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LaFayette Motors
Corporation:

The LaFayette Motors Corporation
was an automobile manufacturer
founded in 1919.

LaFayette was originally headquartered
in Indianapolis, Indiana, and made
luxury motor cars, beginning in
1920.

In 1922, LaFayette's facilities
were moved to Milwaukee.

In 1924, Nash Motors became full
owner of LaFayette Motors, and
the name was retired soon after.

In 1934, Nash re-introduced the
LaFayette name, this time for a
line of smaller, less expensive cars.

In 1935, Nash introduced a series
known as the "Nash 400" to fill the
perceived price gap between
the LaFayette and the Nash.

In 1937, the LaFayette and the
Nash 400 were combined into a
single model called the
Nash LaFayette 400.

In 1938, the Nash 400 became the
Nash LaFayette, and the LaFayette
line continued as Nash's lowest
priced offering through 1940.

In 1941, the LaFayette was replaced
by the all-new unibody
Nash 600.



The Pierce-Racine
Company:

The Pierce Engine Company was
operated in Racine from
1893 - 1910.

( No affiliation with Pierce-Arrow
Buffalo, New York )

The Pierce Engine Company was
founded in Racine, Wi. in 1893
by Andrew J. Pierce.

In 1894, Pierce and Edward
Pennington built the first gasoline
powered car in the state
of Wisconsin.

 Pierce was a former engine
superintendent at the Racine
Hardware Company, which built
engines for various farming and
industrial use.
Pierce was also a pioneer of the
small, portable gas engine.

The company began producing gas
engines for boats, and then
later for automobiles.

Pierce had been experimenting with
automobiles in the 1890's and was
considered a pioneer in the industry.

The Pierce-Racine Company was
established in 1904.

A large expansion was financed
by the 'J.I, Case Threshing Machine
Company', Racine, WI, makers of farm
machinery and Wisconsin's
largest company.

From 1904 to 1910 the company
manufactured Pierce-Racine
cars.

The production for 1904 was only
25 cars.

By 1906, the company had four
models with a price range of $750
to well over $1000.

In 1908, 300 cars were sold
that year in the $2500 price range.

1909, the Pierce-Racine Company was
renamed to Pierce Motor Co.

By 1910, some later Pierce-Racine
cars were emblazoned with “CASE”
emblems on the radiator grilles.
By 1911, all the cars featured
the Case name.

Sales of the Pierce began to fall
and by 1911, the Pierce Motor Co.
was purchased by the Case Company
who would incorporate Pierce’s
assets into a new car company
using the name Case.