DIAMOND T

Diamond T Motor Car Co. (1907-1958)
Diamond T Motor Truck Co. (1958-1961)
Chicago, Illinois
Diamond T Div. White Motor Co. (1961-1966)
Lansing, Michigan

This is a Diamond T motor car radiator emblem (date uncertain) sam
Size: 51mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The Diamond T Motor Car Company was organized in 1905 by C. A. Tilt, who had just completed building his first car, but it was 1907 before the Diamond T was put on the market in three body styles. They were big cars and substantially built. Fifty of the four-cylinder Diamond T cars were built in the first year and production continued through 1911. In 1911, one of Tilt's customers asked him if he could build a truck, which he did. Thereafter, Tilt ceased building passenger cars and focused on the commercial vehicle market. Total Diamond T passenger car production was probably a few hundreds, whereas more than 250,000 Diamond T trucks would eventually be built.

The first Diamond T truck built in 1911 was a well made four-cylinder 1-1/2-ton capacity truck with solid tires and double chain-drive. Diamond T soon developed into a national manufacturer and built new assembly lines. These were used very successfully to build some 1500 large Liberty trucks during the First World War, which resulted in further government orders after the war. Civilian truck models expanded after the war and were made in 2-ton to 5-ton capacity sizes using pneumatic tires and worm drive. Diamond T continued to grow successfully and expanded its range of vehicles to include tankers and other commercial vehicles.

In 1958, the White Motor Company bought Diamond T (see White Truck) and, in 1960, having owned Reo Motors for three years, moved the Diamond T operation to the Reo plant in Lansing, Michigan. Diamond T production continued independently and included a complete range of trucks from 1-1/2-tons upward, school bus chassis and vehicles for city delivery work. Diamond T production ceased in 1966 and in 1967 White consolidated the Diamond T and Reo divisions, following which all new models were known as Diamond Reo.

Emblems

There are very few original photos of the Diamond T passenger car and no known surviving cars. The only original photo I have seen is implied to be from 1907 but this date is not certain and could be any date up to 1911. The photo is somewhat out of focus, as seen below, but it does appear to show a diamond shaped radiator emblem on one of the Diamond T models shown at an auto show, although the detailed design cannot be seen:

Diamond T cars at an auto show (date uncertain)  hemmings

Close up Diamond T car with radiator emblem (date uncertain)  

There was also a round red, white and blue enamel Diamond T emblem displaying the characteristic Diamond T trademark, which was used for the Diamond T passenger car radiator emblem, see example shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Diamond T radiator emblem is very rare. 

This is a Diamond T motor car radiator emblem (date uncertain) sam
Size: 51mm diameter   MM: Unknown

There appear to be two possible date sequences. Either the first radiator emblem was a diamond shaped emblem, which was later changed to a round emblem, or, and perhaps more likely, the round emblem was the first emblem, which was later changed to a diamond shaped emblem, which may have then continued to be used on the Diamond T trucks after 1911. Further research is needed to find the correct emblem sequence.

The Diamond T trademark of a diamond with a "T" inside originated from a trademark used by C. A. Tilt's father who was a shoe maker. The diamond stood for quality and the "T" for Tilt.

The first Diamond T truck built in 1911 had a plain brass radiator and may have carried a radiator emblem but the only photo of the first Diamond T truck from 1911 with a part side view of the radiator has a licence plate covering the top of the radiator, see photo shown below:

First Diamond T truck built 1911 (photo date uncertain) hemmings

Diamond T did not do much advertising in the early years. The following Diamond T advertisement from 1915 does not show the truck radiator but does display a Diamond T trademark logo:

Diamond T ad with logo (1915)   ccj

This Diamond T logo could have been intended to represent the Diamond T radiator emblem, see detailed illustration shown below:

Diamond T logo representation of possible radiator emblem (1915)

I cannot confirm that the 1915 Diamond T truck used this design for a radiator emblem, but the emblem does exist, see example shown below from the Claus Wulff collection. This Diamond T radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Diamond T radiator emblem (dates uncertain)  cwc
Size: 112mm wide 66mm high    MM: None

This Diamond T radiator emblem appears to have been restored and may originally have been finished in red and white enamel but this cannot be confirmed. This emblem could have been used on some Diamond T passenger car models and also on the early light duty Diamond T trucks, although this also cannot be confirmed at present.

The Diamond T truck shown above in the 1915 advertisement also displays the "Diamond T " name on a nameplate attached to the chassis side frame member, see below:

Diamond T Model J3 showing chassis nameplate (1915)   ccj

This is similar to the following Diamond T nameplate. Original early Diamond T nameplates are rare:

Diamond T nameplate (c1915)     mjs
Size: 302mm wide 100mm high

The following photo shows a surviving Diamond T truck displayed at the Iowa80 truck museum. The truck is dated as 1914, possibly for the 1915 model year, and may be the oldest surviving Diamond T truck. It has a cast iron radiator tank top and what appears to be a cast in radiator emblem.

Diamond T truck (c1914-1915)   iowa80

Close up with rad emblem, body side emblem & hood side plate 

The Diamond T logo is also displayed on a body side emblem located below the entrance to the driver's seat, and the "Diamond T " name is displayed on nameplates mounted on the sides of the hood. If it could be found, the Diamond T body side emblem would be extremely rare.

The following is an early Diamond T hood side nameplate. This Diamond T nameplate is rare.

This is a Diamond T hood side nameplate (c1915-1918)  lktec
Size: 430mm wide 75mm high

A cast iron radiator tank top and cast emblem is also seen on Diamond T advertisements from 1917 following the introduction of heavier duty trucks up to 5-tons capacity, see example shown below:

Diamond T truck ad with cast rad emblem (1917)

This emblem is more clearly seen in the following Diamond T advertisement from 1919:

Diamond T ad showing cast emblem (1919) eBay

It is interesting to note that the Diamond T trademark logo in the advertisement shown above has the "Diamond" name in the diamond but the radiator emblem does not show the "Diamond" name, see close up view below:

Close up showing the cast radiator emblem 

The following is a Diamond T truck hubcap of about the same period:

 This is a Diamond T hubcap (c1918)    dkc 

By about 1920, the Diamond T radiator emblem appears in illustrations and original period photos to be painted with light colored, possibly white letters on a dark, possibly black background, see examples shown below:

Diamond T ad showing rad emblem (1920) eBay

Close up showing radiator emblem (1920)

Diamond T truck (1920)  shorpy

Close up showing rad emblem and body side emblem (1920)

Following the Diamond T styling changes from about 1926, the radiator was changed to a smooth tank top with a separate radiator emblem pinned to the radiator and a new style of hood side nameplate, see examples shown below:

Diamond T radiator & emblem (late 1920's)    ms

Diamond T truck with emblem & hood side nameplate (c1926) i.pinimg

Close up showing rad emblem & hood side nameplate (c1926)

The radiator emblem was attached using four pins and may be the black painted Diamond T radiator emblem shown below. This Diamond T radiator emblem is rare.

This is a Diamond T radiator emblem (c1926)    mjs
Size: 170mm wide 96mm high   MM: None

There appears to have been a red painted version of this Diamond T radiator emblem, see example shown below:

Diamond T radiator emblem (late 1920's)    ms

The 1933 Diamond T brewery truck shown below carries a different black, diamond shaped radiator emblem and black hood side nameplates, which then continued in use in different sizes through the 1940's:

Diamond T brewery truck with radiator emblem & hood side nameplates (1933)   travelgumbo

The following are examples of black Diamond T radiator emblems. These Diamond T radiator emblems are scarce.

This is a Diamond T radiator emblem (dates unknown)    mjs
Size: 96mm wide 55mm high    MM: None

The following is another candidate for the Diamond T radiator emblem in the 1930's:

This is a Diamond T radiator emblem (dates unknown)   mjs
Size: 157mm wide 89mm high   MM: None

The hood side nameplate shown earlier above is believed to be the black enamel Diamond T hood side nameplate shown below. This Diamond T hood side nameplate is scarce.

This is a Diamond T hood side nameplate (1930's)    mjs
Size: 305mm wide 50mm high    MM: None

There were further styling changes from 1933, which resulted in a very different design of radiator emblem, see examples shown below:

Diamond T truck with new radiator grille & hood emblem (1938)
fineartamerica  

Diamond T 201 pick-up hood emblems (1938)  wheelsage

This is the green painted Diamond T hood emblem shown below. This Diamond T emblem is rare.

This is a Diamond T hood emblem (c1938 and 1940's)   mjs
Size: 48mm wide 28mm high   MM: D L Auld

The following green painted Diamond T hood side nameplate was used together with the green hood emblem shown above. This Diamond T hood side nameplate is rare.

This is a Diamond T hood side nameplate (late 1930's-1940's) mjs
Size: 305mm wide 50mm high    MM: None

There is a black painted version of the Diamond T hood emblem shown earlier above, see example shown below. This Diamond T hood emblem is rare.

This is a Diamond T hood emblem (1940's)    mjs
Size: 48mm wide 28mm wide   MM: Unknown (poss D L Auld)

The following is a black painted version of the Diamond T hood side nameplate shown earlier:

This is a Diamond T hood side nameplate (1940's)   mjs
Size: 305mm wide 50mm high    MM: None

Diamond T cab-over-engine models in the late 1930's displayed a large Diamond T emblem mounted below the radiator grille, see example shown in the following Diamond T advertisement:

Diamond T COE model with large front emblem (late 1930's) lktec

A very large Diamond T emblem was also displayed on the front of the special Texaco Doodlebug tanker in 1938:

Diamond T Texaco Doodlebug tanker with large emblem (1938)
texacotankerproject

Close-up showing front Diamond T emblem (1938)

Diamond T trucks were used extensively by the US military in World War II and initially carried a simple metal Diamond T emblem, see example shown below, but manufacturer's logos and emblems were not permitted to be used on military vehicles after 1943:

Diamond T model 107 military truck with emblem (c1942)  ms

Diamond T built three woody station wagon prototypes in 1938, 1945 and 1946. The following photo shows the 1945 Diamond-T woody station wagon, which displays a special Diamond T radiator emblem. This Diamond T radiator emblem is very rare.:

Diamond T woody station wagon prototype (1945)   mecum

Close up showing Diamond T hood emblem (1945)

Pre-war Diamond T production models continued after 1946, see example shown below:

Diamond T Model 201 (1947)   rmsothebys

Diamond T Model 201 hood ornament & emblem (1947) rmsothebys

Diamond T Model 201 hood side nameplate (1947)  rmsothebys

Detail showing the radiator emblem (c1947)   etsy

The following photos show the Diamond T steering wheel center:

Diamond T steering wheel center (1947)    cartype

This is the black painted Diamond T steering wheel center emblem shown below. This Diamond T steering wheel center emblem is scarce.

This is a Diamond T steering wheel center emblem (c1947)  mjs
Size: 76mm diameter   MM: None

There were changes in Diamond T styling in the 1950's with a new hood emblem and side nameplates mounted on the doors and hood sides, see example shown below:

Diamond T Model 322 with new emblem and nameplate (1950) 

Diamond T front view showing hood emblem (1950)  lktec

This is the green painted Diamond T hood emblem shown below:

This is a Diamond T hood emblem (c1950)    lktec
Size: 272mm wide 125mm high    MM: None

This is a Diamond T side nameplate (c1950)     lktec
Size: 640mm wide 60mm high    

The following variations of the Diamond t hood emblem and side nameplate are believed to have been used later in the 1950's:

This is a Diamond T hood emblem (late 1950's)    mjs
Size: 210mm wide 120mm high   MM: None

This is a Diamond T side nameplate (late 1950's)   mjs
Size: 800mm wide 55mm high   

The following is a red painted version of the Diamond T hood emblem shown above:

This is a Diamond-T hood emblem (late 1950's)   lktec
Size: 212mm wide 124mm high   MM: None