What brand truck/Bus is this?

[mrpushbutton]

I ask you.................

[Steve Braverman]

Possibly a Krit. Their logo was the Swastika. Here's a photo I found via Google.

[Manuel]

Do u have any info on the pic?

Origin, location or age, etc.

Manuel

[mrpushbutton]

Have reason to believe it was taken in Detroit.

[Steve Braverman]

It's hard to see, but is that a NY license plate?

[Guest simplyconnected]

I recognize the location. (Sorry, don't recognize the car.) They are on Brush Street, headed towards E. Congress, at the BACK side of the Old County Courthouse in Detroit. (The back side of the building is right on the sidewalk.) The building was erected in 1897 (first pic). I don't have a picture of the back, but you can see the front and side with these:

This is during the renovation of 1986.

(I stuck your picture back in for a closer comparison.)

It sure makes perfect sense that this Detroit-built car would be here at that time. Henry Ford used to have an office in this building when he was the "Roads Commissioner" in 1909. - Dave

[Manuel]

They are mighty big blocks of stone at the base of that building. I am amazed u could ID it from that pic.

None of my truck books list a Krit and the cars didn't make it passed WW1.

Which makes u wonder about the swastika.

Manuel in Oz

[mrpushbutton]

Simplyconnected--I used to go to that building to do some work for Ed McNamara. Too bad city hall didn't survive like that building!

[Ivan Saxton]

Being devil's advocate here. To me the detail of the building is very different to the Detroit building shown. Look at the centre piece vertically in the windows, and the proximity of the building to the roadway. The radiator shape is like very early Panhard. I reckon KRIT is a red herring on the swastika, yet you would guess that the picture is too early to be full of Nazis, and the attire is wrong. The symbol may have had an earlier meaning before that for which it is reviled, as evidenced by its use by KRIT. But I doubt it is related to the make of vehicle, but rather the organisation that owned it.

Ivan Saxton

[stexch]

The swastika was a native American symbol that can be seen in their weaving going back many years prior to the National Socialists (NAZI) adopting it. I believe that the Nazis rotated it 45 degrees from the position used by Krit and the native Americans.

[1937hd45]

Steve you may be onto something, I have a photo of a bus from the same era with a Swastika on the side along with the company name and data. I'll try to find it and post it. The symbol is over 2000 years old, but most people think it arrived in 1933 when it became the sign of true evil, and was no longer the good luck charm it had been. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Steve Braverman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Possibly a Krit. Their logo was the Swastika. Here's a photo I found via Google. </div></div>

[Guest simplyconnected]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ivan_Saxton</div><div class="ubbcode-body">To me the detail of the building is very different to the Detroit building shown. Look at the centre piece vertically in the windows, and the proximity of the building to the roadway. ...you would guess that the picture is too early to be full of Nazis, and the attire is wrong.</div></div>

As I said, this vehicle is driving along the BACK of the building (down Brush St.) where the building abuts the sidewalk. It covers an entire block in Cadillac Square. You can't see the back from the pictures, but you can see the front and side. Those huge stones are identical in size to the original picture. Today, the windows are still original, and are made of mahogany.

Back in 190_ there were no Nazi's. Observe these men's attire; VERY much appropriate for a courthouse setting, as many of these men were probably lawyers, commissioners, etc. (Detroit is the county seat for Wayne County. This was the Wayne County Building.)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mrpushbutton</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Simplyconnected--I used to go to that building to do some work for Ed McNamara...</div></div>

Ed McNamara was the elected, "Wayne Co. Executive" (also responsible for Wayne County Metropolitan Airport which is 'home' to Northwest Airlines). Good going, John.

[Manuel]

The mens attire does look in keeping with the age of the vehicle.

Is it chain driven and are they double rims at the back?

How old is the building?

I am not a builder but I would have loved to have been there when they were laying those big blocks.

Manuel

[Guest simplyconnected]

I enlarged the picture, for a closer look:

There isn't a woman in sight,

These businessmen are dressed in fine suits, hats, and heavy trench coats,

None of them are posing, or smiling for the picture.

This is 'business as usual'.

The building was erected in 1897. I figure this picture was taken around 1915 or so.

It hit me that this vehicle is probably a fancy taxi, not for the general public. It has a professional driver, and '10' on the side of the car. After Krit stopped producing cars, they continued making trucks. This isn't a delicate surrey. I count at least 13, possibly 18 men. 13-200# guys = 2,600 lbs. The tires look solid, but I can't see any chain drives. The shadows look like a banjo under the rear, so maybe it has a driveshaft. I dunno...

[Stude17]

As this building was a courthouse could these men be a jury? Everyone appears quite serious and it looks to me like the fellow standing in the doorway is holding a firearm, possibly a machine gun. It also looks like someone is holding a camera behind the bus. If they are a jury it must have been a significant trial in view of the firearm and photograph. As to the make of bus it is just a guess but if it is not a Krit could it be a bus made by the Mack brothers who it appears started out making these tyes of buses in the early 1900's.

[Guest simplyconnected]

Looks like Wyatt Earp is holding the door open. How come the guy in the front seat is the only one in white? Is he the Body Guard, Foreman, Special Agent, or Prosecutor? Obviously, our cameraman is standing in the middle of the street. I believe you're right about this being an important event, Merv.

I'm looking at the rear leaf springs. They're nearly ten feet long and six inches thick. With all that weight, they are dead flat. The fronts have a good bow.

[Manuel]

It could be a jury coming or leaving. I would say they have just arrived. It may be a big court case that was drawing a lot of attention. Maybe the reason for the pic.

The bloke at the back appears to be giving us the thumbs up.

I was looking at that long spring when I was searching for the chain drive. There appears to be springs in the normal position as well. I thought all trucks of that period had chain drive.

There seems to be brackets for lights which are not being used.

Obviously a day time vehicle not intended for regular commuting.

Manuel

[drwatson]

WWI era Michigan Lic. Plates did not use a 2-letter suffix ??

[Richard Lichtfel]

The Swatstika is an ancient symbol of the sun. This was indeed the symbol used by the Krite automobile Co.and had nothing to do with the Nazi's. Adolph used this symbol in the 20's long after the demise of Krit.

[Guest Noel Adams]

COME ON GUYS, IT'S A PANHARD LEVASSOR MADE IN FRANCE. THE KRIT AND THE SYMBOL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TRUCK. PROBABLY THE LOGO OF THE FIRM RUNNING THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME.

[1937hd45]

That radiator shape sure does look like Panhard Levassor. Haven't found the bus photo I mentioned in an earlier reply.Will post it as soon as it turns up. There were a lot of imported vehicles pre 1915.