The Hanson Motor Company was founded in December 1917 in
Atlanta, Georgia by George W. Hanson and Don M. Ferguson.
It lasted until 1925.
History
In 1907, George Hanson opened a bike shop in
Griffin, Georgia, and soon began selling
Franklin
Franklin may refer to:
People
* Franklin (given name)
* Franklin (surname)
* Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class
Places Australia
* Franklin, Tasmania, a township
* Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
motor cars.
During the mid-teens, he came up with an idea to make a small, low-priced car for the
South
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
. With the help of Don Ferguson, Hanson tore apart a
Packard
Packard or Packard Motor Car Company was an American luxury automobile company located in Detroit, Michigan. The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899, and the last Packards were built in South Bend, Indiana in 1958.
One of the "Thr ...
touring car for ideas, and in February 1917 began plans to manufacture the first Hanson car at a factory in
Detroit,
Michigan although manufacturing was delayed due to the first
World War. After the U.S. government released the factory from war production in June 1918, the first Hanson car was produced—a 5-passenger tourer with a
Continental 7R six-cylinder engine in it.
"Tested and Proved in the South" was one of the company's slogans, along with "Made in Dixie" (even though the factory was in Detroit, the headquarters were in Atlanta
). In 1921, Hanson toyed with a torque converter but never made one. When the post war recession hit, Hanson was forced to slash prices. A Little Six was introduced at the bargain basement price of $995.
In 1925, he closed the doors to his factory. A total of 1,800 cars are believed to have been made with the majority of them being sold in Atlanta and other parts of Georgia.
George Hanson then turned to the manufacture of baby nursing bottles and returned to Atlanta in the mid-1930s to become a life insurance agent.
He died in 1940 at age 65.
Models
{, class="wikitable"
, -
! Model/Year !! engine !! HP !! Wheelbase
, -
, 1918–1919 , , Six-Cylinder , , 45 , , 119"
, -
, 1920 (Touring, Roadster, Sedan) , , Six-Cylinder , , 55 , , 121"
, -
, 1921 , , Six-Cylinder , , 55 , , 121"
, -
, Little Six (1922) , , Six-Cylinder , , 50 , , 112"
, -
, 1922 , , Six-Cylinder , , 55 , , 121"
, -
, Special Six (1923) , , Six-Cylinder , , 50 , , 115"
, -
, 1923 , , Six-Cylinder , , 66 , , 121"
, -
, 1924–1925 , , Six-Cylinder , , 66 , , 121"
References
External links
Contemporary illustration of 1921 Hanson Six Tourer
Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States
Manufacturing companies based in Atlanta
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1917
1917 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Defunct manufacturing companies based in Georgia (U.S. state)
American companies established in 1917