CORBITT TRUCK

Corbitt Automobile Co. (1907-1916)
Corbitt Motor Truck Co. (1916-1928)

Corbitt Truck Co. (1928-1931)
Corbitt Co. (1931-1952)
Corbitt Co., Div. United Industrial Syndicate, Inc. (1952-1956)

Corbitt Co. Inc. (1956-1960)
Henderson, North Carolina 

This is a Corbitt truck radiator emblem (1927-1929)    mjs
Size:73mm high 63mm wide  MM: None

Richard J. Corbitt was operating his Corbitt Buggy Company when he formed the Corbitt Automobile Company in 1907 and began producing basic high-wheeler automobiles for sale locally. In 1910 Corbitt began to expand the range of models available and also built the first Corbitt truck. Corbitt trucks were much more successful financially than Corbitt automobiles and by 1914 automobile production ceased. 

The first Corbitt production trucks were conventional assembled four-cylinder 1-1/2-ton models with chain drive. By 1916 Corbitt trucks were being sold in 23 countries. Corbitt trucks began to change to worm drive in 1916 with the introduction of new 1-ton and 2-ton models. Later Corbitt trucks were powered by six-cylinder engines. The range of trucks increased and by 1920 included vehicles from 1-ton to 5-tons capacity. Corbitt 3/4-ton and 1-ton capacity speed trucks were introduced in 1922.  By the early 1930's the truck range had increased further to six-wheel truck tractors rated up to 15-tons, which were designed for possible military applications. 

The range of Corbitt products continued to grow and included buses, military vehicles and farm tractors. Corbitt became a major supplier of motor vehicles to the US Army. Corbitt continued to do well immediately after the Second World War. However, sales suffered as the market for heavy trucks started to slump. Richard Corbitt retired and sold the company in 1952. The new owners continued to produce trucks and added new models but sales fell further during the recession in 1953 and the decision was made in early 1954 to discontinue production. Most of the trucks built during 1953 and 1954 were fire truck chassis for Oren Roanoke. There was an attempt to reopen Corbitt production in 1956 by former employees but it is understood that only one truck was built, which was sold in 1960.

Emblems

The first Corbitt trucks produced from 1910 had conventional brass radiators but there are no details available regarding any emblems. It is possible that some early truck models may have displayed the "Corbitt" name on a radiator script or stencilled on the top of the radiator shell but I cannot confirm this.

Some early chain driven Corbitt truck models displayed the "Corbitt" name in the form of a Corbitt script, probably applied using a stencil, on a diamond shaped wooden panel mounted on the body sides under the driver's seat, see examples shown below:

Corbitt bottling truck with body side nameplates (c1915)     mlc

Close-up showing body side nameplate 

Corbitt dump truck with body side nameplates (c1915)   mlc

Close-up showing body side nameplate

Some Corbitt trucks had the "Corbitt" body side script displayed in the same location under the driver's seat but stencilled directly to the body side without the diamond panel, see example shown below, which also shows the "Corbitt" name stencilled in capital letters on the sides of the hood:

Corbitt truck with body & hood side stencil nameplates (c1917) cpa

Close up showing the body & hood side stencil nameplates

The last chain driven Corbitt 2-ton trucks before 1915 had a cast iron radiator with a small cast ribbed radiator tank top, which had the "Corbitt" name cast in capital letters in the front of the radiator tank top. This cast in Corbitt radiator emblem was continued after the change to worm drive from 1915, see example shown below, which also displays the "Corbitt" body side script nameplate and a large rectangular nameplate at the side of the driver's seat:

Corbitt truck with cast in rad emblem & body side plates (c1917) cpa

Close up showing cast in radiator emblem

Some Corbitt truck models also displayed the "Corbitt" script probably stencilled on the sides of the radiator, as well as on the body sides, see example shown below, which again also shows the large rectangular nameplate at the side of the driver's seat:

Corbitt truck showing "Corbitt" script on radiator sides & body sides and side nameplate (c1917)   cpa

Close-up showing side nameplate and radiator side & body side scripts 

The large rectangular Corbitt nameplate at the side of the driver's cabin is believed to have been finished in dark blue and white porcelain enamel, see example shown below. This Corbitt body side nameplate was used from about 1917 through 1923. Original Corbitt porcelain enamel side nameplates of this type are very rare.

This is a Corbitt body side nameplate (c1917-1923)   mlc

A March 1917 article in The Commercial Vehicle journal, introducing the new Corbitt 3/4-ton and 1-ton light duty trucks produced by the Corbitt Automobile Company, includes side and front photos of the 1-ton truck, see below:

New Corbitt 1-ton truck (1917)    tcv

These original photos show the "Corbitt" name displayed on the large porcelain enamel body side nameplate shown earlier above. The Commercial Vehicle article says that these new light duty Corbitt trucks had cellular type radiators with sheet metal casings. The front view of the 1-ton truck clearly shows a horizontal oval radiator emblem, see close up shown below: 

Corbitt 1-ton truck showing radiator emblem (1917)  tcv

This oval shaped Corbitt radiator emblem is believed to have been used on all the light duty Corbitt trucks, including the 1-1/2-ton model, although I cannot confirm this. The following Corbitt truck illustration for 1919-1920 appears to show the same radiator emblem as well as the porcelain enamel side nameplate mounted under the driver's seat:

Corbitt truck with radiator emblem & side nameplate (1919-1920) cpa 

Close up showing radiator emblem (1919-1920)

There are no details available of the oval shaped Corbitt radiator emblem and there are no surviving examples of these Corbitt trucks. However, there is an illustration of an oval shaped Corbitt emblem on the cover of an undated Corbitt Automobile Company brochure, see below:

This appears to be a Corbitt emblem (c1917-1920)  nypl
Size: Unknown

If this is indeed a Corbitt Automobile Company radiator emblem, it may have been used briefly on the 1917 light duty Corbitt trucks but I cannot confirm this. If an original example of this Corbitt radiator emblem could be found, it would be extremely rare. If you have details of this or any other oval shaped Corbitt radiator emblem, possibly inscribed Corbitt Motor Truck Company, please let me know, in order to update this post.

From about 1920, heavy duty Corbitt trucks had a new cast iron radiator with a larger tank top raised in the center with the "Corbitt" name in capital letters cast into the radiator top, see examples shown below:

Corbitt heavy duty truck (1920)    dpl

Corbitt heavy duty radiator (c1920)    ms

The "Corbitt" name was also displayed in different positions on various models. The following example of the Corbitt Model B 2-1/2-ton truck shows the "Corbitt" name stencilled on the sides of the radiator, on the sides of the hood, on the body sides and on the porcelain enamel body side nameplate.

Corbitt Model B truck (1923)     cpa

The following Corbitt truck more clearly shows the "Corbitt" name on the sides of the radiator:

Corbitt truck showing radiator (1920)   jerrycapp

Close up showing radiator emblem & rad side stencil (1920)

Some heavy duty Corbitt trucks also displayed the "Corbitt" name on a nameplate attached to the front bumper, see Corbitt advertisement illustration shown below:

Corbitt ad showing bumper nameplate (1920) ms

The Corbitt light duty trucks continued to use sheet metal radiator casings with a separate radiator emblem, see the following original photo from the Commercial Car Journal in 1922, which introduces new 3/4-ton and 1-ton Corbitt speed trucks. The details of the radiator emblem are unknown. If you have details about this Corbitt radiator emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post.

Corbitt light duty speed truck showing rad emblem & hood side & bumper nameplates (1922)   ccj

The 1924 Motor Truck Show article in The Commercial Car Journal in January 1924, includes the following photo of a 1-1/2-ton "Short Wheel" Corbitt model, which displays a large shield-shaped Corbitt nameplate mounted at the side of the entrance to the driver's seat in place of the earlier blue porcelain rectangular body side nameplate. This shield-shaped Corbitt body side nameplate continued in use until 1929. Original shield-shaped Corbitt nameplated are extremely rare.

Corbitt Short Wheel truck with new body side nameplate (1924) ccj

This 1924 Corbitt truck also displays the "Corbitt" name on the hood sides and on the front bumper, and, although not easily seen in this photo, a "Corbitt" emblem cast or impressed into the aluminum radiator tank top.

Aluminum radiators were introduced for some other Corbitt models in the mid-1920's and had the "Corbitt" name in capital letters impressed in the front of the radiator tank top, see 1926 Corbitt fire engine example shown below:

Corbitt Fire Engine radiator (1926)    cpa

From about 1927, some light duty Corbitt trucks had chrome plated radiators and other models used an aluminum radiator shell. These trucks carried a small shield shaped Corbitt radiator emblem, see examples shown below:

Corbitt Model 20 truck with shield radiator emblem (c1927)  cpa

Close up showing shield shaped radiator emblem

Corbitt bus with aluminum rad & shield emblem (c1927) cpa

Close up showing shield shapes radiator emblem

This is the blue and white enamel Corbitt radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Corbitt radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Corbitt radiator emblem (1927-1929)    mjs
Size: 73mm high 63mm wide  MM: None

Medium and heavy duty Corbitt trucks had a cast aluminum radiator tank top, some with a flat face and others with a ribbed tank top. These radiators carried the "Corbitt" name in capital letters impressed into the radiator tank top, see example below:

Corbitt 1-1/2-ton truck with impressed rad emblem (c1927) cpa

Close up showing impressed aluminum radiator emblem

From late 1929 the Corbitt truck radiator emblem was changed to a Corbett script radiator emblem, see examples shown below:

Corbitt truck ad (1929)   ms

Close up showing Corbitt script radiator emblem (1929)

Corbitt New Six truck with script radiator emblem & bumper decal (1934)  cpa

This emblem is the red enamel Corbitt script radiator emblem shown below. This Corbitt radiator emblem continued to be used up to the Second World War and is scarce.

This is a Corbitt radiator emblem (1929-c1942)   mjs
Size: 138mm wide 68mm high   MM: D L Auld

During the mid to late 1930's, some Corbitt trucks displayed the "Corbitt" name etched and painted on a small rectangular aluminum plate, which was mounted on the radiator in place of the Corbitt script radiator emblem shown above, see example shown below:

Corbitt heavy duty tractor with rectangular radiator emblem & hood side nameplate (1934)  cpa

This rectangular emblem is the red painted Corbitt radiator emblem is shown below. This Corbitt radiator emblem is rare.

This is a Corbitt radiator emblem (1930's)    mlc
Size: 102mm wide 40mm high

Corbitt trucks in the 1930's also displayed the "Corbitt" name on hood side nameplates, see the example shown in the 1934 truck photo shown above which has only the word "Corbitt" in script form. The following are some other examples of Corbitt hood side nameplates from this period. Original Corbitt hood side nameplates are rare.

This is a Corbitt New Six hood side nameplate (1930's)  mlc
Size: 138mm wide 65mm high

This is a Corbitt New Six hood side nameplate (1930's)  mlc
Size: 138mm wide 65mm high

The following Corbitt nameplate is believed to have been used as the radiator emblem on some Corbitt models in the early 1940's. This Corbitt radiator emblem was used without chrome plating for some military vehicles during the Second World War after painting in drab olive. This Corbitt radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Corbitt radiator emblem (1940's)    mlc
Size: Unknown

The following Corbitt hood side nameplate was used in 1945 immediately following the Second World War:

This is a Corbitt hood side nameplate (1945)   mlc
Size:Unknown

From about 1946 to the end of primary production in 1954, Corbitt trucks displayed the Corbitt script emblem on the sides of the hood and the "Corbitt" name on a hood ornament, see examples shown below:

Corbitt truck showing hood ornament & hood side nameplate (1949)    mlc

Corbitt truck showing hood ornament & hood side ornament (1952)    mlc

This is the Corbitt hood ornament (1946-1954)   cpa

The following photo shows the cast aluminum radiator top and emblem used on a few of the final Corbitt trucks produced in 1953-1954:

Final Corbitt truck emblem (c1953)   dsmith

I am most grateful to the Corbitt Preservation Association, and Mike Lusher in particular, for their helpful advice regarding Corbitt trucks and their emblems. Any errors in my interpretation of this advice is entirely down to me.