1948 Diamond T Model 201 Pickup

The Diamond T Company was founded in 1905 by C.A. Tilt, a shoemaker by trade. Tilt's new company first produced four-cylinder touring cars, runabouts and limousines at its plant in Chicago from 1907 until 1911. Auto sales were far from stellar: Only several hundred were built, and when a customer asked if Tilt could build a light-duty truck, the founder obliged. Other specialty orders followed, and the owner realized it might be a bit more lucrative to offer trucks and commercial vehicles.

By the mid-Teens, the company had switched focus and begun producing trucks exclusively. Diamond T, and later, Diamond Reo commercial trucks were well known for their over-built designs through World War II and on into the 1950s.

The company was purchased by White Trucks in 1958 and was merged with the Reo Truck brand, which White had bought one year earlier. Production was moved to Lansing, Michigan, after the White Truck purchase and continued under the name Diamond Reo Trucks until the mid-1960s. Over a quarter-million Diamond T/Reo trucks were produced between 1911 and 1966.

In 1936, Diamond T began offering 3/4-ton Model 80 pickup trucks, as an answer to the light-duty offerings being produced by Mack, Reo and Federal. Though short-lived, the 1936-'38 Model 80 pickups sold very well against the competition, which led to the release of the one-ton Model 201 in 1938. The Model 201 pickups were produced between 1938 and 1949, and research indicates there were only about 7,000 built. A new model, the 222, was rolled out in 1950, but it was not as well received, and poor sales shifted Diamond T's focus back to strictly larger trucks.

The Model 201 tipped the scales at 2,750 pounds and carried an 8,000-pound GVW. The truck was based on a unique X-frame undercarriage that added support to the already sturdy chassis, with an I-beam front axle up front, and 13-leaf rear springs. The truck rolled on 16-inch cast-iron wheels, and 20-inch wheels were offered as an option.

Under the Diamond T hood ornament purred a Hercules QXLD3 inline 236.7-cubic-inch six-cylinder gas engine that produced 91 horsepower at 3,200 RPM, and 190-pound-feet of torque at 1,400 RPM. The engine was connected to a Warner T-9 four-speed transmission and a Clark R650 full-floating rear differential. All four wheels received Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes.

A passenger car-inspired grille, dual fold-out windshield panels and car-like interior appointments were used to appeal to the more "refined" trucker. Full wheel covers and a running board-mounted spare were also standard equipment.

Both stake truck and panel delivery configurations were offered on the Model 201 during its 11 years of production.

This month's example was featured in the December 2014 Mecum Auction in Austin, Texas, as part of the Kisber Vintage Truck Collection. It sold for $46,000 plus buyer's premium, far over and above its original $1,650-$1,800 selling price in 1948. At the time, the sticker price was almost $500 more than a comparable "Big Three" pickup; similarly, the Diamond T's that have survived are today worth far more than their counterparts. Similar Diamond T pickups have been sold at auction in recent years: a 1947 Model 201 pickup sold at an RM Auction in October 2012 for $49,500, and a 1949 Model 201 sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale earlier this year for $71,500. The highest known auction price for a Diamond T 201 pickup also occurred in Scottsdale, in 2010--a restored 1938 Diamond T pickup sold for over $104,000.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: Hercules Model QXLD3 L-head six-cylinder

Displacement: 236.7 cubic inches

Bore/Stroke: 3.76 x 4.25 inches

Compression: 6.5:1

Pistons: Three ring, aluminum alloy

Main Bearings: Seven

Valves: 1.5-inch-diameter intake, 1.25-inch diameter exhaust

Timing: Helical gear driven

Oil capacity: Six quarts

Coolant system: Radiator-cooled with thermostat, 50 gpm water pump

Horsepower: 91 hp @ 3,200 RPM

Torque: 190-lb.ft. @ 1,400 RPM

Electrics: Six-volt battery with Autolite generator

Fuel system: Single Zenith updraft carburetor

Transmission: Warner T-9 four-speed with reverse, single disc dry clutch

Tires: 7.50 x 16 front and rear w/optional 5.0 x 20 front and rear

Wheelbase: 128 inches

Brakes: Lockheed single reservoir 1.25-inch bore master cylinder, four-wheel expanding drum brakes

Weight: 2,750 pounds