User:NealeWellington/Associated Motor Industries

Associated Motor Industries was a company formed by the merger of [Jackson Automobile Company], Kentuky Wagon Manufacturing Company, [National Moltor Vehicle Company], and [Traffic Truck Corporation] in 1922. The company lasted until 1924 when it went into recievership and was broken up.

Formation
Announced in 1922, Associated was to be an $80 million enterprise producing 10,000 cars by the end of the year with the Kentuky Wagon Company being the principle unit in the enterprise. By March Associated were in financial problems.

The nine companies that merged to form Associated were:
 * National Motor Car and Vehicle Corporation, Indianapolis, Indiana - manufacturers of National cars
 * Covert Gear Co, Lockport, New York - manufacturers of transmissions, clutches and other car controls
 * Recording & Computing Machines Co, Dayton, Ohio - manufacturers of ignition systems, starters, magnetos and other electrical equipment
 * Jackson Motors Corporation, Jackson, Michigan - manufacturer of Jackson automobiles and four wheel drive trucks
 * Kentucky Wagon Manufacturing Co, Louisville, Kentucky - manufacturer of Dixie Flyer automobiles, and of trucks, wagons, wheels and bodies
 * Saginaw Sheet Metal Works, Saginaw, Michigan - manufacturer of sheet metal parts for automobiles and trucks
 * Traffic Motor Truck Corp, St Louis, Montana - manufacturer of Traffic Trucks,
 * Murray-Tregurtha Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts - manufacturer of gasoline engines
 * H F Holbrook Co, New York City - manufacturer of automobile bodies.

Traffic's Wilson and Brandle had been appointed to Associated's Board. Clarence Earl was the President of Associated.

Jackson Automobile Company
Jackson Automobile Company was a brass era auto manufacturer that produced the Jackson from 1903 to 1923. The Jackson brand was discontinued after the merger and were made as National's 6-51.

Kentucky Wagon Manufacturing Company
The Kentucky Wagon Manufacturing Company of Louisville was founded in 1879. In 1916 the Kentucky Wagon Manufacturing Company decided to go into the car manufacturing business and was renamed the Dixie Motor Car Company and purchased the Hercules Automobile Co in 1916. It only lasted from 1916 to 1923 and made the Dixie Flyer, Hercules, and Crown automobiles. In 1920 [Studebaker] sold their wagon works to Kentucky. Company sold out to the National Automobile Company of Indianapolis. This in turn was acquired by R C Tway Senior in 1936 and renamed the Kentucky Manufacturing Company. This company now manufactures Truck Trailers.

Kentuky has also made Old Hickory trucks from 1915 to 1923. The original Old Hickory model was a 1½ tonner with worm-drive. In 1916a 3½ tonner was made with a 4 ­cylinder engine under a frontal hood with bevel-gear drive and pneumatic tires on a wheelbase of 9 feet 4 inches. This model was continued to the end of 1919 and at least in 1918 it had a Lycoming engine. In 1919, a 1 tonner was made with a 4-cylinder Continental engine. From 1911 to 1918 the com­pany built the Urban electric commercial vehicle. The Urban was battery operated. The initial model was a modest ½ tonner but in later years a number of chassis were offered, up to 2 tonners. Edison alkaline batteries were used in all models, and final drive was by double chains. Open and enclosed models of delivery vans were offered on chassis with wheelbases to 10 feet 10 inches.

National Motor Vehicle Company
The National Motor Vehicle Company was an Indianapolis, Indiana based automobile manufacturer between 1900 and 1924. Its president, Arthur C. Newby, was one of the investors who created the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 1922 it became part of Associated Motor Industries but continued to make cars under the National name.

Traffic Motor Truck Corporation
The plan was to contnue making Traffic Trucks as well as some of Associated's automobiles at the Traffic Motor Truck manufacturing plant in St Louis.[5] Traffic trucks were also to be assembled at Associated's plants in Boston, Indianapolis, Louisville and Oakland.