Autocar Company

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The Autocar Company was a manufacturer of Brass Era automobiles in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. It was first founded as the Pittsburgh Motor Vehicle Company but became the Autocar Company in 1899. By 1907, the company had decided to concentrate on commercial vehicles, and the Autocar brand is still in use for commercial trucks.

Based on the minutes of company board meetings during 1903-1907 it is known that in 1903 the Board of Directors included the president, Louis S. Clarke, the secretary, John S. Clarke, as well as, James K. Clarke.

The first car in 1900 was a single cylinder chain drive runabout. About 27 were made

The 1904 Autocar was equipped with a tonneau, it could seat 4 passengers and sold for US$1700. The horizontal-mounted flat-2, situated at the front of the car, produced 11 hp (8.2 kW). This was a somewhat unusual engine design for the time, with most companies producing inline designs. A 3-speed transmission was fitted. The steel and wood-framed car weighed 1675 lb (760 kg). The early cars had tiller steering.

In 1905 the company was selling the Type XII car for $2,250 and another it called the Type X for $1,000. It discontinued the Type XI and sold the last of them in 1905. The cars now had wheel steering with left hand drive.

The Type X was a runabout. During the 1905-1906 model year the company produced 1000 Type X cars. The manufacture of 500 Type XV runabouts was authorized for 1907 in place of 500 touring cars (Type XIV) in addition to the 1000 runabouts already planned. At special meeting on June 19, 1906 held at 711 Arcade Building, Philadelphia, Pa., the board authorized the hiring of a general manager by the name of Harry A. Gillis at a salary of $10,000 per year. Production of 300 Type XVI cars and 500 Type XVII were authorized during a Board Meeting on November, 21, 1906.

Commercial vehicles were made from 1907 and soon outnumbered cars. The last cars were produced in 1912 but the company continued as a truck maker until 1953 when they were taken over by White. White were taken over in turn by Volvo in 1980 with Autocar continuing as a division. In 2001 it was sold to Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, which used the brand name for their line of trucks.