Victor Motors Inc. (1923-1928)
St. Louis, Missouri
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| This is a Victor truck emblem (date uncertain poss 1923-1928) mjs Size: 49mm wide 40mm high MM: None |
In April 1923, Victor Motors Inc. announced its plans to build three types of commercial vehicles, a speed truck, a heavy duty truck and taxis. However, I can find no evidence that a taxi cab was built.
The first Victor Motors advertisements in 1923 were for the "Lightnin" light delivery speed truck and the "Fifty" heavy duty truck. The first "Lightnin" light delivery truck was delivered in July 1923.
Most American truck references state that Victor Motors built conventional assembled trucks ranging from 1-1/4-ton to 5-ton capacity with a 6-ton capacity truck model offered in 1925 and 1926 only. However, it was announced in September 1923 that Victor Motors had just delivered its first heavy duty 6-ton dump truck and in November 1926, Victor Motors were advertising eight truck models ranging from the 1-3/4-ton Model 25 to the 9-ton capacity Model 90.
Another possibility is the painted brass Victor truck emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Victor truck emblem is very rare.
It is likely that these inverted triangle emblems were used on the Victor light duty speed trucks and possibly other light duty trucks, as the heavier duty Victor trucks appear to have had a very different radiator emblem.
The following newspaper advertisement from November 1923 features the first Victor heavy duty 6-ton capacity truck, which was sold in September 1923:
The original photos in this advertisement clearly show that the Victor heavy duty truck still has a conventional radiator but has a very different radiator emblem in the form of the name "VICTOR". The heavy duty Victor truck also displays a "VICTOR" hood side nameplate, see closer views below:
The Victor heavy duty truck radiator emblem may have been pressed into the top of the radiator shell but I cannot confirm this. The Victor hood side nameplate appears to be painted cast metal. Original Victor truck hood side nameplates would be very rare.
The following photo shows a 1923 Victor truck after restoration in New Zealand. The radiator and emblem were both made specially for the restoration, so the larger size "VICTOR" radiator emblem is believed to be incorrect:
If you have any further details of the radiator emblems and hood side nameplates used on the Victor truck built in St Louis, please let me know in order to update this post.
The lighter duty Victor trucks were powered by four-cylinder Hercules engines and the 3-1/2-ton and heavier duty Victor trucks used Continental engines.
In February 1926, Victor Motors announced that they would display their first buses at the St Louis Auto Show offering three series of buses with a range of 28-35 passengers but very few are likely to have been built. Some records say only one 35 passenger bus was built.
Like many other small and medium sized truck builders, Victor Motors could not compete with the larger truck manufacturing companies. It was all over for the Victor truck in 1928.
This was the so-called Victor "Lightnin" speed truck, which appears to have a conventional radiator carrying a small radiator emblem, see closer view below:
Emblems
The first Victor Motors light delivery speed truck is shown in a newspaper advertisement in July 1923, see below:
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| First Victor truck (July 1923) St Louis Globe Democrat |
This was the so-called Victor "Lightnin" speed truck, which appears to have a conventional radiator carrying a small radiator emblem, see closer view below:
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| Victor "Lightnin" Speed Truck |
This Victor radiator emblem is believed to be an inverted triangle-shaped emblem, most likely one of the cast metal examples shown below, both of which are extremely rare:
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| This is a Victor truck radiator emblem (dates uncertain poss 1923-1928) cbc Size: 50mm wide 45mm high MM: None |
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| This is a Victor truck radiator emblem (dates uncertain poss 1923-1928) cbc Size: 50mm wide 45mm high MM: Fox |
Another possibility is the painted brass Victor truck emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Victor truck emblem is very rare.
 |
| This is a Victor truck emblem (dates uncertain poss 1923-1928) mjs Size: 49mm wide 40mm high MM: None |
It is likely that these inverted triangle emblems were used on the Victor light duty speed trucks and possibly other light duty trucks, as the heavier duty Victor trucks appear to have had a very different radiator emblem.
The following newspaper advertisement from November 1923 features the first Victor heavy duty 6-ton capacity truck, which was sold in September 1923:
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| Victor 6-ton Truck ad (Nov 1923) St Louis Globe Democrat |
The original photos in this advertisement clearly show that the Victor heavy duty truck still has a conventional radiator but has a very different radiator emblem in the form of the name "VICTOR". The heavy duty Victor truck also displays a "VICTOR" hood side nameplate, see closer views below:
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| Detail showing radiator emblem & hood side nameplate |
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| Front view showing radiator & emblem |
The Victor heavy duty truck radiator emblem may have been pressed into the top of the radiator shell but I cannot confirm this. The Victor hood side nameplate appears to be painted cast metal. Original Victor truck hood side nameplates would be very rare.
The following original photo of a 2-1/2-ton Victor truck shows a similar hood side nameplate:
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| Victor 2-1/2-ton truck showing hood side nameplate (1923) mroz |
The following photo shows a 1923 Victor truck after restoration in New Zealand. The radiator and emblem were both made specially for the restoration, so the larger size "VICTOR" radiator emblem is believed to be incorrect:
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| Restored 1923 Victor truck ms (source unknown) |
If you have any further details of the radiator emblems and hood side nameplates used on the Victor truck built in St Louis, please let me know in order to update this post.
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