Graham

Graham was an American automobile manufacturing company founded by brothers Joseph, Robert, and Ray Graham.  The company began by building modification kits that transformed Ford Model Ts into trucks, and by 1917 Graham Brothers Trucks was the world’s largest truck manufacturer.  Graham was purchased by Dodge in April of 1921, and would continue to manufacture the Graham Brothers Truck line under its own brand name.

In May of 1927, the Graham brothers purchased the Paige Motor Company to form the Graham-Paige Motor Company.  All Graham automobiles were branded under the Graham-Paige name until the introduction of the 1930 line of automobiles, which were released as Graham-brand automobiles.  That year, Graham released a line of 6-cylinder models and an 8-cylinder model, the LeBaron.  In 1931, Graham released the 6-cylinder Standard Six alongside the opulent Custom Eight 7-passenger limousine. The following year, Graham produced the 8-cylinder “Blue Streak” engine, which would be used in all of Graham’s 8-cylinder models.  The press and public soon began using the Blue Streak name to refer to the vehicles themselves, which have been recognized as the “single most influential design in automotive history”.

During the Second World War, Graham shifted gears and began manufacturing military items.  In 1946, Graham resumed automobile production alongside its new partner, Kaiser Motors, with the release of the Frazer.  On February 5, 1947, Graham was absorbed by Kaiser-Frazer, marking the end of the Graham automobile brand.