The American Automobile Industry in World War Two
An American Auto Industry Heritage Tribute by David D Jackson

Overview      Lansing Michigan in World War Two   The U.S. Auto Industry at the Normandy Invasion, June 6, 1944    The U.S. Auto Industry and the B-29 Bomber   U.S. Auto Industry Army-Navy "E" Award Winners   The Complete listing of All Army-Navy "E" Award Winners   Sherman Tanks of the American Auto Industry   Tank Destroyers of the American Auto Industry    M26 Pershing Tanks of the American Auto Industry   M36 Tank Destroyers of the American Auto Industry   Serial Numbers for WWII Tanks built by the American Auto Industry   Surviving LCVP Landing Craft    WWII Landing Craft Hull Numbers   Airborne Extra-Light Jeep Photos  The American Auto Industry vs. the German V-1 in WWII   American Auto Industry-Built Anti-Aircraft Guns in WWII   VT Proximity Manufacturers of WWII   World War One Era Motor Vehicles   National Museum of Military Vehicles  
Revisions   Links

 Automobile and Body Manufacturers:  American Bantam Car Company   Briggs Manufacturing Company   Checker Car Company   Chrysler Corporation   Crosley Corporation   Ford Motor Car Company   General Motors Corporation   Graham-Paige Motors Corporation   Hudson
Motor Car Company   Murray Corporation of America   Nash-Kelvinator   Packard Motor Car Company      Studebaker    Willys-Overland Motors

General Motors Divisions:  AC Spark Plug   Aeroproducts   Allison   Brown-Lipe-Chapin   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Cleveland Diesel   Delco Appliance   Delco Products   Delco Radio   Delco-Remy   Detroit Diesel   Detroit Transmission   Electro-Motive   Fisher Body   Frigidaire   GM Proving Grounds   GM of Canada   GMC   GMI   Guide Lamp   Harrison Radiator   Hyatt Bearings   Inland   Moraine Products   New Departure   Oldsmobile   Packard Electric   Pontiac   Saginaw Malleable Iron   Saginaw Steering Gear   Southern California Division   Rochester Products   Ternstedt Manufacturing Division   United Motors Service   Vauxhall Motors

 Indiana Companies:  Bailey Products Corporation   Chrysler Kokomo Plant   Continental Steel Corporation  Converto Manufacturing    Cummins Engine Company   Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company   Delta Electric Company   Durham Manufacturing Company   Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation   Haynes Stellite Company   Hercules Body Company   Horton Manufacturing Company   Howe Fire Apparatus   J.D. Adams Company   Kokomo Spring Company   Magnavox  
Muncie Gear Works   Pierce Governor Company   Portland Forge and Foundry   Reliance Manufacturing Company   Republic Aviation Corporation - Indiana Division   Ross Gear and Tool Company   S.F. Bowser & Co.   Sherrill Research Corporation   Tokheim Oil Tank and Pump Company   Warner Gear   Wayne Pump Company   Wayne Works

Commercial Truck and Fire Apparatus Manufacturers:  American LaFrance   Autocar  
Biederman Motors Corporation   Brockway Motor Company   Detroit General   Diamond T   Duplex Truck Company   Federal Motor Truck   Four Wheel Drive Auto Company(FWD)   International Harvester   John Bean   Mack Truck   Marmon-Herrington Company   Michigan Power Shovel Company   Oshkosh Motor Truck Corporation   Pacific Car and Foundry   "Quick-Way" Truck Shovel Company   Reo Motor Car Company  Seagrave Fire Apparatus   Sterling Motor Truck Company    Ward LaFrance Truck Corporation   White Motor Company

Aviation Companies:  Abrams Instrument Corporation   Hughes Aircraft Company   Kellett Aviation Corporation   Laister-Kauffman Aircraft Corporation   Naval Aircraft Factory   P-V Engineering Forum, Inc.    Rudolf Wurlitzer Company-DeKalb Division  Schweizer Aircraft Corporation   Sikorsky Division of United Aircraft Corporation   St. Louis Aircraft Corporation   Timm Aircraft Corporation

Other World War Two Manufacturers: 
Air King Products   Allis-Chalmers   American Car and Foundry   American Locomotive   American Stove Company   Annapolis Yacht Yard  
Andover Motors Company   B.F. Goodrich   Baker War Industries   Baldwin Locomotive Works   Blood Brothers Machine Company   Boyertown Auto Body Works   Briggs & Stratton   Caterpillar   Cheney Bigelow Wire Works   Centrifugal Fusing   Chris-Craft   Clark Equipment Company   Cleaver-Brooks Company   Cleveland Tractor Company   Continental Motors   Cushman Motor Works   Crocker-Wheeler   Dail Steel Products   Detroit Wax Paper Company   Detrola   Engineering & Research Corporation   Farrand Optical Company   Federal Telephone and Radio Corp.   Firestone Tire and Rubber Company   Fruehauf Trailer Company   Fuller Manufacturing   Galvin Manufacturing   Gemmer Manufacturing Company   General Railway Signal Company   Gibson Guitar   Gibson Refrigerator Company   Goodyear   Hall-Scott   Hanson Clutch and Machinery Company   Harley-Davidson   Harris-Seybold-Potter   Herreshoff Manufacturing Company   Higgins Industries    Highway Trailer   Hill Diesel Company   Holland Hitch Company   Homelite Company   Horace E. Dodge Boat and Plane Corporation   Huffman Manufacturing   Indian Motorcycle   Ingersoll Steel and Disk   John Deere   Johnson Automatics Manufacturing Company   Kimberly-Clark   Kohler Company   Kold-Hold Company   Landers, Frary & Clark  Lima Locomotive Works   Lundberg Screw Products   MacKenzie Muffler Company   Massey-Harris   Matthews Company   McCord Radiator & Mfg. Company   Metal Mouldings Corporation   Miller Printing Machinery Company   Morse Instrument Company   Motor Products Corporation   Motor Wheel Corporation   National Cash Resgister Company   Novo Engine Company   O'Keefe & Merritt Company   Olofsson Tool and Die Company   Oneida Ltd   Otis Elevator   Owens Yacht   Pressed Steel Car Company   Queen City Manufacturing Company   R.G. LeTourneau   R.L. Drake Company   St. Clair Rubber Company   Samson United Corporation   Shakespeare Company   Sight Feed Generator Company   Simplex Manufacturing Company   Steel Products Engineering Company   St. Louis Car Company   Twin Disc Company   Victor Adding Machine Company   Vilter Manufacturing Company   Wells-Gardner   W.L. Maxson Corporation   W.W. Boes Company   Westfield Manufacturing Company   York-Hoover Body Company   Youngstown Steel Door Company  
   

Autocar in World War Two
Ardmore, PA
1897- 1954 in Ardmore, PA
1954-1980 - PA
Currently in Hagerstown, IN

This page updated 9-13-2023.

Autocar still exists after having its name pass through several different owners due to the consolidation of U.S. truck manufacturers in the last quarter of the 20th century.  Currently, the name Autocar is owned by Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, LLC, producing trucks in Hagerstown, IN.

Autocar World War Two Products:  The company produced 12,168 half-tracks of various models and 14,842 trucks of various sizes and types.  Autocar also converted 1,360 previously built M3 75mm half-tracks to the M3A1 configuration which was done in 1944 and 1945.  These vehicles and spare parts were built with contracts totaling $289,142,000.  These contracts made Autocar 85th in dollar value of World War Two production contracts.


Autocar won the Army-Navy "E" Award five times during World War Two.


Autocar won its first "E" award on August 1, 1942.  This letter is on display at the Boyertown Museum of Antique Vehicles, Boyertown, PA.  The museum has a dedicated Autocar display.  Author's photo added 6-18-2019.

Table 1 - Autocar World War Two Trucks Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army
The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945"
Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch January 21, 1946.

Type Autocar Model 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 Total
2 1-/2-ton 4x4, Chassis, COE U-2044 50 321         371
4-ton 6x6, Cargo SWB w/w C-7066 8           8
4-ton 6x6, Wrecker w/w C-7066 3           3
4-6-ton, 4x4 Tractor, COE U-7144   414 3,281 2,795 3,090 1,524 11,104
5-ton, 6x4, Cargo C-7064   1         1
5-ton, 4x2, Cargo C-70 2           2
5-ton, 4x2, Dump C-50 6           6
5-ton, 4x2, Stake and Platform C-50 1           1
5-ton, 4x2, Tractor 142" WB C-70T       27     27
5-6-ton, 4x4, Dump, COE U-8144T     1       1
5-6-ton, 4x4, Tractor, COE U-8144T   92 546 979 720 374 2,711
5-6-ton, 4x4, Van, COE U-8144T     286 256 65   607
Total   70 828 4,114 4057 3,875 1,898 14,842

Author's Note and Disclaimer:  The Detroit Office of Ordnance of the U.S. Army was the primary purchasing entity for vehicles for the U.S. Army during WWII.  It also purchased vehicles for the USMC, US Navy, and for Lend-Lease.  However, there were other organizations that also purchased vehicles including the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Air Force, U.S. Army Signal Corps, Navy Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, and foreign countries making direct purchases. 

Table 2 - Autocar World War Two Half-tracks Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army
The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945"
Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch January 21, 1946.

Type 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 Total
M2   424 1,325 1,243     2,992
M2A1       362 315   677
M3   672 1,001 1,992     3,665
M3A1       300     300
M3, 75mm gun   86 1,350 766     2,202
M15, multiple gun     80 600     680
M15A1, multiple gun       1,052 600   1,652
Total   1,182 3,756 6,315 915   12,168

 

Table 3 - Autocar Half-track M2 and M2A1 Ordnance Serial and Registration Numbers - Added 4-14-2020
Information obtained from "U.S. Half-tracks:  The Development and Deployment fo the U.S. Army half-track Vehicles" by David Doyle and published in 2014.  David obtained his information from 1944 Army Ordnance Records.
Date M2 M2A1 Ordnance Serial Numbers Registration Numbers Comments
1941-42 537   2-538 ?  
1942 1   5794 4019531  
1942 806   5795-6600 4018413-4019298  
1942-43 1,400   6601-8000 4019532-4020931  
1943 239   10001-10239 4024934-4021172  
1943-44   677 10240-10916 4021173-4025849  
1943 9   16321-16329 40111257-40111265 Special build for U.S. Navy.  No armament.
Total 2,992 677      

 

Table 4 - Autocar Half-track M3 and M3A1 Ordnance Serial and Registration Numbers - Added 4-14-2020
Information obtained from "U.S. Half-tracks:  The Development and Deployment fo the U.S. Army half-track Vehicles" by David Doyle and published in 2014.  David obtained his information from 1944 Army Ordnance Records and notes in his book that M3/M3A1 information does not match up with these type half-tracks still in existence.  This may be the reason there are discrepancies between the results in this table and Table 2.
Date M3 M3A1 Ordnance Serial Numbers Registration Numbers Comments
1941 520   2-521 400400-400919  
1941-42 641   1263-1903 410141-401781  
1942 312   6160-6471 4019219-4019530  
1942 4   34930-34933 ?  
1942   1,000 21831-22830 40109110-40110109  
1943   1,289 26941-28229 4065202-4066490  
Total 1,477 2,289 The total of 1,477 M3s and 2,289 M3A1s =3,766.  This does not match up with the totals in Table 2.  Sometime trying to match up production numbers from almost 80 years ago can be a challenge.
1944   113 40128-40240 The Registration numbers were carried over from the M3 numbers. Rebuilt into M3A1 from M3. 
1944   1,247 47636-48882 The Registration numbers were carried over from the M3 numbers. Rebuilt into M3A1 from M3.
Total   1,369      

 

Table 5 - Autocar 75mm GMC M3 Production - Added 12-6-2017

  Aug 41 Sep 41 Feb 42 Mar 42 Apr 42  May 42 Jun 42 Jul 42 Aug 42 Sep 42
Number Produced  61 25 1 150 269 274 175 49 112 139
                     
  Oct 42 Nov 42 Dec 42 Jan 43 Feb 43 Mar 43 Apr 43 Totals    
Number Produced  119 53 9 291 150 250 75 2,202    

 

Table 6 - Autocar M15 and M15A1 Half-track Production
This information is courtesy of Joe DeMarco.

Date T28E1 M15 M15A1 Ordnance Serial Numbers Registration Numbers
July 1942 20     1 - 20 4053380 - 4053399
Aug 1942 60     21 - 80 4053400 -4053459
Feb 1943   227   81 - 307 4083287 - 4083513
Mar 1943   272   308 - 579 4083514 - 4083785
April 1943   101   580 - 680 4083786 - 4083886
Total 80 600      
Oct 1943     100 682 - 781 40149399 - 40149498
Nov 1943     500 782 - 1281 40149499 -40149998
Dec 1943     452 1282 - 1733 40149999 - 40150450
Jan 1944     420 1734 - 2153 40150451 - 40150870
Feb 1944     180 2154 - 2333 40150871 - 40151050
Total 80 600 1,652    

Note:  The serial numbers skip one number between the M15 and M15A1.


This is a 1904 Autocar Runabout as seen at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI.  Autocar exited the car business in 1911 to specialize in commercial vehicles and trucks.  Autocar pioneered the use in the United States of more than a one cylinder engine along with the use of a driveshaft rather than chain drive.  This had a two cylinder engine producing 10 hp.  Author's Photo.


This 1926 Autocar dump truck is on display at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


This 1953 Autocar DC-75 shows how truck design was vastly different than it was 27 years earlier in 1926.  The 1953 DC-75 looks very much like contemporary trucks.  This vehicle is also on display at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum.   Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


This 1944 Autocar U-7144-T 4-ton truck was photographed at the 2017 World War Two Weekend in Reading PA.  It was one of 11,104 built during World War Two.  Author's photo added 6-7-2017.


Author's photo added 6-7-2017.


Author's photo added 5-6-2017.

The following six photos are of Autocar U-7144 serial number 11926 being restored at the Military Veterans Museum in Oshkosh, WI.

\
 Author's photo added 6-18-2019.


 Author's photo added 6-18-2019.


 Author's photo added 6-18-2019.


 The instrument panel and instruments are original to the truck.  Author's photo added 6-18-2019.


The truck has a build date of 12-6-1944.   Author's photo added 6-18-2019.


 Author's photo added 6-18-2019.

Autocar Vehicles on Display at the National Museum of the Military Vehicles in Dubois, WY:  The museum has the largest collection of World War Two Autocar trucks in the United States with five Autocars on display.  The collection includes a C90T, three U-7144Ts, and one U-8144T. 


This 1940 Autocar C90T is on outside covered display and is U.S. Navy markings.  The area it is located in is known as the Veterans Pavilion.  Note that the Autocar nameplate is mounted on the radiator grill.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Also in the Veterans Pavilion is this 1941 Autocar U-7144T with a tanker trailer attached.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


It is difficult to read all the information on the data plate.  However, the serial number can be identified as U7144TA172 and has a delivery date of 12-10-1941, three days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


This vehicle also has an Autocar name plate mounted to the front of the vehicle.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Inside the museum, there is another Autocar U-7144Ts on display in the truck gallery.  A visitor to the museum will see this 1942 hard covered cab tractor truck.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


This vehicle was delivered 31 days after the one shown previously that is located in the Veterans Pavilion.  It was delivered on 1-10-1942 with serial number U-7144TA530.  This indicates that Autocar built 358 units in that time period or twelve trucks per day if the company was working a seven day work week.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


This truck also has the company's name plate on the front grill.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


A third U-7144T is part of a collection of vehicles located outside along the Wind River.  This is a soft top with no nameplate on the grill nor data plate in the cab.  This and the next photo were taken under cloud cover late on an August afternoon.  Note the shade of olive drab paint on the truck under these lighting conditions.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


This photo was taken early the next morning not long after the sun came up over the mountains.  The early morning sunshine gives the truck a completely different look.  Lighting makes all the difference in what an object's color looks like.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


This very rare Autocar Model U-8144T is also along the Wind River.  This photo was taken in the afternoon a few minutes after the U-7144T.  The sun had come back out, giving the vehicle a tan appearance.  In my visits to museums and vehicle collections since starting this website, this is the only U-8144T that I have found.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


The data plate shows a serial number of U811TA10060.  The date of delivery appears to be 7-31-1944.  The year is not clearly legible.  Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.


Author's photo added 9-13-2023.

Half-Tracks:


This Autocar-built M15 was on display at the 2019 Conneaut, OH D-Day Re-enactment.  It is owned by Mark Poley and Friends of Rome, OH.  It is the third M15 built by Autocar.  The build date was February 1943 and carries Registration Number 4083289. Author's photo added 4-9-2020.


Author's photo added 4-9-2020.


Author's photo added 4-9-2020.


This original data plate shows both an Autocar serial number of M15-03 and an Ordnance serial number of 83.  Author's photo added 4-9-2020.


This Autocar M3 gun carriage is on display at the newly opened American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA.   Author's photo added 6-18-2019.


 Author's photo added 6-18-2019.


Author's photo added 6-18-2019.


This Autocar-built 75mm GMC is part of the collection of the U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection, Fort Moore, GA.  It was photographed in the early morning under the covered outside storage.  Author's photo added 10-2-2018.


This 75mm GMC is awaiting its turn in the restoration shop.  Author's photo added 10-2-2018.


Author's photo added 10-2-2018.


This view shows some of the track that is stored in the vehicle and the 75mm gun breach.  Author's photo added 10-2-2018.


Author's photo added 10-2-2018.


This pristine restoration was photographed at the 2013 Dayton Airshow.  Author's Photo.


Author's Photo.


A 1941Autocar M3 half-track as seen at the 2014 MVPA Convention in Louisville, KY.  Author's Photo added 8-5-2014.


Author's Photo added 8-5-2014.


Author's Photo added 8-5-2014.


Author's Photo added 8-5-2014.


This Autocar M15A1 is on display at the US Army Basic Combat Training Museum at Fort Jackson, SC.  Author's photo added 4-7-2015.


This photo shows the M1A2 37mm anti-aircraft gun mounted above the M2 .50 Browning machine guns.  Author's photo added 4-7-2015.

Below is a World War Two period Autocar magazine advertisement that shows the M15 in action. 

 

 

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