Famous Manufacturing Company History

The Famous Manufacturing Company in East Chicago (Indiana) was an early American manufacturer of agricultural machinery, tractors, High Wheeler cars. and later trucks as Famous Trucks, Inc. 

 History

The company was founded around 1881 in East Chicago and made a name for itself as a manufacturer of agricultural machinery and equipment The Famous Manufacturing Company from around 1917 changed to Famous Trucks, Inc., which existed until 1923 and produced a light truck. Brand names were champion for the agricultural machinery and Famous for the transporter. The automobile was offered under both names.

The automobile of the Famous Manufacturing Company was a roadster ,10-12 HP Model A, which was first marketed as Famous and later as Champion, it was a typical representative of the very simple and conventionally designed High wheeler category and looked similar to a horse buggy with huge coach wheels. The rear wheels were larger than the front wheels.

The purchased engine was, as with many vehicles of this type, arranged under the seat.  There was an air-cooled Two-cylinder engine with OHV Valve control the bore was 4½ inches (114.3 mm), the stroke 5 inches (127 mm). This results in a displacement of 159 ci (2606 cc). The power was 10 the transmission carried out via a two-speed planetary gear and drive chain to the rear wheels. Only 1908 alternatively a friction gear was offered. The wheelbase was 80 inches (2032 mm), the wood wheels had the dimension of 36 × forward 1⅛ inch (914 × 29 mm) and rear 42 × 1⅛ inch (1067 x 29 mm).  The vehicles were among the last cars that were equipped with solid rubber tires; these kept on commercial vehicles until well into the 1920s.It was steered with a lever, which acted on a linkage outside.  This already then completely outdated technology can already be found on steam car of De Dion-Bouton to the 1880s. On the other hand, right-hand drive was still quite common in these years in the United States.

Founded in Chicago in 1917, Famous Trucks, Inc. appears to have been a reorganization of Famous Manufacturing Co. President was RW Grotfeld, Vice President CE Frederickson. Even before production started, the company relocated to St. Joseph, St. Joseph County, Michigan. It was a prototype Model A, in series, however, went a Model B 10 with 1 tn payload. It was only as a chassis offered / cabin and cost US $ 1690. This had modern trucks a four-cylinder engine from Continental, a three-speed transmission and shaft drive. The wheelbase was 120 inches (3048 mm). 

Famous Trucks, Inc. closed its doors in 1923.