The Diamond T Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer. They produced commercial and military trucks.

History

The Diamond T Motor Car Company was founded in Chicago in 1905 by C. A. Tilt. Reportedly, the company name was created when Tilt’s shoe-making father fashioned a logo featuring a big “T” (for Tilt) framed by a diamond, which signified high quality. The company's hood emblem on trucks was a sled dog in harness. From its beginnings manufacturing touring cars, the company later became known for its

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

s. By 1967, as a subsidiary of

White Motor Company The White Motor Company was an American automobile, truck, bus and agricultural tractor manufacturer from 1900 until 1980. The company also produced bicycles, roller skates, automatic lathes, and sewing machines. Before World War II, the compa ...

, it was merged with

Reo Motor Company The REO Motor Car Company was a company based in Lansing, Michigan, which produced automobiles and trucks from 1905 to 1975. At one point, the company also manufactured buses on its truck platforms. Ransom E. Olds was an entrepreneur who founded ...

to become Diamond Reo Trucks, Inc. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Diamond T produced a classic heavy truck in the 980/981, a

prime mover Prime mover may refer to: Philosophy *Unmoved mover, a concept in Aristotle's writings Engineering * Prime mover (engine), motor, a machine that converts various other forms of energy (chemical, electrical, fluid pressure/flow, etc) into energy ...

which was quickly acquired by the

British Purchasing Commission The British Purchasing Commission was a United Kingdom organisation of the Second World War. Also known at some time as the "Anglo-French Purchasing Board", it was based in New York City, where it arranged the production and purchase of armaments fr ...

for duty as a

tank transporter A tank transporter is a combination of a heavy tractor unit and a mating full trailer or semi-trailer (typically of the "lowboy" type), used for transporting tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. Some also function as tank recovery vehi ...

tractor. Coupled with a Rogers trailer, the truck gave sterling service with the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

in North Africa Campaign, where its power and rugged construction allowed the rescue of damaged tanks in the most demanding of conditions. In addition Diamond T built the entire range of the G509 series 4 ton 6X6s, including cargo, dump, semi tractor, and wrecker trucks, as well as some lighter trucks, and even G7102 half tracks. Diamond T ranked 47th among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts. Diamond T manufactured three pickup trucks: The Model 80,201 and the Model 202. The pickups were powered by the Hercules QX-series 6-cylinder engines. The model 80 was produced from 1936 to 1938 and the Model 201 was produced from 1938 to 1949. Diamond T Truck 1937

Cars

Diamond T produced

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...

s in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

from 1905 to 1911. The models produced were powerful

touring car Touring car and tourer are both terms for open cars (i.e. cars without a fixed roof). "Touring car" is a style of open car built in the United States which seats four or more people. The style was popular from the early 1900s to the 1930s. Th ...

s of up to 70 hp.

Trucks

Commercial models

1928-1929 brought major mechanical improvements across the entire range. A closed cab with doors was introduced. All-wheel hydraulic drum brakes were used. Six-cylinder engines were available from Continental and Hercules for heavy trucks and a four-cylinder Buda powered light trucks. All trucks had geared-differential rear axles. By 1929 there were chassis load ratings (the weight of the body and payload) up to 12 tons (10,900 kg) on three axles. 1933-1935 In 1933 a new all-steel covered cab with doors and roll-up windows was introduced. In a 1935 model year style change it had been improved with a "streamlined" V-style windshield. This cab would be used on commercial and military trucks until replaced in 1951. In 1935 the trucks were also improved mechanically and new models were introduced. They developed through the rest of the 1930s. In 1940 Hercules six-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines up to were used and Cummins diesels up to were introduced in 1940. 1940-1942 In 1940 Hercules six-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines up to were used and Cummins diesels up to were introduced. In 1942 improved models went into production and then stopped after only 530 units for military production of tactical trucks and half-tracks. 1946-1947 Production of commercial trucks was stopped for military production in 1942. A small number of commercial trucks began to be built in 1944 and more in 1945. In 1946, the first year of full commercial production, there were five models, in 1947 there were fourteen. After World War II heavy trucks were measured by Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), the total weight of the chassis, body, and payload. In 1947 there were chassis rated from to with conventional, sleeper, and COE models. Annual model changes were discontinued and many models continued unchanged until 1950. Gasoline and diesel engines were offered by Continental, Cummins, and Hercules. Single and tandem rear axles were available in many wheelbases.

Military models

Model 980/981 12-ton 6x4 trucks ( G159) were ballast tractors used as tank transporters. Designed for the British military they were also used by the US Army. Powered by a Hercules DFXE diesel engine developing and geared very low, it could pull a trailer of up to and proved capable of the task of moving the heaviest tanks then in service. Early trucks used a standard Diamond T commercial cab (also used by the 4-ton G509 trucks). In August 1943 it was replaced with an open military cab. A long butterfly hood had vertical louvers along both sides. A short ballast body was mounted behind a mid-mounted winch. There were closed tool compartments along both sides, two open containers in the front, and a bottom-hinged tailgate. The box could hold of ballast to increase traction on the rear tandem axles. When paired with the M9 Rogers trailer, the combination was designated the

M19 tank transporter The M19 Tank Transporter (List of U.S. military vehicles by supply catalog designation, US supply catalog designation G159) was a heavy tank transporter system used in World War II and into the 1950s. It consisted of a 12-ton 6x4 (drivetrain), 6x ...

. A number of cars were delivered to the USSR under Lend-Lease during WWII. Model 968 4-ton 6x6 truck ( G509) Prime mover cargo trucks entered production as the standard 4-ton 6x6 chassis in 1941. It was produced with both a closed steel commercial-style cab and later an open military cab. It was designed to tow a ??? gun and carry its crew and ammunition. The chassis was used for different bodies but the majority of 4-tons were Model 968s. Standard models were powered by the 6 cyl., Hercules RXC engine that developed mated to a five speed manual transmission and two speed transfer case. The truck weighed and could tow . Model 967 was a pre-standard prime mover cargo truck (21 were built as wreckers). Produced in early 1941, it was fitted with Hercules RXB inline six cylinder engine. Distinguishable by one piece brush guard on the front. Model 969 Wrecker was the US Army's standard medium wrecker during World War II. It was equipped with the Holmes W-45 heavy-duty military wrecker bed with its twin boom and two 5-ton winches at the front of the bed as well as a front-mounted winch. A variety of other recovery equipment was carried, along with its own air compressor. It weighed and could tow . Model 970 Cargo truck was designed to carry bridging pontoons. The bed is longer than the 968. Model 972 dump truck was the largest the US Army had during World War II. Originally they were not fitted with front winches in order to reduce front axle loading. After a Corps of Engineers request, winches were fitted from June 1944 onwards. Model 975 was a bridge truck built for Canada.

Notes

References

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External links

Diamond T (and REO) Trucks (Hank's Truck Pictures)
{{Trucking industry in the United States, state=collapsed Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Defunct truck manufacturers of the United States Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Illinois Military trucks of the United States Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1905 1905 establishments in Illinois Defunct manufacturing companies based in Illinois