Garford Company history

Garford was an American vehicle brand from Elyria in Ohio in the U.S.A. 

History

The Garford Company. previously the Federal Manufacturing Company from Elyria in Ohio produced since 1903 parts for vehicle manufacturers. Arthur L. Garford took over the company and renamed it Garford Company.

At first They started with complete built chassis delivered to Customers such as Studebaker Corporation,Ardsley Motor Car Company, Cleveland Automobile Company, Gaeth Motor Car Company, Rainier Motor Car Company.

 In October 1907 were first vehicles with the own brand name Garford. By pressure of Studebaker this production ended in 1908. Also, from 1909 commercial vehicles were created.  In 1912 Willys-Overland took over the car department and used the brand name until 1913.

The Garford Company continued to produce commercial vehicles with the name Garford. In 1915 it was renamed Garford Motor Truck Company and moved to Lima in Ohio. Between 1927 and 1932, the Relay Motors Company from the same city produced the vehicles. The last manufacturer in 1933 was the Consolidated Motors Corporation, which also had its headquarters in Lima.

Automobile production

In model year 1908, two different models were available. Both had a four-cylinder engine. In Model A, the engine made 30 hp. The chassis had 264 cm wheelbase. As structures are touring car, Town Car, Runabout and Landaulet handed down. The Model B had a 40 hp engine. The wheelbase was 290 cm. This model was available as Touring Car, Runabout, Sedan and Landaulet.

In 1911 there was only the model G-7. The engine made 40 hp. Touring cars with four, five and seven seats were based on a chassis with 298 cm wheelbase. There was also a limousine with 312 cm wheelbase.

In 1912 it was further developed to the model G-8. The engine power remained the same. The wheelbase was a uniform 302 cm. Saloon, Landaulet, touring car with five, six and seven seats and a roadster with two seats stood for election. The Model G-12 was a new entry-level model with the same wheelbase but only 30 horsepower. The touring cars offered space for four to five people. Saloon, Landaulet and two-seater roadster corresponded to the Model G-8. Top model was the Model G-14. It had a six-cylinder engine with 50 hp. The wheelbase was 352 cm. In addition to the already known limousines, Landaulets and two-seater roadster there were touring cars with four and six seats.

In 1913, the wheelbase of the Model G-12 was reduced to 300 cm. The choice was Limousine and Landaulet, each with five seats. The model G-14 now offered 343 cm wheelbase. For the engine power had been raised to 60 hp. The touring car had either five or seven seats. Sedans and Landaulets were always seated in seven. Between these two models ranks the new model G-15. The six-cylinder engine had 50 hp. The wheelbase was 325 cm. The touring car was five-seater and the roadster two-seater. In addition, for the first time in years there was again a Town Car.

Commercial Vehicles

The offer also included buses and trucks. By the mid-1920s, some of the vehicles had chain drive and pneumatic tyres, electric starting and lighting as extras. The trucks range are from one to six ton, and larger tractor type from four, seven and ten-toners .