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January 23, 2022

LAFRANCE-REPUBLIC

La France-Republic Corp. (1929-1932)
La France-Republic Corp. Div. Sterling Motors Corp. (1932-1942)
Alma, Michigan 


This is a La France-Republic radiator emblem (1929-1942)   mjs
Size: 97mm wide 67mm high    MM: D L Auld

La France-Republic was the result of a merger between the commercial truck side of American-La France (see American-La France) and the Republic Motor Truck Company (see Republic), which had been America's largest truck manufacturer in 1918 but which had slipped badly through the 1920's. La France-Republic trucks ranged from 1-ton to 6-ton capacity. The first year of production in 1929 saw a peak of 815 units sold but production figures fell thereafter.

In 1931 La France-Republic introduced a "super truck" called the Mogul, which was powered by a 240 hp twelve-cylinder American-La France engine, intended for speeds of up to 60 mph with a gross weight of 20 tons. But this did not help the company's fortunes. In 1932 La France-Republic was acquired by Sterling Motor Truck Company and production was transferred to Milwaukee (see Sterling). Subsequent La France-Republic trucks were Sterling models with La France-Republic emblems attached. This lasted until 1942.

Emblems

LaFrance-Republic trucks carried a blue, white and gold enamel radiator emblem, see example shown above at the top of this post. This LaFrance-Republic radiator emblem is scarce.

LaFrance-Republic trucks also displayed the "LaFrance-Republic" name on hood side nameplates, see LaFrance-Republic Series 100 truck brochure cover, shown below:

LaFrance-Republic Series 100 truck (1932)    trucksplanet

Detail showing radiator emblem & hood side nameplate (1932)

The following is an example of a LaFrance-Republic hood side nameplate. Original LaFrance-Republic nameplates are rare.

This is a LaFrance-Republic hood side nameplate (1929-1942)   lktec
Size: 430mm wide 52mm high




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