1918 Hahn 3/4 Ton Pickup

Hahn Motors of Hamburg, Pennsylvania, was one of the great names in American fire apparatus.  The Hahn Wagon and Carriage Works was founded in 1898.  The Hahn brothers started experimenting with motor trucks and in 1907 changed the name of the company to the Hahn Motor Truck and Wagon Company.   In 1920 the name was changed again to Hahn Motor Trucks.  By the 1920s, Hahn was building some fire apparatus regularly along with commercial trucks.  Hahn Motor Trucks was an early victim of the Great Depression and went out of business in 1932.  However, Bill Hahn promptly formed a new company, Hahn Motors, Inc., which resumed building commercial trucks and some fire apparatus.  Hahn was a regional builder of fire apparatus until the 1960s when Hahn emerged as a nationally recognized builder.  Hahn fire apparatus could be found in firehouses across America, from large cities, like Washington, D.C., Boston and Detroit, to the smallest towns.  Hahn expanded its product line to include a custom cab-forward model in 1966 and later started building aerial ladder trucks.  In 1978, Hahn introduced its own aerial ladder design, the 106-foot “Fire Spire”.  Hahn did not do well during the recession in the early 1980s and went out of business in 1989.  

For consignment, a 1918 Hahn 3/4 ton pickup that came from a 2nd generation owner out of his private collection.  A restoration project that was never quite finished, then tucked away in dry storage for the past 35 years, this example is powered by an earlier 1913 Continental engine and is mechanically correct, having run approximately 10 years ago.  This large piece of low hanging fruit is ripe for the pickings here in our overstuffed Hallowed Halls of Classic Auto Mall.

NO TITLE-SOLD ON A BILL OF SALE ONLY

Exterior
Befitting of the era, a brass painted radiator shell leads the way with a single large brass encased headlight on either side.  The suspension is just under these lights and the radiator is holding a grille guard painted brass.  The cowled hood and firewall are black and red and flow down to black painted steel fenders that curve above red painted 35-inch wood spoke wheels which are covered in 35x4.5 pneumatic rubber.  Not unlike a carriage cab, this driver/passenger compartment is all wood construction and has a unique design.  It has a large single pane front windshield but the remainder of the cab is open to the elements.  The roof line is of note as it remains flat with a black vinyl topper providing copious amounts of headroom.  In back, on top of a long steel beam frame is a long wood bed with vertical sides and a flat wooden floor all painted in body matching gray.  There is a tailgate, and the bed has tall sides to increase carrying capacity.  Definitely a unique exterior look with no concern what-so-ever with aerodynamics.

Interior
A simple gray wooden bench, sans cushions, provides the seating and a wood rimmed wheel sits atop the right hand drive angled steering column.  Of note, the fuel tank has been moved to the dashboard for easier fueling, as it once was residing under the seat.

Drivetrain
This truck is moved forward by a circa 1913 Continental L-head 4 cylinder engine.  It has a Stromberg 1-barrel carburetor, Eisemann magneto, and a 3 speed manual transmission with a Brown-Lipe clutch and gearset bolted to the back.  A Torbensen axle moves this early hauler down the road.

Undercarriage
Leaf springs, a solid C channel frame and rear mechanical drum brakes are on.  Very basic but very well restored.

A rare example of early trucking from right up the road in Hamburg, PA, from 1918!  It will need some TLC, but was mostly restored, running about 10 years ago, the exterior is in good shape with little to no rotting of the wood.  Primitive but interesting.

NO TITLE-SOLD ON A BILL OF SALE ONLY

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display. This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.