YELLOW TRUCK

Yellow Cab Manufacturing Co. (1923-1925) 
Yellow Truck & Coach Manufacturing Co. (1925-1927)
Chicago, Illinois

This is believed to be a Yellocab truck radiator emblem (1924-1925) mjs
Size: 57mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The Yellow Taxicab Manufacturing Company had been established in 1915 and by 1922, under the leadership of John Hertz, thousands of Yellow taxicabs had been built and Yellow Cab dominated the industry (see Yellow Cab). John Hertz also began to diversify into larger passenger vehicles and trucks.

A line of 3/4 to 1-ton capacity trucks, called Yellocab trucks, was introduced in 1923-1924, largely based on Yellow Cab components. The Yellocab truck was built in two versions, differing only in wheelbase length, with pneumatic tires on the shorter wheelbase version and solid rubber tires on the longer wheelbase version.

GM bought a majority share in Yellow in 1925. The four-cylinder Yellow Sleeve Valve Engine was introduced for Yellow trucks in 1925-1927 for a series of Yellow-Knight trucks, which were larger companions to the Yellocab truck line and increased the truck load capacity range up to 4-tons. Some six-cylinder OHV Buick powered truck models were added to the truck range in 1926-1927. All Yellow truck production ceased in 1927.

Emblems

The 3/4ton light duty Yellocab trucks produced in 1923-1927 did not carry a radiator emblem but did display the "Yellocab Truck" name on hood side nameplates, see example shown below. Original Yellocab Truck hood side nameplates are rare.

This is a Yellocab hood side nameplate (c1925)   michael

However, the 1-ton Yellocab truck models for 1924-1927 did carry a circular radiator emblem, see 1925 example shown below, although the detailed design of the emblem cannot be seen:

This is a 1-ton Yellocab truck with rad emblem (1925)  justoldtrucks

Some 1925-1926 Yellocab truck models had the emblem mounted on the right side of the radiator shell, probably because the licence plate was mounted on the top of the radiator, thereby covering the usual radiator emblem location, see example shown below:

This is a Yellocab truck with rad shell side emblem (1925)  justoldtrucks

It is believed that the emblems used for these early trucks were the yellow and black enamel Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company radiator emblems shown below. These emblems were later also used as Yellow Cab radiator emblems. These Yellocab truck radiator emblems are rare.

This is believed to be a Yellocab truck radiator emblem (1924-1925) mjs
Size: 57mm diameter   MM: Unknown

This is believed to be a Yellocab truck radiator emblem (1924-1925) mjs
Size: 57mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The following smaller, overpainted Yellocab truck emblem may have been used for mounting on the radiator shell side after the GM take over in 1925, but I cannot confirm this. This smaller Yellocab truck emblem is very rare.

This is a Yellocab truck emblem (c1925-1926)    mjs
Size: 50mm diameter   MM: None

The following are believed to have been used as Yellocab truck hub emblems. These Yellocab truck hub emblems are scarce.

This may be a Yellocab truck hub emblem (1923-1925)  mjs
Size: 57mm diameter   MM: Unknown

This may be a Yellocab truck hub emblem (1925-1927)  mjs
Size: 57mm diameter   MM: None

The following yellow, black and white enamel Yellow Knight radiator emblem, with a shield center depicting Sir Galahad, is believed to have been used for Knight powered Yellow truck models from 1926-1927. This Yellow Knight radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Yellow Knight radiator emblem (1926-1927)   mjs
Size: 57mm diameter     MM: Fox

The following emblem is a mystery. It depicts the same shield with the Sir Galahad Knight but has no inscription. It is exactly the same size as the Yellow Knight radiator emblem shown above and has the same fixing holes. It has been suggested that this emblem may have been used on the six-cylinder OHV Buick powered Yellow truck models from 1926-1927, but this cannot be confirmed.  This Yellow Knight emblem is also very rare.

This is a Yellow "Knight" radiator emblem (1926-1927)  mjs
Size: 57mm diameter   MM: Fox

The following detail from a Yellocab truck advertisement shows a Buick powered model but the detailed design of the emblem cannot be determined:

Buick powered Yellocab truck with rad emblem (1926-1927) coachbuilt

The following is a Yellow Knight truck hubcap showing the hub emblem:

This is a Yellow Knight truck hubcap (1926-1927)   dkc

If you can provide confirmed evidence of the emblems used for any Yellow trucks, please let me know, in order to update this post.