FULTON

Clyde Motor Truck Co. (1917)
Fulton Motor Truck Co. (1917-1925)
Farmingdale, Long Island, New York

This is a Fulton truck radiator emblem (1920-1925)   mjs
Size: 70mm high 64mm wide     MM: Whitehead & Hoag

The Fulton truck was the idea of William F. Melhuish, president of the Clyde Motor Truck Company, who wanted to produce a conventional medium-size truck using the latest engineering advances at the time. 

The first Fulton was a 1 to 1-1/2-ton powered by a 30 hp four-cylinder engine and a very large seven gallon gas tank. The most notable thing about the Fulton was its circular radiator with a prominent top flange and its cylindrical hood, which gave the Fulton an unmistakable identity.  By 1918, the Fulton had become the 1-1/2-ton capacity Model FX Express, which was developed further into the 40 hp 2-ton capacity Model C introduced in 1919.

A prototype passenger car was built and driven in 1920 but did not proceed to production. 

A new light to medium duty Fulton Model A rated at 3/4-ton to 1-ton capacity was introduced in 1920 with an enhanced version appearing later in 1920 for the 1921 model year. The 2-ton capacity Fulton Model D truck-tractor also appeared in 1920 and grew into a 4-1/2-ton model by 1922. But, the Fulton struggled to compete with its rivals and it was all over in 1925.

Emblems

The first Fulton trucks had the distinctive circular radiator with the top flange supporting the radiator tank top, which had the "Fulton" name cast into the front. The shape of the first Fulton radiator was rather strange, see the illustrations in the following Fulton truck specification sheet:

Fulton truck spec showing the rad shape (1917) autopaper

Close-up showing the first Fulton truck radiator (1917)

Fulton truck radiator shape (1917-1918)

The Fulton truck had a change in radiator shape by 1918 with the introduction of the Fulton Model FX 1-1/2-ton Express, see example shown below:

Fulton Model FX Express (1918)   hatm

Cast-in Fulton radiator emblem (1918)    hatm

This cast-in Fulton radiator emblem continued to be used on the 2-ton Fulton Model C introduced in 1919, see brochure cover and original photo shown below:

Fulton Model C brochure cover (1919) autopaper

The "Fulton" name was also displayed on a cast metal nameplate mounted on the sides of the vehicle under the driver's seat, see original Fulton Model C photo below:

Fulton Model C with body side nameplate visible (1919)  autopaper

The 3/4-ton to 1-ton Fulton Model A introduced in late 1920 had a much plainer radiator design without the upper flange joint and with no radiator emblem, see Fulton advertisement shown below, which shows the body side nameplate:

Fulton Model A advertisement (1920)   ma

Fulton Model A showing radiator and body side nameplate (1920) 

The 2-ton Fulton Model D, which was introduced in late 1920, had a more elaborate radiator design, which carried a new radiator emblem, see original photo shown below:

Fulton 2-ton Model D with rad emblem (1920)  omm

The Fulton Model A was updated for the 1921 model year using the new radiator and emblem, see Fulton Model A specification sheet shown below:

Fulton Model A spec sheet (1921)  autopaper

Close-up showing Fulton model A radiator and emblem (1921)

This is the blue and white enamel radiator shaped Fulton radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Fulton radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Fulton truck radiator emblem (1920-1925)   mjs
Size: 70mm high 64mm wide   MM: Whitehead & Hoag