Visit us the 1st & 3rd Saturday of every month 10am-2pm
37974 Shinn St, Fremont, CA 94536
37974 Shinn St, Fremont, CA 94536
Mailing Address P.O. Box 601105 Sacramento, CA 95860-1105
Mailing Address P.O. Box 601105 Sacramento, CA 95860-1105
Dwight Austin was an integral part of the history of Pickwick Stages, Inc., ULATCo. / Utility Coach, and the General Motors Yellow Coach Division.
Austin’s patent of the angle drive was a key component of the Utility Coach that was almost identically duplicated by Kenworth, Mack, and Twin Coach
Other manufacturers embraced the Utility Coach (angle drive) concept. Kenworth built one model KHC-22 in August 1932 which went to Portland Traction. Mack built an almost photographic copy as its model CW starting in 1935.
Sources included: Coachbuilt.com
After his time at General Motors:
“Dwight Austin, well-known bus designer, now heads up Dwight Austin & Associates, Inc. with headquarters in Kent, Ohio. Mr. Austin has recently obtained a commission to cooperate on the new designs for postwar production by Twin Coach Co. He was the principle factor in the designing and building of coaches for the Pickwick Corporation where he later became vice president and general manager. In 1933 he resigned from the Pickwick Corporation to build Austin Utilities coaches under the name of Austin System. The Utilities coaches attracted attention due to their light weight and modern design, and the Yellow Truck & Coach Co, brought the designer to their plant as new development engineer. He resigned this position on March 31, 1943.”
The source is a quote from 1943 issue of Bus Transportation
According to that same source, Austin headed up a company called Dwight Austin Products Co. Austin passed away in March of 1960.
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