Indiana Truck Corporation
Corporate brand
UnclaimedDefunct American manufacturer of commercial trucks.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Indiana Truck Corporation was an American commercial-vehicle manufacturer associated with Cleveland, Ohio. Its business began in 1898 as a producer of mattresses and bed springs, a line that reportedly continued throughout the company's existence. The company entered motor-vehicle manufacturing in 1910, when it produced its first truck in Marion, Indiana. That vehicle, identified as Truck No. 1001, used a four-cylinder Rutenber gasoline engine with a displacement of approximately 3,300 cubic centimetres. It also featured solid rubber tires and chain drive to the rear axle, characteristics associated with early commercial vehicles of the period. Indiana developed a range of trucks for different payload classes and commercial applications. Its early catalog included the one-ton Model B, two-ton Model F, and three-ton Model K in 1914. By 1916, the listed range had expanded or changed to include the Model R, Model F, and Model D. During the First World War era the company experienced a notable increase in sales: in 1917 it sold four times as many trucks as it had in 1916. The available historical record does not identify the precise causes of that increase, but the period saw strong demand for transport equipment and commercial vehicles. The company continued offering trucks through the 1920s. A broad group of models was listed for 1929, including the Model 11, 111, 111A, 111X, 115A, 126, 127, 136, 138, 41, 400 Admiral, 611, 6111, 615A, 626, 627, 628, 636, 638, and 641. These designations indicate a product strategy built around multiple chassis, payload, and configuration variants, although detailed specifications for most individual models are not preserved in the supplied reference material. In 1927, Indiana Truck Corporation was sold to Brockway Motor Company. The Indiana name and production operation continued under that ownership for a time. The company recorded sales of 1,706 vehicles in 1936, after which annual volumes steadily declined. Indiana trucks were assembled through 1939, marking the end of the brand's documented manufacturing activity. The company is therefore best understood as a historical American truck marque whose significance lies in its early entry into motorized freight transport, its broad interwar model range, and its eventual absorption into Brockway's corporate structure.
History
Indiana Truck Corporation traces its origins to 1898, when the business manufactured mattresses and bed springs rather than motor vehicles. That non-automotive production reportedly continued throughout the company's life, making the enterprise an unusual example of a manufacturer that combined bedding products with commercial-vehicle production. The company entered the truck industry in 1910, producing its first truck in Marion, Indiana. The vehicle was designated Truck No. 1001 and used a four-cylinder Rutenber gasoline engine of approximately 3,300 cc. Its solid rubber tires and chain-driven rear axle reflected the mechanical conventions of early truck design. The move into trucks placed Indiana among the many American manufacturers attempting to establish reliable motorized alternatives to horse-drawn freight transport during the early twentieth century. Indiana's early product program was organized around payload capacity. Its 1914 range included the one-ton Model B, two-ton Model F, and three-ton Model K. The 1916 catalog references the Model R, Model F, and Model D, suggesting that the company revised its range as it developed its commercial offerings. Sales expanded sharply during the period: in 1917, the company sold four times as many trucks as in 1916. The available source does not provide absolute unit totals or explain the precise commercial or economic drivers behind the increase. During the 1920s, Indiana continued to operate as a truck producer and broadened its model nomenclature. A particularly extensive list is recorded for 1929, including models in the 11, 111, 115, 126, 127, 136, 138, 400, 600, and 600-series families. The Model 400 was also identified as the Admiral. The surviving list demonstrates a substantial range of configurations, but the supplied historical material does not provide enough information to assign detailed specifications, body styles, engines, or production totals to each designation. A major corporate change occurred in 1927, when Indiana Truck Corporation was sold to Brockway Motor Company. Indiana trucks continued to be assembled after the transaction, indicating that the acquisition did not immediately terminate the marque or its production operation. By 1936, the company sold 1,706 vehicles. Sales then declined steadily, and Indiana trucks were assembled until 1939. No later production activity is identified in the reference material. Indiana's historical importance rests primarily on its participation in the formative American truck industry. It produced vehicles from the early chain-drive era through the interwar period, offered several payload classes, achieved a temporary sales expansion during the late 1910s, and maintained a recognizable model range after being acquired by Brockway. Its eventual closure reflected the competitive and consolidating conditions of the American commercial-vehicle market, although the available sources do not document the specific causes of its decline.
- 1939
Truck assembly ends
[1]Indiana trucks were assembled through 1939, after which the brand's documented production ended.
- 1936
Recorded sales reach 1,706 vehicles
[1]The company sold 1,706 vehicles in 1936; sales declined in subsequent years.
- 1929
Extensive model list documented
[1]The company's recorded lineup included numerous 11-, 100-, 600-, and 6000-series designations, including the Model 400 Admiral.
- 1927
Sold to Brockway Motor Company
[1]Indiana Truck Corporation was sold to Brockway Motor Company, after which Indiana trucks continued to be assembled for several years.
- 1917
Sales rise sharply
[1]Indiana sold four times as many trucks as it had sold in 1916.
- 1916
Revised model range recorded
[1]The Model R, Model F, and Model D were identified among Indiana's offerings.
- 1914
Early payload-class range documented
[1]The company's listed range included the one-ton Model B, two-ton Model F, and three-ton Model K.
- 1910
First Indiana truck produced
[1]Indiana produced its first truck in Marion, Indiana. Truck No. 1001 used a four-cylinder Rutenber gasoline engine, solid rubber tires, and chain drive to the rear axle.
- 1898
Business begins with bedding products
[1]The company began as a manufacturer of mattresses and bed springs, products it continued to make during its later truck-manufacturing years.
Products and positioning
A historical American commercial-vehicle manufacturer serving businesses and freight operators with gasoline-powered trucks in several payload classes.
Early commercial truck · 1910
Truck No. 1001
Indiana's first documented truck, produced in 1910 at Marion, Indiana. It used a four-cylinder Rutenber gasoline engine with approximately 3,300 cc of displacement, solid rubber tires, and a chain-driven rear axle. The vehicle represents the company's transition from bedding manufacture into early motorized freight transport.
Early payload-class trucks · 1914
Models B, F, and K
The 1914 range comprised the one-ton Model B, two-ton Model F, and three-ton Model K. These vehicles illustrate Indiana's approach of organizing its early commercial line around carrying capacity for different business and freight requirements.
Commercial trucks · 1916
Models R, F, and D
The Model R, Model F, and Model D were listed among Indiana's offerings in 1916. The available source confirms their inclusion in the period range but does not provide sufficiently detailed specifications or individual production histories.
Interwar commercial trucks · 1929
1929 model range
Indiana's recorded 1929 lineup included Models 11, 611, 111, 6111, 400 Admiral, 111A, 111X, 115A, 615A, 126, 626, 127, 627, 628, 136, 636, 638, 138, 41, and 641. The extensive nomenclature indicates a broad commercial-vehicle program, although detailed technical data for the individual variants is not available in the supplied references.
Brand decisions
1927
Sale to Brockway Motor CompanyM&ABackground
Indiana Truck Corporation was sold to Brockway Motor Company during a period when the American truck industry included numerous independent manufacturers and was undergoing corporate consolidation.
Action taken
Brockway acquired Indiana Truck Corporation. Indiana-branded trucks continued to be assembled after the transaction.
Aftermath
Production continued into the 1930s, but vehicle sales later declined. Indiana trucks were assembled through 1939.
Sources1 sources
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