Stewart Motor Truck

I’ve been going through some old truck show photos recently while backing them up to my Flickr account. Yesterday I was looking at the 2007 show photos from what was then the ATHS chapter of Western New York. When causally browsing through the files I dismissed the truck below as a White. Boy was I wrong. Turns out this truck is a Stewart. This is a new brand for me and based on the small amount of information on the web a rare brand for nearly everyone else out there. I was able to find an out of print book on sale through Amazon that lists the company as being active from 1912-1942 in Buffalo, NY. At one point Stewart dabbled in car building but eventually focused their energy solely on commercial vehicles.

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The current owner (unknown at this time) typed a neat story/biography of the truck and the Stewart company which I have transcribed here.

Look and smile

This truck is a real diamond in the rough. It may not look like much at a glance, but feel free to look closer. I was able to get this truck only three weeks ago. I saw a real jewel right from the sight of this old work horse. It is supposed to be a 1937 Stewart 58 EX. A truck of 7000 lbs. capacity, according to the VIN tag on the fire wall. It has a Waukesha engine which was new to Stewart in 1937.

The company motto for 1937 was “Stewart acknowledges no peer in truckdom.”

Stewart began production in 1912 and ended all production in 1941. The company at one time employed 650 people. Peak sales reached 6,651,000 (?!) in 1929, before the great depression began. Unfortunately, Raymond and company Superintendent, William F. Stuhimiller both died suddenly in 1937. This truck is a true Western NY truck, manufactured in Buffalo, NY and had a working career in the city of Niagara Falls. Pretty exciting stuff!! I also have its brother, with consecutive serial numbers.

This truck has some neat features. Look and see.

The cab and cowl splits so this could be sold as a chassis for a bus or a fire truck or other application.

The brake system is different than we are used to seeing today, not a hydrovac, but a straight vacuum assist. Look on the frame rail under the driver. Note that the control valve is in the brake rod itself. Look at the size of the master cylinder also.

There are a variety of tires on here. Different brand names of the past, and sizes such as 9.75-20-?

The garbage body is an Elgin and is made at the Leach plant. The model is a Chief. The ID plate is on the right rear corner protected by orange paint. Leach is still in business making packers.

There is a hydraulic cylinder under the center rear that runs a rack and pinion gear to turn a sprocket to turn the chains that raised the basket to dump in the top. The rear opened like a tailgate to dump the load.

There is another ID plate on the right side, above the running board that says, Made in Buffalo.

Fun stuff indeed. I only wish I had more photos and videos of this piece of American history. If you would like to the view the rest of the photos from this show click the Truck Shows button at the top of the page. I have added a few other shows from years past and will be added more as time allows. Check back often!

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18 Responses to Stewart Motor Truck

  1. george sapia says:

    hello I also own a 1937 stewart it is a ute pick up and would love any more info on these rare trucks as production numbers etc thank you George 805 272 5073 california

  2. mike breier says:

    if you live in the buffalo area this out print book
    is at the buffalo & erie county library downtown

  3. Ian Chittock , Gore New Zealand says:

    I also have a unrestored Stewart truck, a model 20, which to the best of my knowledge dates to 1925. it has a side valve 4cyl lycoming engine, a 3 speed Fuller gearbox with a multiplate clutch and the handbrake on the back of the gearbox the diff has no indentifying marks on it. It is on 25 inch disc wheels the tyres being 35×5 and foot brake only on the rear wheels. Any info would be greatley apppreciated

    • Mike Harker says:

      Hi, my father has two Stewart trucks, one fully restored and the other getting pretty close. He is looking to sell the larger unit to focus on another resto. If you send me your email address I can send a couple of photos for your Stewart collection.

      Regards
      Mike

      • Julia Stewart-Bittle says:

        Hi ~ I am one of Raymond G. Stewart’s grandchildren. I would love photos of Stewart trucks! I was given a ride in a Stewart firetruck in Warsaw, NY, back in 1988 (I think). I live in Western NY. There was one in a tractor museum in Cuylerville, NY, for a long time. It was a 1927 pick-up. I wish I could have known my Grandpa Ray. My aunt told me he was a very nice man…and from my reading here & there, he was highly talented engineer.

      • Greg walker says:

        Hi Mike, by any chance are you from Auckland NZ? if so I think I spoke with your father a couple of years ago. Misplaced number..would like to make contact again…cheers Greg

        • Ian chittock says:

          Hi Ian CHittock here Ilive in Gore NZ I a inthe opposite end of the country but could try a d trace him I have a 1925 model 20 stewart a d there are 2 others within a 2hour drive of Gore a 1914 and a 1927

      • Helge Oftedal says:

        Hi, nice reading your mail.
        My father bought A Stewart trick 1933 model in 1950.
        During the next 3 years he built a house on it, with 2 double brgds, table with a bench for 4 people and a kitchen department. We used that trick from the year I was born in 1953 and until it was delivered for scrapping in 1967, all summer, driving around in the south part of Norway.
        I miss that car so much . My dream has always been that I one day should buy me a similar car, and try to create that camping car again. Now I am unfortunately too old to do it, but I still dreaming about it. Do you know if such a car could be available somewhere?
        I have many pictures of it, which I gladlynt would send to anyone with same interest.
        Pleased to hear.

  4. gregdeglopper says:

    I live outside of buffalo ny and have a 34 stewart 5 ton dump with the straight 8 Lycoming I also have a 32 cab and chassis.both in need of a lot of work.the 34 was in bad shape but can be saved. I am looking for another Lycoming hopefully complete and not all cracked like mine.if anyone has any info on any parts let me know I might horse trade some of the 32 parts greg deglopper 716-553-0710 leave a message

  5. Dr. Jim Engel says:

    My dad at Engel’s Garage, Erie, PA had a tow truck; a 1926 Stewart. The above describes it well. It had a wood cab with plate glass windows that raised up/down and held by a web strap and a brass clamp. It had single rear tires: I think it had 32×6 tires, Dad lifted a heavy truck (too heavy) and bent the frame on both sides by the front spring mounts. He stripped it down, shortened the frame, added a tandem transmission and made a tractor out of it. After several years of use, he sold it to a farmer to mount and pull a manure spreader.
    Would like more information on this truck.

  6. Julia Stewart-Bittle says:

    Hi Eric ~ I just posted the message, below, under Mike’s message to you. I would love photos of Stewart trucks ~ The one in your blog is not coming up.
    “Hi ~ I am one of Raymond G. Stewart’s grandchildren. I would love photos of Stewart trucks! I was given a ride in a Stewart firetruck in Warsaw, NY, back in 1988 (I think). I live in Western NY. There was one in a tractor museum in Cuylerville, NY, for a long time. It was a 1927 pick-up. I wish I could have known my Grandpa Ray. My aunt told me he was a very nice man…and from my reading here & there, he was highly talented engineer.”

  7. Brehana Vaughn Rasico says:

    Hey people! My father aquired a 1913 Stewart’s truck that he would like to find more info/pictures on it but were not getting far on google. Any help or direction appreciated

    • Ian Chittock says:

      There is a beautifully restored one in the Richardsons truck museum in Invercargill , New Zealand, you could quite easily spend half a day in there and not see it everything in it.

  8. Denis Gauthier says:

    Greetings STEWARTworld;
    I have no idea to whom I am sending this message, having only heard of Stewart trucks last week, but here goes;
    I have discovered a Stewart in a barn-find. I cannot yet photograph it properly, but I do have 2 pic’s of the front end, showing rad, window glass & fender details. I’m wondering if anyone can help identify it more specifically? It has been stationary for some time, appears to have wood interior framing, and seems intact structurally, though very rusty.

  9. Allan Shepard says:

    Hello anyone, I have a Stewart chrome grill with 2 headlights attached from possibly a 1934 flatbed truck that my Dad used to carry his welder. It is from a truck that was scrapped. I took the grill for memories. I live outside Buffalo, N.Y. I would like to find it a good home. I can send pictures. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thank you, Allan

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