Federal Motor Truck Company

Federal Motor Truck Company
Formerly	Bailey Motor Truck Company
Industry	Manufacturing, automotive
Predecessor	Stewart Motor Company (since 1942)
Founded	May 1910
Defunct	March 1960
Fate	Sold to NAPCO
Successor	NAPCO
Products	Trucks

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The Federal Motor Truck Company was an American truck manufacturer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. The company was founded in 1910 as Bailey Motor Truck Company by Martin L. Pulcher, who would later found the Oakland Motor Car Company, which launched the Pontiac GM companion brand in 1926.

History

The company was founded in 1910 as the Bailey Motor Truck Company but was later renamed to Federal. The company then opened a factory in Leavitt Street, near Southwest Detroit. During the prosperous time of the company, around 700 people worked there, producing as many as 3,500 trucks annually. The main competitor of the company was Diamond T. The main providers of engines for the company were Continental, Waukesha, and Hercules.^[1] In 1935, Federal sold 2190 units and in 1936 it increased to 2930 trucks.^[2] In 1938, Federal sold 1370 units and in 1939 it increased to 1837 trucks.^[3]

From 1924 to 1927, the company produced some delivery trucks with Willys-Knight engines, and these were marketed under the Federal Knight brand. Despite being an independent manufacturer, the company produced its own cabs in both standard and deluxe versions. In 1942, the company bought the Stewart Motor Company.^[4] After the war, the company enjoyed high sales and was bought by Fawick, although it was soon discovered that the new buyers knew nothing about manufacturing complete trucks, and the company was sold to NAPCO, which closed down the company's factory in Detroit and transferred the trucks' tooling to their own factories in Minneapolis.^[1]

Due to economic problems and the uncertainty of the future of the Federal brand, NAPCO retired the brand in 1959, with all operations ceasing in 1960.

Production

Year	Production figures	Model	Load capacity	Serial number
1910			1 to
1911			1 to
1912	~ 1,000	C-D ^[5] ^[6]	1 to
1913	~ 2,000		1 to
1914 ^[7]	905	C-D	1 to	101 to 1005
1915	1,749	G-G-H	1,5 to	1006 to 2754
	↑	J-K	1,5 to	↑
1916		HM	1,5 to	2756 to 4999, 6001 to 6440
		W	2 to
		L	3,5 to
1920		SD	1 to
1921		SD	1 to
1922		SD	1 to
		TE	1,5 to
		UE	2 to
		X-2	5-6 to
1923	(27,017) from 1910 to 1923		to
		TE	1,5 to
		UE	2 to
		X-2	5-6 to
1924		S-25-6 Speedy Truck	1,5 to
		S-27 Speedy Truck	2 to
		X-2	5-6 to
1925		S-25-6 Speedy Truck	1,5 to
		S-27 Speedy Truck	2 to
		X-2	5-6 to
1926		S-25-6 Speedy Truck	1,5 to
		S-27 Speedy Truck	2 to
1927		S-25-6 Speedy Truck	1,5 to
		S-27 Speedy Truck	2 to
1928		FW	1 to
1929		A6	1,5-2 to
1935			to
1936	~ 2,930		to
1937			to
1938	~ 1,370		to
1939	~ 1,837		to
1946	6,091		to
1947	10,058		to
1948	3,898		to
1949	1,649		to
1950	1,884		to
1959			to
Sum	160,000

Model types

Trucks with a payload of 1.25 to 1.5 tons ^[8]

Type 10-128; Wheelbase 128 inches = 3251 mm
Type 10-143; Wheelbase 143 inches = 3632 mm
Type 10-152; Wheelbase 152 inches = 3861 mm

Trucks with a payload of 1.5 to 1.75 tons

Type 11-128; Wheelbase 128 inches = 3251 mm
Type 11-143; Wheelbase 143 inches = 3632 mm
Type 11-152; Wheelbase 152 inches = 3861 mm

Trucks with a payload of 2.5 to 2.75 tons

Type 15-136; Wheelbase 136 inches = 3454 mm
Type 15-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
Type 15-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
Type 15-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
Type 15-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm

Trucks with a payload of 2.75 to 3.25 tons

Type 18-136; Wheelbase 136 inches = 3454 mm
Type 18-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
Type 18-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
Type 18-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
Type 18-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm

Trucks with a payload of 3.25 to 3.75 tons

Type 20-136; Wheelbase 136 inches = 3454 mm
Type 20-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
Type 20-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
Type 20-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
Type 20-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm
Type 20-195; Wheelbase 195 inches = 4953 mm

With Dieselmotor

- Type 20DI-136; Wheelbase 136 inches = 3454 mm
- Type 20DI-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
- Type 20DI-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
- Type 20DI-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
- Type 20DI-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm
- Type 20DI-195; Wheelbase 195 inches = 4953 mm

Trucks with a payload of 3.5 to 4 tons

Type 25-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
Type 25-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
Type 25-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
Type 25-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm
Type 25-195; Wheelbase 195 inches = 4953 mm

With Dieselmotor

- Type 25DI-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
- Type 25DI-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
- Type 25DI-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
- Type 25DI-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm
- Type 25DI-195; Wheelbase 195 inches = 4953 mm

Trucks with a payload of 4 to 4.5 tons

Type 28-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
Type 28-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
Type 28-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
Type 28-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm
Type 28-195; Wheelbase 195 inches = 4953 mm

With Dieselmotor

- Type 28DI-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
- Type 28DI-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
- Type 28DI-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
- Type 28DI-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm
- Type 28DI-195; Wheelbase 195 inches = 4953 mm

Trucks with a payload of 4.25 to 4.75 tons

Type 29-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
Type 29-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
Type 29-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
Type 29-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm
Type 29-195; Wheelbase 195 inches = 4953 mm

With Dieselmotor

- Type 29DI-147; Wheelbase 147 inches = 3734 mm
- Type 29DI-156; Wheelbase 156 inches = 3962 mm
- Type 29DI-168; Wheelbase 168 inches = 4267 mm
- Type 29DI-181; Wheelbase 181 inches = 4597 mm
- Type 29DI-195; Wheelbase 195 inches = 4953 mm

Bus Types

B15-156 for 18 to 20 Passengers
B15-181 for 22 to 24 Passengers
B20-181 for 24 Passengers (also with Dieselmotor)
B20-195 for 26 Passengers (also with Dieselmotor)
B25-195 for 26 to 28 Passengers (also with Dieselmotor)
B25-207 for 28 to 30 Passengers (also with Dieselmotor)

Military trucks

Federal built its first U.S. military trucks in 1918 for the U.S. Army.^[9] More diverse military (tractor) trucks, including tank transporters, dump trucks, and heavy wreckers, were built for U.S. forces from 1933 through 1945. Federal produced over 10,000 trucks for the military.

Gallery

1952 Federal 45M tractor with 1946 Fruehauf semi-trailer (Henry Ford Museum)
A Federal light pickup truck
WWII Federal G-692, 7½-ton, 6x6, military wrecker in the Overloon War Museum (Netherlands)
A 1932 Federal truck
A Federal military truck

References

1 2 "The Pride of Detroit: Federal Trucks, 1910-59". 28 April 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
↑ "Federal 1935 and 1936". The Commercial car journal v.53 1937 Mar-Aug. 1937-03-01. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
↑ "Federal 1938 and 1939". The Commercial car journal v.59 1940 Mar-Aug. 1940-03-01. Retrieved 2025-04-17.
↑ "Stewart Motor Company". Official handbook of automobiles / National Automobile Chamber of Commerce v. 26 (1929). 1929-01-01. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
↑ "Federal Model D". Power wagon no.92-97 1912. 1912-08-01. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
↑ "Federal Model C, D". Power wagon no.92-97 1912. 1912-11-01. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
↑ "Federal Serial Numbers". Branham automobile reference book, showing in illustrated form the location of motor and serial numbers on all passenger cars and trucks 1924-1925. 1925-01-01. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
↑ "Federal Motor Truck Company". Federal Motor Truck Company (1937). 1937-01-01. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
↑ "Federal". Historic Vehicles. Retrieved 2023-03-20.

[[1]-1] 1 2 "The Pride of Detroit: Federal Trucks, 1910-59". 28 April 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2022.

[2] "Federal 1935 and 1936". The Commercial car journal v.53 1937 Mar-Aug. 1937-03-01. Retrieved 2025-04-18.

[3] "Federal 1938 and 1939". The Commercial car journal v.59 1940 Mar-Aug. 1940-03-01. Retrieved 2025-04-17.

[4] "Stewart Motor Company". Official handbook of automobiles / National Automobile Chamber of Commerce v. 26 (1929). 1929-01-01. Retrieved 2025-06-02.

[5] "Federal Model D". Power wagon no.92-97 1912. 1912-08-01. Retrieved 2026-06-05.

[6] "Federal Model C, D". Power wagon no.92-97 1912. 1912-11-01. Retrieved 2026-06-05.

[7] "Federal Serial Numbers". Branham automobile reference book, showing in illustrated form the location of motor and serial numbers on all passenger cars and trucks 1924-1925. 1925-01-01. Retrieved 2026-06-05.

[8] "Federal Motor Truck Company". Federal Motor Truck Company (1937). 1937-01-01. Retrieved 2025-05-16.

[9] "Federal". Historic Vehicles. Retrieved 2023-03-20.

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US military soft-skinned vehicles of World War II
1⁄4–3⁄4 ton vehicles	Dodge WC series Dodge WC54 Ford Pygmy Willys MB / Ford GPW
11⁄2–4 ton trucks	Austin K2/Y Chevrolet G506 Diamond T 4-ton 6×6 truck Dodge T-234 "Burma truck" Dodge WC-62 and WC-63 Ford GTB 'Burma jeep' GMC CCKW Studebaker US6
5–10 ton trucks	6-ton 6×6 truck Autocar U7144-T & U8144-T K-30 truck K-31 truck Federal G-692 Kenworth M1 Wrecker M425 and 426 tractor trucks Mack EH series Mack LMSW Mack NJU Mack NM Mack NO
Tank transporters	M19 tank transporter M25 tank transporter 'Dragon Wagon'
Amphibious vehicles	Ford GPA "Seep" GMC DUKW "Duck" Landing Vehicle Tracked
Tracked tractors & carriers	M1 heavy tractor M1 light tractor M1 medium tractor M2 high-speed tractor M2 light tractor M4 high-speed tractor M5 13-ton high-speed tractor M6 high-speed tractor M7 snow tractor M29 Weasel
Motorcycles	Harley-Davidson WLA
Trailers	Ben Hur trailer Jeep trailer K-36 trailer K-38 trailer M5 bomb trailer
World War II vehicles of the United States List of soft-skinned vehicles of the US military