , which was later fitted to numerous trucks. While the driver's cabs of the trucks and tractor units were initially closed, the corresponding vehicles were delivered with an open cab and tarpaulin top at the request of the US Army starting in mid-1943 . Diamond T also became an important manufacturer of US half-track vehicles of the M2 and M3 types, including their variants. In addition to the American, various vehicles were also delivered to the British Army, especially heavy tractors (English: prime movers ). At the end of the war, Diamond T could boast of having built over 50,000 military vehicles for the US Army alone; the number of those delivered to allied states was around 20,000. Specifically for the Canadian Army , over 1,500 copies of the types 975 and 975A with 6 × 6 drive were produced, a version of the 968 with a longer wheelbase and more power.

The German Wehrmacht also used the Diamond T captured and / or requisitioned in Western Europe in 1940, along with other trucks of American origin such as Chevrolet , Mack , and White until the end of the war. The Diamond T were mainly lighter to medium-sized commercially available types of the 200 series (e.g. 212 or 220 ), and very rarely those of the 400 series (e.g. 404 ). Word quickly got around about the quality of the Diamond T in the Wehrmacht, too, so it is not surprising that every copy that was somehow available was put into service and that some vehicles were even specially repaired beforehand if necessary.

post war period

Immediately after the war and the demobilization of large parts of the US Army, numerous surplus heavy trucks and tractors, some of which had very little mileage, went on the free market. These were in great demand, especially from construction companies, freight forwarders and heavy haulage companies, as there were hardly any comparable vehicles produced in-house, especially in Europe. In some European countries, above all Italy , Great Britain and France , the Diamond T was part of the street scene for several years and formed the backbone of the heavy transport business. Numerous companies started with these robust and reliable vehicles. The models launched after the war in 1947, like those from the prewar period that were continued to be built, were again high-quality and powerful commercial vehicles with a wealth of equipment, so that at this time the (unofficial) nickname was based on the US luxury car brand Cadillac "The Cadillac of the Trucks" was born. From 1951 the light trucks were discontinued and only heavy vehicles were built, both as hood control (conventional or normal) and, more recently, front control (cabover or forward control), after short-nosed trucks had also been manufactured for the first time in the late 1930s .

1950s

In the post-war period, business was still going well, so that from the end of the 1950s a production license was granted to DINA in Ciudad Sahagun / Mexico . But at about the same time, due to the still numerous and mostly cheaper competition (above all General Motors with its brands Chevrolet and GMC ), in some cases also Ford , as well as International , White , Kenworth , Mack and Freightliner ) in their own country, the Sales back, which did not yet directly endanger the company's existence, but on the other hand also made new developments that were actually necessary in terms of market policy and market strategy almost impossible. Marmon-Herrington and Peterbilt were represented in the upper price segment, but with their sales figures they were not serious competition. However, the export business had also become much more difficult because of the European manufacturers (mainly from Germany ( Mercedes-Benz , Magirus-Deutz ), France ( Berliet ) and Italy ( Fiat , Lancia ) , which had strengthened from that time onwards , so that the sales figures were almost exclusively South America and South Africa remained largely constant.

In the early 1950s, during the Korean War in 1953, Diamond T resumed manufacturing new military vehicles. The 5t truck with 6x6 M54 drive, designed in-house according to Ordnance specifications, was built to complement the new 2½t GMC M135 and Reo M35 vehicles (also 6x6). The M54 was later also built by International , Mack and, most recently, AM General, also in the versions M51 as a dump truck or M52 as a tractor unit (production at AM General continued until the early 1980s).

Takeover by White

In 1958, shortly before Diamond T actually began to get into economic difficulties, the company was taken over first by investors and then by the White Motor Company (investors interested White in the company and sold it for a profit), also a large US company -Manufacturer of commercial and military vehicles. The company, which has now been renamed the Diamond T Motor Truck Company , initially retained its only previous headquarters and production facility in Chicago and, in anticipation of a fundamental restructuring, continued to successfully refine the previous program. At the end of the 1950s, the drive through diesel engines finally prevailed, the models with gasoline engines were - if sensible - converted for further production or withdrawn from the range within a short time.

Diamond T was made in 1961 as a new " division " to a more or less autonomous part of the company of White, the company name was changed again to Diamond T Division, White Motor Co. , in order to make the property as a division of White also generally recognizable do. At the same time, both company headquarters and production were relocated to Lansing ( Michigan ) to the manufacturer Reo Motor Car Company , which was also taken over by White in 1957 . Diamond T, now restructured and provided with fresh capital, immediately developed new models and, as one of the still leading manufacturers of heavy commercial vehicles, had a certain success in North America and in export for several years. Interestingly (if not surprisingly) the conceptually quite similar vehicles of the various divisions of White were increasingly competing with each other on the domestic market, which, however, did not pose a serious problem for the parent company White for the time being.

The last few years

After the sales figures deteriorated again from the mid-1960s, Diamond T was merged on May 1, 1967 with the subsidiary Reo, which produced at the same location, to form the new Diamond-REO Trucks Inc. division . The vehicles were henceforth marketed under the name Diamond Reo and were successful again for a few years, where they were still known and were advertised under the old surname of Reo "The Worlds Toughest Truck" (The World's Toughest Truck). The new Diamond Reo division now also produced in part for the Western Star Trucks branch founded in 1968 (also the manufacturers Sterling Trucks , Autocar and Euclid , which were taken over in 1951, 1954 and 1968 ), which were to supply the American west coast.

But the first oil crisis of 1973 was surprisingly the demand for heavy trucks go back so that White in 1975 his Diamond Reo Division of in managing the Western District (Western District) State of Michigan for bankruptcy had to explain. The plants in Lansing were then released for liquidation , provided they could not be used by White or other divisions of the group themselves or were sold to other companies .

With the company Consolidated Industries from Columbus (Ohio) , however, a takeover buyer was found for the Diamond T and Diamond Reo patents and so until 1978 a large conventional model (again a hood handlebar ) in cooperation with Autocar (still a Division of White) manufactured as Diamond Reo Giant . At the same time, some rights went to Osterlund Inc. from Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) , a former Diamond T and Diamond Reo dealer , in 1975 . After renewed economic difficulties, the plant in Lansing (Michigan) was finally closed in 1979, whereupon the brand name Diamond disappeared to this day. White continued to build heavy trucks with Freightliner, but in 1980 got into serious financial difficulties himself and was finally partially liquidated or continued under a different name from 1981.

The brand today

The trucks of this famous, now historical brand, often referred to as T (English pronunciation: ti), are popular collector's vehicles today . Many former drivers remember the vehicles with enthusiasm, and a club looks after the tradition. Many vehicles that have been preserved can still be seen at various old-timer truck meetings, especially in the USA, Great Britain and Sweden , and a few examples exist in Germany.

Overview of the passenger cars

construction time model Cyl. Displacement power wheelbase body Factory price Remarks
1907 40 HP R4 354.4 ci
6435 cc		 40 bhp
29.8 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Roadster US $ 3250 114 inches (2896 mm) at Kimes
1907 40 HP R4 354.4 ci
5808 cc		 40 bhp
29.8 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Touring ,
4/5 seats		 US $ 3500 114 inches (2896 mm) at Kimes
1907 40 HP R4 354.4 ci
5808 cc		 40 bhp
29.8 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Chauffeur limousine US $ 4250 114 inches (2896 mm) at Kimes
1908 50 HP R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 50 bhp
37.3 kW		 114 inches
2896 mm		 Roadster US $ 3500
1908 50 HP R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 50 bhp
37.3 kW		 114 inches
2896 mm		 Touring,
5 seats		 US $ 4,300
1908 50 HP R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 50 bhp
37.3 kW		 114 inches
2896 mm		 Chauffeur limousine US $ 5200 only at Dluhy
1909 40 HP R4 354.4 ci
5808 cc		 40 bhp
29.8 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Touring,
5 seats		 US $ 4,300 only at Dluhy
1909 45/50 HP R4 354.4 ci
5808 cc		 45 bhp
33.6 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Roadster,
2 seats		 US $ 2800 only at Dluhy
1909 50 HP R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 50 bhp
37.3 kW		 114 inches
2896 mm		 Roadster,
3 seats		 US $ 2750 only at Kimes
1909 50 HP R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 50 bhp
37.3 kW		 114 inches
2896 mm		 Tourabout ,
3 seats		 US $ 3000 only at Kimes
1909 50 HP R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 50 bhp
37.3 kW		 114 inches
2896 mm		 Touring,
7 seats		 US $ 3250 only at Kimes
1910 D. R4 255.4 ci
4185 cc		 33 bhp
24.6 kW		 108 inches
2743 mm		 Speedster ,
2 seats		 US $ 2250 30 bhp (22.4 kW) at Kimes
1910 D. R4 255.4 ci
4185 cc		 33 bhp
24.6 kW		 108 inches
2743 mm		 Roadster,
3 seats		 US $ 2250 30 bhp (22.4 kW) at Kimes
1910 D. R4 255.4 ci
4185 cc		 33 bhp
24.6 kW		 108 inches
2743 mm		 Touring,
4 seats		 US $ 2300 30 bhp (22.4 kW) at Kimes
1910 E. R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 45 bhp
33.6 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Roadster,
2 seats		 US $ 2850 45/50 HP at Dluhy
possibly also with 114 "
1910 E. R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 45 bhp
33.6 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Touring,
5 seats		 US $ 3000 45/50 HP at Dluhy
possibly also with 114 inches
1910 E. R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 45 bhp
33.6 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Touring,
7 seats		 US $ 3200 45/50 HP at Dluhy
possibly also with 114 inches
1911 45 HP R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 45 bhp
33.6 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Fore-door touring,
5 seats		 US $ 3500
1911 45 HP R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 45 bhp
33.6 kW		 124 inches
3150 mm		 Chauffeur limousine,
7 seats		 US $ 4200
1913 F. R4 392.7 ci
6435 cc		 45 bhp
33.6 kW		 126 inches
3200 mm		 Touring,
5 seats		 US $ 3500 only at Dluhy

Well-known truck models

Light trucks (until 1932)

Light trucks (from 1932)

Medium trucks (before 1932)

Medium trucks (from 1932)

Heavy trucks (before 1932)

Heavy trucks (from 1932)

Military vehicles

Trucks (from 1917)

  • Liberty Standard B (4 × 2, 3 tons) - the company's first army vehicle, manufactured identically by several manufacturers according to government specifications

Trucks (from 1940)

  • Diamond T 967 (6 × 6) - forerunner of the 968 (only 1000 copies)

Trucks (from 1941)

Heavy tractors (from 1941)

  • Diamond T 980 (6 × 4) - Diamond T tank transporter - later than M20 referred
  • Diamond T 981 (6 × 4) - Diamond T tank transporter - later than M20 denotes

Half-track vehicles (from 1940)

Trucks (from 1953)

Remarks

  1. ↑ These data were compiled from BR Kimes / HA Clark: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 (1996), p. 453 and Dluhy: American Automobiles of the Brass Era (2013), p. 73

literature

  • David Burgess-Wise: The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles. A & W, New York 1979, ISBN 0-89479-050-1 (English)
  • GN Georgano (Ed.), G. Marshall Naul: Complete Encyclopedia of Commercial Vehicles ; MBI Motor Books International, Osceola WI (1979); ISBN 0-87341-024-6 ; Hardcover
  • Consumer Guide (Editor): Collectible & Classic Trucks (1993); Publishers Group International, Lincolnwood IL; ISBN 0-7853-0108-9 ; ISBN 978-07853-0108-0 , hardback edition (English) 1896–1994; Models from Brockway, Chevrolet, Diamond-T, Dodge, Ford, GMC, IH, Mack, Nash, Plymouth, Reo, Stewart & Studebaker
  • Beverly Rae Kimes (Editor), Henry Austin Clark Jr.: Standard Catalogs of American Cars 1805–1942. 3. Edition. Krause Publications, Iola WI (1996), ISBN 978-0-87341-428-9 ISBN 0-87341-428-4 . (English)
  • Robert D. Dluhy: American Automobiles of the Brass Era: Essential Specifications of 4,000+ Gasoline Powered Passenger Cars, 1906-1915, with a Statistical and Historical Overview. Mcfarland & Co Inc (2013); ISBN 0-78647-136-0 ; ISBN 978-078647-136-2 ; soft cover (english)
  • George Nick Georgano (Editor): Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars, 1885 to the Present ; Dutton Press, New York, 2nd edition (hardcover) 1973, ISBN 0-525-08351-0 (English)
  • Beverly Rae Kimes: Pioneers, Engineers, and Scoundrels: The Dawn of the Automobile in America ; Editor SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Permissions, Warrendale PA (2005), ISBN 0-7680-1431-X (English)

Web links

Commons : Diamond T  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Kimes / Clark: Standard Catalog (1996), p. 453
  2. ↑ a b c d e Georgano: Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars (1973), p. 251
  3. ↑ a b c d Dluhy: American Automobiles of the Brass Era (2013), p. 73
  4. ^ Army Transportation Museum: Liberty Trucks