1920 Maxwell 1.5 Ton Truck

Benjamin Briscoe had started to finance Buick but gave that up in 1903 and then he decided to support Jonathan D. Maxwell and the Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Company was established. The Maxwell was a splendid little car with a two-cylinder water-cooled engine and it sold well from the start with the first ten cars being produced in 1904. A four-cylinder model joined the line in 1906 and twins and fours were produced through to 1913.  New manufacturing facilities were set up in several locations, as Maxwell sales continued to grow.  Delivery vans were made from 1905 to 1912 using the 20hp passenger car chassis and a taxicab was offered in 1908.  Cadwallader Washburn Kelsey became sales manager and put the Maxwell through a number of successful publicity stunts, including being driven up the steps of buildings.  Maxwell cars did well in racing events in 1908 and in 1909 a group of ladies drove a Maxwell from New York to San Francisco to great acclaim.  In 1910 about 20,500 Maxwell cars were sold.  But in 1910, Benjamin Briscoe launched his United States Motor Company, combining Maxwell-Briscoe and Columbia. Kelsey thought Briscoe was mad and left to produce a car of his own.  U. S. Motors collapsed in 1912 and Benjamin Briscoe went off to try again with a car called the Briscoe and Jonathan Maxwell picked up the pieces of Maxwell-Briscoe, reorganized as the Maxwell Motor Company and moved to Detroit.  There, Maxwell produced four-cylinder cars in a range of horsepower sizes and body styles.  Six-cylinder models were built for the 1913 and 1914 model years only.  Sales were going well and in 1917 the 100,000th Maxwell was built.  Commercial vehicle production began again in 1917 with a conventional 1-ton truck and a delivery van appeared in 1918.  Trucks, vans, fire engines and bus bodies were produced up to 1925.

When we say we never know what's going to come through the door of our Hallowed Halls next, we really mean it.  Case in point is this example for consignment, a 1920 Maxwell 1.5 Ton "grain truck".  Although former registration paperwork shows this as being a 3-ton truck, agreeing minds feel this is an error and 1.5 ton is the actual designation.  This truck, while being very rare in its own right, has a bit of interesting celebrity history along with it.  A part of the former Harrah's collection until 1964, then carrying on life in the Ponderosa Ranch theme park collection until that facility closed in 2004.  Now gracing our overstuffed mallways, and prime for the picking, this fresh from storage early American trucking example, now ready to become part of your collection.

Exterior
Black painted steel makes up the front of this truck, from the center hinged cowled hood to the firewall, to the artistically curved running fenders that melt down into short wooden running boards.  This all runs forward to meet a blacked out radiator surround with a standard radiator cap atop.  A single headlight flanks each side and are electrically operated to turn them on.  Below is just exposed suspension and framing with no bumper to be seen.  Moving back from the firewall wood takes over and we are met with a vertical dual paned windshield that provides the support for the like new white canvas roofing.  On the back is the long wood bed.  A wood floor and dark green wooden sides have been added to the bed.  Dressing this up is some red and beige highlighting along with what appears to be wrought iron handles for side panel removal.  34-inch wood spoked wheels are wrapped by 34x4.5 pneumatic tires on the corners.  A few areas of chipped paint and surface rust are seen throughout the steel and wood body, however, no invasive rust is noted.

Interior
About as simple and utilitarian as it gets with no doors, no side glass and a simple but effective padded black vinyl over a wooden bench.  A near vertical steering column with a wood rimmed wheel grows from the flooring along with the long shifter arm, parking brake, and pedal assembly.  All of this is fronting the wood and steel dash that is devoid of gauges, knobs or pulls.  A small clear plastic oval rear window allows the driver to keep an eye on whatever is in back while traveling down the dirt roads.  Slightly aged, but clean and concise are the best words for this interior.

Drivetrain
Under the dual cowled hood sits a 185.9ci 4-cylinder engine topped by a 1-barrel carburetor.  This engine produces 25hp and with the wheel design, could take you through the most challenging of dirt roads with a 1.5-ton cargo loaded.  A 3-speed manual gearbox is attached and a 3.58 geared axle moves you down the road.

Undercarriage
Simple leaf spring suspension all around along with mechanical drum brakes which are only seen on the rear wheels.  This makes sense as that is where the weight is.

Drive-Ability
While the drivetrain is complete and it does turn over with the hand crank no attempt was made to start this truck.  

Overall a complete example of the worker bee line with a bit of celebrity history right out of 1920.  A steel front end, wooden cab, new canvas top, and a wood bed with added wood stake body sides.  Who says all trucks should have luxury...they're workers, just like the men and women who used them.  Time to put this one to work winning some show awards!

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 co