Simplex Manufacturing Company in World War Two

Simplex Manufacturing Company in World War Two
New Orleans, LA
1935-1975

This page updated 9-17-2024.

Simplex Manufacturing Company was formed in 1935 by Paul Treen to make a light-weight motorcycle. This was the Servi-Cycle which was produced until the mid-1950s. After that, the company made mini-bikes and go-karts until 1975, using engines of its own design.

Mr. Paul Treen was the inventor of the Servi-Cycle, which he began developing in 1928. The primary reason he invented the Servi-Cycle was to provide a method of low-cost, dependable transportation. He also realized that in order to do this, he required a modern factory with the best equipment available. The outside of just such a factory is shown in the next photo. The photo above and the factory photo below are from an undated Servi-Cycle sales brochure which is most likely a post-World War Two document. This document gives the only known view of the methods used to manufacture the Servi-Cycle. There are more photos of the plant operation at the bottom of this page.

Between 1928, when Mr. Treen first designed the Servi-Cycle and when production began in 1935, Mr. Treen had to overcome some obstacles. A year after he designed the Servi-Cycle, the stock market crashed and eventually the country and the world entered the Great Depression. Somehow, during this time he was able to find investors to raise the cash needed to buy the necessary tools and machines, build or lease a factory, and then hire and meet payroll for his employees. How he did this has been lost to history. However, the Simplex Manufacturing Company was able to begin business during the Depression with a new product to help persons with their transportation needs. This in itself was a huge accomplishment for the times.

The Simplex factory in New Orleans was a block long. It's address was 540 North Carrollton Ave. Mr. Treen saw to it that the factory and its offices were air-conditioned for the benefit of the employees. A constant temperature also allowed for more accuracy in machined parts. The factory also had "occupational" music played in the plant. Photo added 9-1-2022.

The factory was razed after Simplex went out of business and the area re-developed into a shopping area. This Google Maps street view shows the same area today. With the newness of the buildings, it appears that the factory was razed in the recent past. Photo added 9-1-2022.

Simplex Manufacturing Company World War Two Production: The company only had one major contract for its Servi-Cycles used by paratroopers in World War Two. The 652 Servi-Cycles were built at a unit cost of $258.59. Most likely the company engaged in subtracting work for other companies in New Orleans such as Higgins Industries.

Table 1 - Simplex 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	Contract Amount	Contract Awarded	Completion Date
Bicycles, Motor Driven	$136,000	5-1943	9-1943
Total	$136,000

Table 2 - Simplex Manufacturing Company Bicycles, Motor Driven 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
Bicycles, Motor Driven (Servi-Cycles)			152	500			652

Table 3 - Simplex Manufacturing Company Products Information in this table was provided by Alex Schmidt. Table added 8-29-2022.
Model Type	Dates of Production
Prototypes	1933, 1934, 1935
1935 Model	11-1935 through 4-1936
1936 Model	5-1936 through late 1936 or early 1937
1937 Model	Late 1936 or early 1937 through 9-1937
1938 Model	10-1937 through late 1938 or early 1939
1939 Model	Late 1938 or early 1939 through late 1939 or early 1940
1940 Model	Late 1939 or early 1940 through 3-1940
G Model	4-1940 through 12-1944
H Model	1-1945 through 9-1947
48 Model	10-1947 through 8-1948
J Model	9-1948 through 1-1949
K Model	2-1949 through 6-1949
L Model	7-1949 through 12-1951
M Model	1-1952 through late 1960
Scooters and Go-Karts	Early 1961 through early 1972

In March 2022, I photographed this Simplex Manufacturing Company-built Servi-Cycle at the National Museum of World War Two in New Orleans, LA. I was surprised to see this as it had not been on display when I previously visited the museum in 2017. Also, until I saw this display I was unaware that American paratroopers used this type of vehicle in World War Two. Therefore, this was a new discovery for me and was one of several new things I learned on my repeat visit to the Museum.

Mr. Dave Johnson of New Orleans restored this vehicle for the owner, who has loaned it to the museum for display. Mr. Johnson has verified that this unit was built in 1945. This is because it has an "H" serial number. This particular unit has crash bars, indicating it may have been built after the war ended.

It is hard to see in this photo, but the first letter is an "H." The serial number on the vehicle is H6269. Author's photo added 8-29-2022.

This image shows Servi-Cycle H6269 in Mr. Dave Johnson's shop at the beginning of his restoration. Image courtesy of Mr. Dave Johnson added 9-17-2024.

This image clearly shows the "H" in the serial number. Image courtesy of Mr. Dave Johnson added 9-17-2024.

Restoration complete! Image courtesy of Mr. Dave Johnson added 9-17-2024.

Mr. Johnson advised me that the United States Army Air Forces purchased Servi-Cycles for post-war bomber crews to assist in traveling the long distances at air force bases. This may well have been one of those. Image courtesy of Mr. Dave Johnson added 9-17-2024.

Since my last visit, the National Museum of World War Two has added a special display of Louisiana companies that contributed to the winning of World War Two. Included in the display is the Servi-Cycle H6269. Image courtesy of Mr. Dave Johnson added 9-17-2024.

This photo is part of the information from the Servi-Cycle placard at the National Museum of World War Two. It shows Chaplain Francis L. Sampson of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment on a G-A-1 Servi-Cycle in Holland. Note that the G-A-1 does not have the crash guard on it. Image added 8-29-2022.

This photo was taken on September 17, 1944, as these paratroopers and C-47 aircrew wait to load for Operation Market Garden. A G-A-1 Servi-Cycle is in the photo. Photo added 8-29-2022 courtesy of Alex Schmidt.

The vehicle does not have a crash guard. Photo added 8-29-2022 courtesy of Alex Schmidt.

Mr. Alex Schmidt has also provided me with information on the Servi-Cycle. According to his research, there are only two known G-A-1s still in existence. He owns one which is waiting to be restored and the other is at the Dead Mans' Corner Museum in France. Below are eight photos of this vehicle courtesy of Alex Schmidt of the Dead Man's Corner Museum's G-A-1. These were all added 8-29-2022.

There is no crash guard on this unit.

The G-A-1 Servi-Cycle was powered by a 2-stroke engine that had a range of 250 miles on 2.5 gallons of gasoline. It had a top speed of 30 miles per hour. The engine had twin sparkplugs and had a Simplex-designed magneto for the dual ignition system.

This 1949 "Chief" Servi-Cycle is on display at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI. Author's photo added 9-14-2024.

Author's photo added 9-14-2024.

The several pages from the manual for the G-A-1 below were also provided by Mr. Alex Schmidt and added 8-29-2022.

The photo from the manual shows that there is no crash guard on the G-A-1.

Post-World War Two Simplex Manufacturing Company Military Servi-Cycles:

Interestingly enough, the day before I received Mr. Schmidt's July 2022 email, I was at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force in Pooler, GA. While there I photographed a Servi-Cycle on display under the wing of the Museum's B-17. I was able to determine that this was a 1953 unit because of the date on the data plate. This data plate also indicates this unit was purchased by the U.S. Army.

Author's photo.

Note the Army Ordnance inspector's stamp and the date of August 1953. This shows that the U.S. Army purchased a number of these in the 1950s. This is serial number M138835 indicating that the Army was buying the standard commercial M model. It is Ordnance type ORD-16697.

The Simplex Manufacturing Process: The undated Servi-Cycle sales manual was used to show the manufacturing process to prospective distributors, such as bicycle and motorcycle shops, so they would know they would be selling a quality product to their customers. The sales manual is the only known information available on this unique company's product. All of the photos below were added 9-1-2022.

This is the machine shop. Note the speakers on the wall to play "occupational" music.

Farther along the wall these operators are machining cylinder heads.

In this operation, the worker is bending the leg-guard from one inch steel tubing. This operation was not required for World War Two G-A-1 model for the U.S. Army.

In the welding shop, the frames of the Servi-Cycles are welded. There is a speaker mounted to the wall to play music.

The frame is being welded Inside a welding booth.

Once the frames are welded, they are run through a paint dip tank while hanging on a conveyor. Then they go through the infra-red heat lamps of the drying oven which dries the parts in eight minutes.

In final assembly, twenty different subassemblies come together to make a Servi-Cycle.

The plant has at least three final assembly lines.

Once the Servi-Cycles come off the final assembly line, they are put on one of the two dynamometers shown at the back of the room. Here they are run up to full speed and given a full functional testing of all of the systems. Any repairs that are needed are made by the two repairmen in the foreground. These would have been the most experienced mechanics in the factory.

When the process is complete, another Servi-Cycle is ready to ship to the customer. This appears to be a base unit as it does not have a leg guard on it. The rear tire also needs some air.

Or one could purchase the super-deluxe model with lots of chrome parts and saddle bags with fringe. This one even has the tires pumped up.

In 1947 a standard Model H cost $278.25 and a deluxe mode $300.

The Model H came out before I was born. However, later models were produced while I was a youngster and going to grade school. I think I remember seeing teenagers in the neighborhood driving Servi-Cycles on the streets.

In 1964 both The Beach Boys and The Hondells had hits with the song "Little Honda." The arrival of Japanese motorcycles and the sales they generated in the United States may well have played a part in the demise of the Simplex Manufacturing Company and the Servi-Cycle. This 1966 Honda 50 is on display at the Gilmore Car Museum. Author's photo added 9-17-2024.