RELAY

Relay Motors Corp.
Wabash, Indiana (1927)
Lima, Ohio (1927-1933)
Consolidated Motors Corp. (1933)
Lima, Ohio

This is a Relay radiator emblem (1930-1933)     mjs
Size: 88mm wide 45mm high     MM: Unknown

The Relay Motors Corporation became a truck manufacturing group by acquiring three truck building companies in 1927; Commerce (see Commerce), Garford (see Garford Truck) and Service (see Service), which continued to produce trucks in their own names alongside the Relay. From 1927, Relay offered a range of eight truck models from 1-ton to 4-ton capacity, all using Buda six-cylinder engines. This same range of trucks was also available as Commerce, Garford and Service, each carrying its own radiator emblem.

In 1931, Relay added 3/4-ton, 5-ton and 7-ton capacity models to the range of its trucks. These were Relay only trucks. Relay also built what they called the world's most powerful truck, the Duo-Drive. This was a 275 hp truck powered by two straight eight engines and able to achieve 60 mph.

In December 1932, Relay Motors was forced into liquidation by a creditor. Commerce and Service trucks were discontinued but the new owner, Consolidated Motors, built Garford and Relay trucks for a further year. It was all over for Relay in 1933.

Emblems

The first Relay trucks carried a rectangular radiator emblem, see the truck with a brass radiator shown below from the Iowa80 collection:

This is a Relay truck (1929)   iowa80

The emblem is the brass Relay radiator shown below. This Relay radiator emblem is rare:

This is a Relay radiator emblem (1927-1930)     mjs
Size: 280mm wide 58mm high     MM: None

The following painted Relay nameplate has two threaded fixing lugs on the back, which suggests that it may have been used as a radiator emblem rather than a hood side emblem, but I cannot confirm this. This Relay nameplate/emblem is scarce.

This may be a Relay radiator emblem (dates uncertain)    mjs
Size:213mm wide 64mm high    MM: None

The Relay radiator emblem was changed to an oval shaped emblem in 1930, see example shown below from the Bill Richardson collection:

This is a Relay Model S11B truck (1930)    brc

This is the black enamel Relay radiator emblem shown above st the top of this post and again below. This Relay radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Relay radiator emblem(1930-1933)    mjs
Size: 88mm wide 45mm high    MM: Unknown

The following cast aluminum Relay nameplate is a hood side nameplate, possibly from the Relay Duo-Drive truck, but I cannot confirm this. This Relay nameplate is rare.

This is a Relay nameplate (dates uncertain)    lktec
Size: 288mm wide 75mm high    MM: None

The following photo is part of a Relay advertisement and shows another much larger Relay rear chassis frame nameplate:

This shows a Relay rear chassis frame nameplate (1930)   ccj
Size: Unknown