1914 AMERICAN LAFRANCE SPEEDSTER

The American LaFrance Company, better known for its fire engines than its speedsters, has a history that dates back to the early 1830s. The business was formed with the intention of building horse drawn carriages and steam powered fire engines. The Company was officially formed by Truckson LaFrance and his partners in 1873 as the LaFrance Manufacturing Company selling hand powered equipment.

From 1903 through 1907, the International Fire Engine Company, the predecessor of American LaFrance, produced steam powered fire engines and other fire fighting equipment. Over the many years of their existence, both the IFE and American LaFrance, they have created thousands of fire trucks and equipment. Their list of creations have been broad, but centered on emergency response vehicles, such as chemical engines, aerial ladder trucks, airport crash trucks, and more.


The American LaFrance personal usage vehicles were built on their fire truck chassis and used the same basic running gear. They were originally produced so that fire chiefs could have a vehicle complimentary to their station fire equipment but so many corporate executives of the day bought them that they never really got into the hands of those they were originally meant for.

Many of the Speedsters were powered by the monolithic 'pair-cast' four-cylinder engine that featured Ram's Horns inlet manifold, Zenith carburetion, and Eisenmann magento. Braking was on the rear wheels only with the gearbox being three speed manual units. 

The 1914 American LaFrance is powered by an 897 cubic inch T-Head inline 4 engine delivering 105 horsepower. Despite its massive size and weight it attains modern freeway speeds with very little effort. It has a 38-inch wheelbase and seating for two. And woe betide any sad little Hummer or other 'so called' large SUV that foolishly runs into it. Or under it!