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   General Electric Kokomo Plant   Haynes Stellite Company   Hercules Body Company   Horton Manufacturing Company   Howe Fire Apparatus   International Machine Tool Company   J.D. Adams Company   Kokomo Spring Company   Magnavox   Muncie Gear Works   Pierce Governor Company   Portland Forge and Foundry   Reliance Manufacturing Company-Kokomo Plant   Reliance Manufacturing Company-Washington Plant   Republic Aviation Corporation - Indiana Division   Ross Gear and Tool Company   S.F. Bowser & Co.   Sherrill Research Corporation   Sullivan Machinery Company   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    Frankfort Sailplane Company   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   Badger Meter Manufacturing Company   B.F. Goodrich   Baker War Industries   Baldwin Locomotive Works   Blood Brothers Machine Company   Boyertown Auto Body Works   Briggs & Stratton   Burke Electric Company   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   Gerstenslager 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 Corporation  Hill Diesel Company   Holland Hitch Company   Homelite Company   Horace E. Dodge Boat and Plane Corporation   Huffman Manufacturing   Indian Motorcycle   Ingersoll Steel and Disk   Iron Fireman Manufacturing Company   John Deere   Johnson Automatics Manufacturing Company   Kimberly-Clark   Kohler Company   Kold-Hold Company   Landers, Frary & Clark   Le Roi Company  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   Pressed Steel Tank Company   Queen City Manufacturing Company   R.G. LeTourneau   Richardson Boat Company   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   York-Shipley, Inc.   Youngstown Steel Door Company  
   

Other Kalamazoo Companies in World War Two:  Checker Car Company   Gibson Guitar   Ingersoll Steel and Disk  Shakespeare Company
Fuller Manufacturing During World War Two
Kalamazoo, MI
1902-1904 as Michigan Automotive Company
1904-1958 as Fuller Manufacturing
1958-Present as part of Eaton

This page updated 1-7-2024.


Fuller Manufacturing built transmissions for the largest trucks used by the U.S. Army in World War Two.  None were larger than the M26 tractor, known as the "Dragon Wagon," which transported tanks as large as the 32-ton Sherman tank.  Author's photo added 1-7-2024.

Fuller Manufacturing began in 1902 as the Michigan Automobile Company.  Its main product was the "Michigan" automobile.  Like many automotive companies of the early 20th Century, Fuller Manufacturing produced many of its own components and started producing transmissions and clutches in 1903.  It began focusing on producing more transmissions and clutches for outside companies and phased out its automotive vehicle production in 1908.  At this time, Fuller was building both passenger car and truck transmissions, as they were basically the same.  In 1923, with trucks becoming bigger and heavier, Fuller stopped making passenger car transmissions to focus on heavy duty truck applications.  During World War Two, Fuller Manufacturing supplied transmissions for the U.S. Army's biggest and heaviest trucks.

In 1958, Fuller Manufacturing was purchased by Eaton Manufacturing.  Fuller transmissions were then marketed under the name Eaton Fuller.  Currently, Eaton still manufactures some of its transmissions with the Fuller name in a plant east of Kalamazoo in Galesburg, MI.

Fuller Manufacturing World War Two Production:  The company built a minimum of 95,037 transmissions during the war.  This is the amount shown below from various historical records.  There may still be other undocumented transmissions built by Fuller Manufacturing during World War Two.  Fuller Manufacturing had one major contract for $73,000 awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers for power shovel truck parts.  The company may also have had other contracts awarded for less than $50,000, which was the minimum amount required to be listed as a major contract.

 Table 1 - World War Two Vehicles Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army with Fuller Manufacturing Transmissions
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.
Fuller Manufacturing Model Number Vehicle Type 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 Total
Four-Ton              
5B-33-SP Five Speed Four Wheel Drive Truck 4-ton, 4x4 Cargo HAR-1     4,584 2,416   7,000
               
Five-Ton              
5A-62 Five Speed  International Harvester 5-ton 4x2 Tractor SWB light duty 120 inch WB H-542-9 M425       4,030 610 4,640
5A-62 Five Speed  International Harvester 5-ton 4x2 Tractor SWB heavy duty 120 inch WB H-542-15 M426       4,850 1,828 6,678
5A-62 Five Speed Kenworth Harvester 5-ton 4x2 Tractor SWB heavy duty 120 inch WB M426       750 350 1,100
5A-62 Five Speed Marmon Herrington 5-ton 4x2 Tractor SWB heavy duty 120 inch WB M426       2,000 1,200 3,200
               
Six-Ton              

4A-86 Four Speed

 Corbitt 6-ton 6x6 Prime Mover 50SD6  503 397 699 847 765 3,211
4A-86 Four Speed White 6-ton 6x6 Prime Mover 666    726 795 669 1,756 3,946
4A-86 Four Speed Brockway 6-ton 6x6 Chassis w/w for the Daybrook M-II-A Bridge Erector B-666   384 641 141   1,166
4A-86 Four Speed Four Wheel Drive 6-ton 6x6 Chassis w/w for the Daybrook M-II-A Bridge Erector         168 168
4A-86 Four Speed Ward LaFrance 6-ton 6x6 Chassis w/w for the Daybrook M-II-A Bridge Erector       157 432 589
4A-86 Four Speed White 6-ton 6x6 Chassis w/w for the Daybrook M-II-A Bridge Erector 666CE       823 329 1,152
4A-86 Four Speed Brockway 6-ton 6x6 Chassis w/w for Quickway Crane C-666     237 609 466 1,312
4A-86 Four Speed White 6-ton 6x6 Chassis Van 666   1,062 808     1,870
4A-86 Four Speed  Brockway 6-ton 6x6 Chassis, Fire F-666       174 96 270
4A-86 Four Speed White 6-ton 6x6 Tank Gas 2000 Gal 666     25     25
4A-86 Four Speed White 6-ton 6x6 Tractor 666         112 112
               
Ten-Ton              
 5A-620-SP Five Speed Ward LaFrance 10-ton 6x6 Heavy Wrecker M1, M1A1 82 1,033 1,454 1,488 868 4,925
 5A-620-SP Five Speed Kenworth 10-ton 6x6 Heavy Wrecker M1, M1A1   238 602 0 0 840
               
Twelve-Ton              
 4B-86 Four Speed Diamond T 12-ton 6x4 Tractor M20 425 1,623 1,198 1,779 846 5,871
               
Twenty-Ton              
 4B-86 Four Speed with Remote Control Pacific Car and Foundry 10-ton 6x6 Truck-Tractor M26     300 453   753
 4B-86 Four Speed with Remote Control Pacific Car and Foundry 10-ton 6x6 Truck-Tractor M26A1       275 344 619
               
Grand Total Vehicles and Transmissions             49,447

 

 Table 2 - World War Two Vehicles Purchased by the U.S. Navy with Fuller Manufacturing Transmissions
The information below comes from "Master Parts Book - International 2-1/2-Ton 6x6 Truck Model M-5H-8" dated January 15, 1944.
The quantity for the SU-COE is an estimate.
Fuller Manufacturing Model Number Type Total
5-A-430 International Harvester 2-1/2-ton 6x6 M-5H-6 40,087
Grand Total Vehicles and Transmissions   40,487

 

 Table 3 - Other World War Two Vehicles Purchased with Fuller Manufacturing Transmissions
The HAR-01 and HAR-03 were direct purchased by the Canadians and British for use by United Kingdom forces.
The G-55A was a direct purchase by the "Quick-Way"
Fuller Manufacturing Model Number Type Total
5B-33-SP Four Wheel Drive Truck 4-ton, 4x4 Cargo  HAR-01 1,633
5B-33-SP   Four Wheel Drive Truck 4-ton, 4x4 Cargo HAR-03 1,524
5A-650 Five Speed Coleman Truck 5-ton 4x4  for "Quick-Way" crane G-55 1,680
Grand Total Vehicles and Transmissions   4,837

 

Table 4 - Sterling Motor Truck Company Vehicle with Fuller Manufacturing Transmissions
Information obtained from Warren Richardson, Sterling Truck Historian
Table added 1-7-2024.
Fuller Manufacturing Model Number Sterling Vehicle Type Total
5A430 Five Speed MC96 4
5A-62 Five Speed HC144 5
5A-62 Five Speed HC145 18
5A-62 Five Speed HC165 6
5A430 Five Speed HC105 1
4B86 Four Speed  HCS330 56
5A430 Five Speed HD105 25
5A620 Five Speed DD115 50
4B86 Four Speed HWS160H 1
5A620 Five Speed DDS150 100
Total   266

 

 Table 5 - Total Known World War Two Vehicles Purchased with Fuller Manufacturing Transmissions
Table Total
1 49,447
2 40,487
3 4,837
4 266
Grand Total Vehicles and Transmissions 95,037

 

Table 6 - Fuller Manufacturing Company's Major World War Two Contracts
The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945."  This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division. 
Product - Customer Contract Amount Contract Awarded Completion Date
Power Shovel Truck Parts - Army $73,000 1-1944 7-1944
Total $73,000    

Fuller Manufacturing 5-A-430 Transmission:


Engineering drawing courtesy of Warren Richardson added 1-7-2024. 


Specification sheet courtesy of Warren Richardson added 1-7-2024.   


The smallest truck for which Fuller Manufacturing built transmissions was the International Harvester 6x6 2-1/2-ton M-5H-6.  40,087 were purchased by the U.S. Navy for its use and for use by the United States Marine Corps.  This is the standardized cargo version of the vehicle.  All versions used the Fuller Manufacturing 5-A-430 transmission.  Author's photo added 1-7-2024 from the National Museum of Military Vehicles, Dubois, WY.

Fuller Manufacturing 5-B-33 Transmission:


Engineering drawing courtesy of Warren Richardson added 1-7-2024.


Specification sheet courtesy of Warren Richardson added 1-7-2024.


The Four Wheel Drive HAR-1 was purchased by Army Ordnance and then given to both the Russians and British through Lend-Lease.  The HAR-1 was equipped with a Fuller Manufacturing five-speed 5B-33 transmission.


This Four Wheel Drive Auto Company HAR-1 is part of the "Wheels of Liberation" military vehicle collection in Gettysburg, PA.  This is how the vehicle looked when it arrived from its previous owner.  Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 10-28-2022.


I was able to visit the "Wheels of Liberation" in September 2022.  The HAR-1 had just been bead blasted to remove the sand-colored paint so it could be repainted in the original olive-drab.  Author's photo added 10-28-2022.


Due to the fact that the cab had been removed, I was able to photograph the Fuller Manufacturing five-speed 5B-33 transmission.  Author's photo added 10-28-2022.


Author's photo added 10-28-2022.

Fuller Manufacturing 5-A-650 Transmission:


This Coleman advertisement shows that it used a Fuller 5A-650 five-speed transmission.  Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 10-28-2022.

Fuller Manufacturing 5-A-62 Transmission:


Engineering drawing courtesy of Warren Richardson added 1-7-2024.


Specification sheet courtesy of Warren Richardson added 1-7-2024.


The International Harvester 5-ton 4x2 Tractor light duty 120 inch WB H-542-9 M425s were equipped with 4,640 5A-62 five-speed transmissions.  The very similar  5-ton 4x2 Tractor SWB heavy duty 120 inch WB H-542-15 M426 also used this transmission.  Marmon-Herrington and Kenworth also built the M426 during World War Two.  In total, Fuller provided 15,618 transmissions for these vehicles.   Author's photo. 


It was the M425 and M426 pulling trailers that were able to supply the quantities of supplies to the advancing American armies in Europe during World War Two.  Author's photo.  


This 1945 Marmon-Herrington-converted H-542-H11C was seen at the World War II American Experience Museum in Gettysburg, PA.  It was on outside display for an open house at this excellent museum.  This vehicle is equipped with a Fuller 5A-62 five-speed transmission.  This vehicle was originally built as an H-542-H1C 5-ton 4x2 light duty tractor.  This is one of 1,200 H-542-H1C light duty tractors Marmon-Herington converted into the H-542-H11C heavy duty configuration.  Author's photo added 10-28-2022. 


The Fuller 5A-62 five-speed transmission for the M425 and M426.

Fuller Manufacturing 4A-86 Transmission:


This White Model 666 6-ton 6x6 is similar to the 13,821 trucks built by Corbitt, Brockway, Four Wheel Drive, and White that utilized the Fuller 4A-86 four speed transmission.  Author's photo.


The original 6-ton 6x6 trucks were built by the Corbitt Company of Henderson, NC.  This Corbitt Company-built 50SD6 6-ton 6x6 truck is part of the collection of the World War Two American Experience Museum in Gettysburg, PA.  Author's photo added 1-7-2024.


This Brockway 6-ton 6x6 truck is the bridge erecting vehicle of this series of trucks.  Author's photo added 1-7-2024 from the National Museum of Military Vehicles, Dubois, WY.
 

Fuller Manufacturing 4A-620 Transmission:


Engineering drawing courtesy of Warren Richardson added 1-7-2024.


Specification sheet courtesy of Warren Richardson added 1-7-2024.


This Ward LaFrance Series 2 M1 heavy wrecker came equipped with a Fuller 5A-620-SP five speed transmission.  The 5A-620-SP had a very low first gear with fourth gear being direct drive.  Fifth gear was overdrive.  Author's photo.


Author's photo.


 The later M1A1 Ward LaFrance heavy wrecker also came equipped with the Fuller 5A-620-SP five speed transmission.  Author's photo.

Fuller Manufacturing 4B-86 Transmission:


The Diamond T 12-ton 6x4 Tractor M20 had Fuller 4B-86 transmission.  Author's photo.


The Diamond T M20 pulled an M9 trailer.  Author's photo.


Author's photo.


This is a cross-sectional view of the Fuller 4B-86.  It was also used in the M25A1 "Dragon Wagon" pictured below.


On display at the Museum of American Armor in New Bethpage, Long Island, NY is this M25 tank transporter, which consists of an M26A1 tractor and an M15A2 semi-trailer.  The tractor was built by Pacific Car and Foundry, and the trailer by Fruehauf Trailer Company.  Fuller Manufacturing supplied the transmission.  Author's photo.

Fuller Manufacturing Plants:


This is the Fuller Manufacturing facility on Prouty Street in Kalamazoo.  This view is looking southeast.  Prouty Street is in the center of the photo, which intersects with North Pitcher Street in the background.  The two large four-story factories were started in 1916.  The building on the left side of the photo on the north side of Prouty Street was built after World War Two.  It is the only building that still exists, as the structures on the south side of Prouty Street have been razed and re-purposed.


This Sanborn map shows that the south four-story building was built in 1916 with the north four-story factory built two years later.  An addition to the north factory was added in 1941.  It was in this factory complex that Fuller built transmissions for World War Two service.
 

 

 

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