September 02, 2018

AMERICAN BERLIET

American Locomotive Automobile Co. (1906-1908)

Providence, Rhode Island


This is an American Berliet radiator emblem (1908)     mjs
Size: 84mm diameter    MM: None

The American Locomotive Company was a manufacturer of railway locomotives. In 1905, the American Locomotive Automobile Company was established and an agreement was made to manufacture the French Berliet motor car in America. The car was called the American Locomotive Motor Car but was widely known as the American Berliet.

Production of the American Berliet started in 1906 and three four-cylinder chain-driven models were introduced at the Grand Central Palace in New York City in November. A 60 hp six-cylinder model was offered in 1908.  But, by the end of 1908, the Company decided to give up the Berliet license and build their own cars. The American Locomotive Company was set up to produce a new car called the Alco (see Alco).

Emblems

The first American Berliet motor cars did not carry a radiator emblem but did display the name on the hub caps, see example shown below. This American Berliet hub emblem is very rare.

This is an American Berliet hub emblem (c1907)      dkc
Size: 83mm diameter

The American Locomotive Motor Car name was displayed on the sill plates, see example below. This original American Berliet sill plate is extremely rare.

This is an American Berliet sill plate (c1906)     mjs
Size: 293mm wide 34mm high

The American Berliet that took part in the 1907 Glidden Tour may have had an emblem or small nameplate on the radiator but the original photos are not clear enough to confirm the details, see photo below. It is possible that this may be the radiator manufacturer's nameplate.

This is an American Berliet taking part in the Glidden Tour (1907)     dpl

If you have better details about any radiator emblem or nameplate on the 1907 American Berliet, please let me know in order to update this post.

For 1908, the American Berliet did have a radiator emblem, see example above at the top of this post. This American Berliet radiator emblem is very rare.



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