Archive for March, 2010
Until the 1950s and 1960s the United States had several car manufacturers that were called the independents. These were truly the orphaned brands that continued to manufacture cars and trucks even though the big three had taken over the majority of vehicle production. Although Ford, General Motors and Chrysler manufactured the majority of cars in the United States several small manufacturers held on through the late 1950s and 60s. The stories of these independents are all but forgotten today and the cars are long past into salvage yards and museum collections.
Studebaker
Once a major car manufacturer the Studebaker Company survived long past its expected funeral. The company produced its last American cars in 1963 but held on in Canada to produce cars through 1967. Many Studebakers were designed by American iconic designer Raymond Loewy. His designs for Studebaker included the Avanti that debuted in 1963 and actually continued in production three decades after Studebaker had shuttered its U.S. plants. Studebaker was known for its reliability and quality throughout most of its history. Financial difficulties in the late fifties led to a merger with Packard and the resulting influx of cash allowed the company to survive a few more years. Between 1957 and 1963 Studebaker provided the sales channels for most Mercedes automobiles in the United States.
International Harvester
A manufacturer of tractors and farm equipment the International harvester Corporation also produced trucks and utility vehicles into the mid seventies. The Travelall, Scout and Travelette were all road going vehicles produced by IH during its passenger vehicle heyday from the late 1950s through the 1970s. International harvester also employed the design talents of Raymond Loewy for assistance with its vehicles. International also built a line of light and medium duty pickup trucks up until the mid 1970s. These trucks were known for their ability to get through tough terrain however poor work quality and porous metals with rapid rusting tendencies doomed the company. With the gasoline crisis of the seventies looming the large and uneconomical utility vehicles built by International Harvester caused production to end. The tractor division continued on however.
American Motors
Still surviving today as a subsidiary of Chrysler/Fiat, Jeep is the last American Motors brand to survive. The company that was formed as the merger of Hudson and Nash took place in 1954. Jeep was acquired from Kaiser –Jeep in 1970 expanding the product lineup. The resulting company produced cars in the United States through the late eighties when Chrysler bought out the share of Renault, the French automaker and brought AMC, Jeep and Eagle into the Chrysler fold.
With the purchase of AMC by Chrysler in 1987 the big three of American auto manufacturers consolidated their holdings through the economic reshuffling of 2009.