How many car manufacturers have there been in the U.S.?

[West Peterson]

I can easily find a list of car manufacturers in the U.S., but since there seems to be about 1,500 on the list. Not wanting to count each and every one, I was wondering if there is a definitive number that is known. Is it roughly 1,500, or is my quick estimation off?

[46 woodie]

West, back in the '70s I purchased a poster at Hershey listing all the manufacturers of cars in the U.S. I have no idea where it is now, but from what I remember 1,500 might be a low estimate. I'm sure someone from the A.A.C.A will know the answer.

[JACK M]

I saw a poster like list at a collection once.

I wish I had taken a picture. I recall hundreds of brands.

I have since heard that that list couldn't be sold any more. Some legal crap.

[JACK M]

Typing at the same moment.

[JACK M]

If someone here has or knows of this poster I would like a copy.

[West Peterson]

I'm aware of the list, and the poster, done by AQ if I remember correctly. I am NOT looking for the list. I'm looking for a number.

[Pfeil]

35 minutes ago, West Peterson said:

I can easily find a list of car manufacturers in the U.S., but since there seems to be about 1,500 on the list. Not wanting to count each and every one, I was wondering if there is a definitive number that is known. Is it roughly 1,500, or is my quick estimation off?

I googled it and Wiki. said approximately 3000 

[West Peterson]

47 minutes ago, Pfeil said:

I googled it and Wiki. said approximately 3000 

 

Thanks. Missed that one.

[richasco]

This is probably the poster that some of you have seen.
https://forums.aaca.org/topic/338007-1950s-saturday-evening-post-poster-list-of-all-2530-car-makes-sold-in-the-usa/

[1937hd45]

Two or more "manufactured" or will you count the one off one of a kind experimental builds as well? When does the list end, pre WWII or yesterday? 

[8E45E]

18 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Two or more "manufactured" or will you count the one off one of a kind experimental builds as well? When does the list end, pre WWII or yesterday? 

And does a Minneapolis-Moline UDLX count as a 'car'?

 

Craig

[John Bloom]

I saw this poster courtesy of White Post Restorations mentions 2,600.  I saw this at the Tom Hubbard Franklin museum in Tucson. I’d like a copy of this and I started a thread a while ago asking if anybody had one.

Edited December 8, 2022 by John Bloom (see edit history)

[46 woodie]

Yes that is the poster. Jack if I can find the one I have you can have it, let me search around.

[Gunsmoke]

And Tesla, and Genesis, and Honda and Toyota, and Mazda and ................So maybe somewhere between 2550 and 2600 is close enough....point is any list is only good up to the date it is printed.

[Akstraw]

6 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Two or more "manufactured" or will you count the one off one of a kind experimental builds as well? When does the list end, pre WWII or yesterday? 

I think 1937hd45 has hit on a key aspect of the question.  Before starting the count, one must define ‘manufactured’, for example, as opposed to ‘assembled’ or ‘sold’, and (as you mention) what about those one-of-a-kind prototypes? 
 

I wonder if there are even examples of cars that were ‘sold’ and never even ‘manufactured’ or ‘delivered’.

[Larry Schramm]

To determine a true number you need to differentiate between a manufacturer and an assembler.  

 

I would estimate that there were probably only a couple dozen true "manufacturers" at most which made almost all of the parts for their vehicles.  Think Ford, GM, Packard, Chrysler, Duesenberg, Hudson, etc...  These companies made most of the parts for their vehicles.

 

The second tier companies were assemblers who purchased parts to put together a vehicle and may have made only one or two vehicles.  They may have made a vehicle, but were really never in the game.  If one of their suppliers went out of business, they were gone.  Also assembling purchased parts they did not have control of costs and quality.  Still count, but never in the game.  IMO.

[8E45E]

7 hours ago, Akstraw said:

I wonder if there are even examples of cars that were ‘sold’ and never even ‘manufactured’ or ‘delivered’.

The 'Dale' comes to mind!  The Heshe who built it:  https://www.makesthatdidntmakeit.com/dale

 

Craig

[Terry Bond]

8,643. That's my guess and it's probably as good as all the others. 

Terry

[SC38dls]

22,833 Guitar  pickers in Nashville. That’s just a wild guess too. But no one will ever get an accurate number for that or car manufacturer’s as no one will ever agree on what that means. That’s probably because the question asked was on a forum. Lol

dave s