Founded 1954 | ||
 | ||
American Motors Incorporated (AMI) designed, manufactured, and sold a mini-van for commercial delivery use. This company was not related to the American Motors Corporation (AMC), a major automaker formed in 1954 by the merger of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company.
Contents
History
American Motors Incorporated was established around 1946. It was very short-lived because it does not seem to have been in operation after 1949. It had executive offices on Park Avenue in New York City, as well as a factory and service facility upstate in Troy, New York.
Products
The company manufactured a mini-van designed for business delivery use. It was called the Delcar. The wheelbase was only 60 inches (1,500 mm) with a 25 hp (18.6 kW) engine, and it was priced at US$890 (suggested retail price). The Delcar was the first American vehicle with independent suspension on all four wheels, though the suspension used airplane landing gear-like rubber tension cords.
As well as the Delcar van, one or more station wagons were produced using the same chassis. The station wagon could seat six. A model was built for export, the Amco.
Lack of success
Small delivery vehicles such as the Delcar did not succeed. Purchasers would be limited by their carrying capacity. A larger truck can haul more cargo resulting in less cost per mile traveled. Few niche market customers demand such a specialized service vehicle.