Kelly-Springfield Motor Truck Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1910 |
| Founder | Edwin S. Kelly |
| Defunct | 1927 |
| Headquarters | Springfield, Ohio , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Trucks, buses |
The Kelly-Springfield Motor Truck Company was a U.S.-based manufacturer of trucks and later buses, operating out of Springfield, Ohio. Established in 1910 by Edwin S. Kelly, who also co-founded the Kelly-Springfield Tire Company, the firm initially built trucks powered by air-cooled Frayer engines. By 1912, it expanded its lineup to include water-cooled variants such as the one-and-a-half-ton K-31, two-and-a-half-ton K-35, three-and-a-half-ton K-40, and eventually the five-ton K-50.
History
In 1909, Edwin Kelly purchased the Frayer Miller Auto Company and rebranded it as the Kelly Motor Truck Company. This entity evolved into the Kelly-Springfield Motor Truck Company by 1912. The company grew its presence across the United States, setting up headquarters in San Francisco and opening branches in Seattle (active from 1917 to 1926), Indianapolis, along with a distributorship located in Los Angeles. Notably, in April 1914, Pacific Motor Coach Co. from Los Angeles placed an order for 105 trucks, marking one of the largest single purchases at that time.
Throughout World War I, Kelly-Springfield manufactured Liberty trucks for the United States Army, with production estimates between 16 and 301 units before contracts were terminated. The company also delivered K-40 models to the Canadian Army and K-35 models to the French Army, although these vehicles faced challenges meeting military specifications.
By September 1918, an order for 5,900 trucks destined for the United States Post Office had been completed. Production capabilities surged by 600% between August 1914 and February 1919. Following its acquisition by Hare's Motors in 1920, the company operated a substantial manufacturing facility in Springfield that produced trucks ranging from one and a half to six and a half tons.
Although Congress authorized relief measures for Kelly-Springfield in 1927, the company ultimately ceased operations that same year. During this period, the Kelly-Springfield Truck & Bus Corporation attempted to sell its Springfield manufacturing plant.
Archival records related to Kelly-Springfield are preserved at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.
Production models
- 1917
- K-31 (1.5 tons)
- K-32 (1.5 tons)
- K-35 (2.5 tons)
- K-36 (2.5 tons)
- K-40 (3.5 tons)
- K-45 (4 tons)
- K-50 (5 tons)
- K-60 (6 tons)
- 1918–1920
- K-31 (1.5 tons)
- K-32 (1.5 tons)
- K-35 (2.5 tons)
- K-36 (2.5 tons)
- K-40 (3.5 tons)
- K-45 (4 tons)
- K-50 (5 tons)
- K-60 (6 tons)
- 1921
- Newly added: K-34 (1.5 tons), K-38 (2.5 tons), K-41 (3.5 tons), K-42 (3.5 tons)
- 1922
- Introduced model: K-61 (7 tons); previous models continued except for discontinuation of K-32 and K-36
- 1923
- Expanded range including models like the K-33 (1.5 tons), K-380 (2.5 tons), and higher capacity versions such as the five-ton K-41
External links
- Details and photographs of Kelly-Springfield truck models available at the Crittenden Automotive Library:
- Photograph of a "Kelly-Springfield bus" operated by Pacific Motor Coach Co. from Detroit Public Library Digital Collections
