PAN AMERICAN

Pan-American Motors Corp. (1917-1922)
Decatur, Illinois 

This is a Pan American radiator emblem (1917-1922)    mjs
Size: 90mm wide 53mm high    MM: Unknown

The Pan-American Motors Corporation was established in Chicago in January 1917 and the car was initially called the Chicago Light Six. Pan-American moved to Decatur by December 1917 and the car became the Pan-American. 

The Pan-American was an assembled automobile initially using a 50 hp six-cylinder engine. A lower-priced 17 hp four-cylinder companion car was offered for the 1919 and 1920 model years but few were built. Commercial vehicles were also built from 1917 to 1919. 

There were management problems and in 1921 the company treasurer absconded with some of the company funds. The company also suffered the effects of the post First World War depression and late in 1921 the company decided to phase-out production. The Pan-American was finished in 1922.

Emblems

It is not known, if there was an emblem for the Chicago Light Six, built in Chicago before the move to Decatur. If such an emblem could be found, it would be extremely rare.

The Pan-American car produced in Decatur from December 1917 carried an interesting radiator emblem, which appears in Pan-American advertisements from 1917, see example shown below:

Pan-American ad showing rad emblem (1917) ms

This emblem is the maroon, blue and white enamel Pan-American radiator emblem depicting the Americas and an American shield under an eagle, see example shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Pan-American radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Pan-American radiator emblem (1917-1922)  mjs
Size: 90mm wide 53mm high    MM: Unknown

Emblem collectors should beware as there are reproduction Pan-American radiator emblems, which lack the in-depth detail of the original emblem, especially on the eagle, see example shown below: 

This is a reproduction radiator emblem    ms

The Pan-American hubcaps carried a round hub emblem with a miniature version of the radiator emblem in the center, see example shown below:

This is a Pan-American hubcap (1917-1922)    dkc
Size: 46mm diameter (hub emblem) 

This hub emblem was originally finished with maroon enamel in the center, see example Pan-American hub emblem shown below. This Pan-American hub emblem is rare.

This is a Pan-American hub emblem (1917-1922)   mjs
Size: 45mm diameter    MM: Unknown

There is also a version of this hub emblem finished in red, blue and white enamel, see example shown below. This Pan-American hub emblem is very rare.

This is a Pan-American hub emblem (date uncertain)   mjs
Size: 45mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The following is a Pan-American wire-wheel hubcap showing a larger hub emblem:

Pan-American wire-wheel hubcap (1917-1922) hubcapcollector

The following is an example of the maroon painted Pan-American wire-wheel hub emblem shown above. This Pan-American hub emblem is rare.

This is a Pan-American wire-wheel hub emblem (1917-1922) mjs
Size: 69mm diameter    MM: None