York-Hoover Body Corporation in World War Two
York, PA
1928-1958

This page updated 11-23-2023.

The York-Hoover Body Corporation can trace its history back to York Wagon Gear Company that began business in 1892.  Mr. Peter Keller started the company to supply York, PA's local wagon and carriage manufacturers with gears, axles, and bodies.  This was the beginning of a series of different companies that eventually became the York-Hoover Body Corporation in 1928.  Mr. Keller began his business at 700 Linden Avenue York, PA at the intersection of Linden and Belvidere Avenues.  When the original building burned down due to a fire, he rebuild his factory at the original location.

This is 700 Linden Avenue in York, PA and the location of the beginning of the York-Hoover Corporation.  This plant, while not the main York-Hoover manufacturing plant for the company during World War Two, was still in use during the war.  Image courtesy of Google Maps Image added 11-23-2023.

Henry Ford allowed early Model Ts to be equipped with bodies furnished by other companies such as the York Wagon Gear Company.  In 1917, Mr. Keller renamed his company the York Body Company to better align with the bodies the company was building for the Model T.  The 1921 Ford Model T Huckster Wagon is typical of the type of bodies York built.  This vehicle is on display at the Model T Museum in Richmond, IN.  Author's photo Image added 11-23-2023.

York also furnished station wagon and other types of bodies for the Model T.  Author's photo from the Model T Museum Image added 11-23-2023.

In 1928 the York Body Company merged with the Hoover Body Company, also of York, PA, and became the York-Hoover Body Corporation.

The York-Hoover Body Corporation won the Army-Navy "E" Award five times during World War Two.

The Corporation won the first award on November 10, 1942.  It then received the remaining awards in May 26,1943, December 4,1943, June 3, 1944, and December 9,1944.  All of the awards were initiated by the Army Signal Corps in recognition of the outstanding on-time work record the company had in supplying equipment to help win World War Two.

York-Hoover Body Corporation World War Two Products:  Table 1 shows that the company produced $5,696,000 in major contracts during the war.  $4,683,000, or 82.2% was for the Army Signal Corps.  The York-Hoover Body Corporation produced an estimated 2,531 van/truck bodies for the war effort

During the war, York-Hoover employed 300 persons, building various bodies for the military.  The prototype plus the first 70 production jeeps that American Bantam Car Company built had York-Hoover bodies.  York-Hoover, due to other commitments, could not make any more bodies for the American Bantam-built Jeeps.  They did, however, produce ambulance bodies, fire apparatus, trailers, and truck bodies for the Signal-Corps such as the K-38 cable splicing trailer and the K53 van body.

*as needed.

This World War Two era photo shows a typical van/truck body.  Image added 11-23-2023.

This page from tech manual 9-8200 shows that the company produced the K-38 cable splicing trailer.  However, there is no record in the Major
Contract listing or other document to indicate the number built. 

This 1942 York-Hoover Officer's Trailer is on display at the Sam Werner Military Museum in Monteagle, TN.  This trailer and the one shown below may be what the Signal Corps referred to as a "shelter."  There is no documentation to verify this.  Author's photo.

Author's photo.

Author's photo.

This and the next two photos are of a restoration project on a York-Hoover trailer by Mr. George Reinke.  The data plate indicates that it is a 1942 -R-T-140, and appears to be some sort of communications trailer.  Mr. Reinke is looking for any assistance in the further identification and purpose of this trailer.  Photo provided by George Reinke. 

Note the six white porcelain insulators on the side of the trailer.  The trailer is 7.5 feet long and is divided into two sections.  The front portion that can be seen through the window appears to be a radio operator's compartment.   Photo provided by George Reinke. 

If you have any information that can be helpful in identifying this trailer, please email me at the email address at the bottom of this page.  Photo provided by George Reinke. 

York-Hoover Body Corporation Factories:

700 Linden Avenue in York, PA is the original location of the York Wagon Gear Company that in 1928 became the York-Hoover Body Corporation.  This was the main manufacturing plant until 1940 when a new one was built at the intersection of Elm and Albemarle Streets in York, PA.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This building is shown as 700 Linden Avenue.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This image was taken at the intersection of Linden and North Belvedere Avenues.  The former factory has been converted to lofts.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

The tall two story building was added after the original factory as the brick is a different color.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This addition along Linden Avenue is also of more recent construction due to the use of tan colored bricks.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

In 1940, a new plant was built at the intersection of Elm and South Albemarle Streets.  It is unknown whether the company occupied only the building that is now occupied by TC Warehousing or also the one that is now the Haas Architectural Millwork.  This location was the main plant during World War Two.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This image is the northeast corner of the complex and shows the railroad that ran north of the plant.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This image is looking northwest from the intersection of Elm and South Albemarle Streets.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This is the west end of the TC Warehousing building, and may had also been the west end of the York-Hoover Body plant.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This is the east end of the current Haas Architectural Millwork plant.  It may or may not have been part of the York-Hoover factory complex.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This is the west end of the Haas Architectural Millwork plant along Elm Street.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.

This image shows the railroad track that is north of the factory complex from the northwest corner of the complex.  Image courtesy of Google Maps added 11-23-2023.