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Fabco is a specialty manufacturer which produces several series of
one-man-cab forward control trucks with the cab beside the engine, and also
a cab-over utility vehicle, though they entered vehicle manufacture with a
small series of fire engines built for California Fire Departments before
the war.
Smallest of the one-man-cab vehicles is a yard trailer spotter, the Fab
151, and there are several models of flat deck trucks with loading area for
the entire length of the truck, interrupted only by the one-man cab at the
front behind which is a Remy 10,000 lb. hydraulic crane. On these FT models
the engine, a Ford gasoline 534-V8, is below the deck and drives through an
automatic transmission. This series is made in 4x2 and 6x4 layouts, and is
used for handling pipes and power poles up to 45 feet in length. The WT
series is a flat top with the engine above the deck and beside the cab,
intended for harvesting of agricultural produce with the minimum of plant
damage. A 6x6 truck with single tires and 80 in. wide track, the WT is
powered by Ford gasoline or Detroit Diesel engines. A combination of 5-speed
Clark main and 3-speed Spicer auxiliary transmissions together with 2speed
Fabco transfer case gives a total of 30 forward speeds and 6 in reverse.
Lowest speed is one mph, invaluable for harvesting purposes.
The Fabco UV cab-over series was introduced in 1972, and uses a
conventional full-width cab and a choice of Ford gasoline or Caterpillar or
Detroit Diesels. GVWs range from 27,000 to 56,000 lbs, and the trucks are
available in 4x2, 4x4, 6x4 and 6x6 drives. In addition to these complete
trucks, FajJco offer 4-wheel-drlve conversions on Ford, GMC and other makes
which are particularly used in power line erection.
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Since 1918, Fabco Automotive has formed a reputation based upon innovative
engineering, sophisticated manufacturing, and responsive customer support.
Today, Fabco continues to build on its heritage as a UL Certified QS9000
Tier 1 transportation industry supplier with a broad range of Steer Drive
Axles, Transfer Cases, Split Shaft Power Take Offs, and other industry
leading specialty products.
Fabco Automotive has moved to a new facility: Fabco Automotive Corporation
recently opened a new facility in Livermore, California and moved its entire
operation from its old facility in Emeryville, California.
For over 80 years, Fabco has played a significant role in the evolution
of All Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles. Today, Fabco offers its customers a wide
variety of products in addition to the wide array of specially modified AWD
trucks it produces each year. These products include liquid transfer pumps,
diesel marine engines, fire trucks, agricultural machines, flexible drive
couplings and a wide range of transfer cases and steerable drive axles.
Fabco is a business unit of TTI, Inc. The TTI family of companies
comprises one of the industries largest suppliers of components and
sub-assemblies for on and off-highway medium / heavy-duty trucks as well as
transit and school buses. Other TTI business units and affiliate companies
include Gunite Corporation, Bostrom Seating, Imperial Group, Brillion Iron
Works, Metal Forming Industries, Fuel Systems and Phillips & Temro.
The 208 acre FABCO site was located at 1249 67th Street and was split
between Emeryville and Oakland.
The FABCO plant was physically in Emeryville, but bordered on the Oakland
City line. The former factory site is now a middle-income housing
development.
FABCO is unrelated to the St. Louis-based heavy equipment supplier also
called FABCO owned by the Fabick family.
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In 1940, Gillig began experimenting with engine locations, and Gillig's
very first midship engined transit was born. It was powered by Hall Scott
gasoline engines, and was unusual because the engines were placed on their
sides, instead of vertically. The chassis for this new model line was
supplied by Fabco, and Gillig had of course built the bodies.
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