W.G. Hahn & Bro. 1907-1913 - Hahn Motor Truck & Wagon Co. - 1913-1920 - Hahn Motor Truck Co. - 1920-1926 - Hahn Motors Inc. 1931-present - Hamburg, Pennsylvania - Hahn Motor Truck Co. - 1927-1930 - Selden- Hahn Motor Truck Co. 1930-1931 - Allentown, Pennsylvania


   

After building one truck and one automobile in his wagon works in 1907, W.G. Hahn decided to build trucks as well as wagons. Truck production was minimal prior to 1913. Hahn built conventional chain drive trucks powered by the Continental 4-cylinder engine. The 1 ½ -ton chassis cost $2,400 in 1914.

Five models from 1500-pound to 3Yo-ton capacity were built from 1915, when Hahn also began building fire apparatus. A 5-ton model filled out the line in 1918. Hahn used worm drive from 1916, although the first 5-ton trucks had chain drive. Postwar inflation resulted in a chassis price of $10,000 for the 5-ton truck in 1920.

In 1922 Hahn offered eight models from 1-ton to 6-ton with prices from $1,750 to $4,650. Production in the 1920's averaged 600 trucks per year until 1927 and in­creased thereafter. Hercules engines were used from 1923. When the first 6-cylinder models were introduced in 1926.

Continental and Hercules engines were used in both the 4­cylinder and 6-cylinder lines. Hahn offered 27 and 35­passenger bus chassis with the 6-cylinder Continental engine and a 20-passenger bus chassis with the 4-cylinder Hercules engine.

Hahn took over the former Bethlehem plant in Allen­town in 1927 and moved their offices there, although the Hamburg plant was continued. A line of trucks with the 6­cylinder Continental engine was announced in August, 1929. Seven models priced from $1,098 for the ¾ -ton to $4,950 for the 5-ton were offered. All models featured 4­-wheel hydraulic brakes and a distinctive cast aluminum C radiator shell. A merger with Selden lasted 16 months, during which time some Hahn models were offered under both name plates.

Hahn returned to Hamburg in 1931 and retrenched in their own factory. Some trucks built in the early 1930's were powered by the 4Y2-litre Franklin 6-cylinder engine. Hahn concentrated on fire apparatus from 1933, although a complete line of trucks powered by the Waukesha 6­cylinder engine was offered on special order until 1941.

During World War II, Hahn manufactured mobile machine shops and special recovery trucks for the U.S. Engineer Corps. Hahn's only post-war truck production consisted of a large order of delivery trucks built on Ford chassis for United Parcel Service. Since 1948 the firm has limited manufacture to a line of custom fire apparatus.

Since the 1950's the forward control cab has been used to increase chassis space for the many new pieces of fire fighting equipment. Chassis and body are of Hahn manufacture; engines used are either Detroit Diesel or Wau­kesha gasoline. Production in the early 1970's has aver­aged 100 custom fire engines a year.

 

    For more information please read:

Tom W. Shand - Hahn Fire Apparatus 1930-1990 Photo Archive

Walter M.P. McCall & George H. Dammann - American Fire Engines Since 1900

Fred W. Crismon - Fire Engines

Bob Dubbert - Encyclopedia of Canadian Fire Apparatus

Donal M. Baird - A Canadian History of Fire Engines

Phil DaCosta - One Hundred Years of America's Fire Fighting Apparatus

Bill Hass - History of the American Water Towers

Hans Halberstadt - The American Fire Engine

Hans Halberstadt - Fire Engines

T.A. Jacobs - A History of Fire Engines

Matthew Lee - A Pictorial History of the Fire Engine

M.W. Goodman MD - Inventing the American Fire Engine: An Illustrated History of Fire Engine Patents

Consumer's Guide - The Complete Book of Fire Engines: A colorful Review of Today's Fire Apparatus

Sheila Buff - Fire Engines in North America

Sheila Buff - Fire Engines: Motorized Apparatus Since 1900

Neil Wallington - World Encyclopedia of Fire Engines: an illustrated guide to fire trucks around the world

Keith Ryan & Neil Wallington - The Illustrated History of Fire Engines

Paul Barrett - Heavy Rescue Trucks: 1931 - 2000 Photo Gallery

Larry Shapiro - Aerial Fire Trucks

Larry Shapiro - Fighting Fire Trucks

Larry Shapiro - Hooks and Ladders

Larry Shapiro - Pumpers: Workhorse Fire Engines

Donald F. Wood - American Volunteer Fire Trucks

Donald F. Wood - Big City Fire Truck 1900-1950

Donald F. Wood & Wayne Sorensen - Big City Fire Trucks: 1951-1996

Donald F. Wood & Wayne Sorenson - Motorized Fire Apparatus of the West, 1900-1960

Donald F. Wood & Wayne Sorensen - New York City Fire Trucks

Donald F. Wood & Wayne Sorenson - Volunteer & Rural Fire Apparatus Photo Gallery

Kenneth Little - Chicago Fire Department engines: Sixty years of motorized pumpers, 1912-1972

Kenneth Little - Chicago Fire Department hook & ladder tractors, 1914-1971

Ron Jeffers - The apparatus of the Jersey City Fire Department: Yesterday and today

John Rieth - Jersey Shore Fire Apparatus: Classic Thru the 60's

Philip R. Lincoln - Massachusetts fire apparatus: A pictorial Collection

Charles Madderom - Los Angeles City Fire Apparatus: 1953 Through 1999 Photo Archive

George Klass - Fire apparatus: A pictorial history of the Los Angeles Fire Department

John A. Calderone - Wheels of the bravest: A history of FDNY fire apparatus, 1865-1992

Peter Aloisi - Apparatus and fires across America: Featuring former FDNY apparatus

Scott Schimpf - Fire Apparatus of Philadelphia

Harrold Shell - Past and present: A history of Phoenix fire trucks

Leo E. Duliba - Industrial & Private Fire Apparatus: 1925 Through 2001 Photo Archive

G.N. Georgano & G. Marshall Naul - The Complete Encyclopedia of Commercial Vehicles

Albert Mroz - Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Trucks & Commercial Vehicles

Daniel D. Hutchins - Wheels Across America: Carriage Art & Craftsmanship

George W. Green - Special-Use Vehicles: An Illustrated History of Unconventional Cars and Trucks

William T. King - History of the American Steam Fire-Engine

John M. Peckham - Fighting fire with fire: A pictorial volume of steam fire-fighting apparatus

 



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