American LaFrance 12 Speedster “Simplex”. Made in USA in 1914, 6 cyl. 105 hp and 14.500 cc
American LaFrance (ALF) was an American vehicle manufacturer which focused primarily on the production of fire engines, ladder trucks, and emergency apparatus such as ambulance and rescue vehicles. Originally located in Elmira, New York, the final iteration of the company was located in Summerville, South Carolina. It also operated a plant in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where it sold apparatus under the name LaFrance-Foamite, until 1971.
On 17 January 2014, American LaFrance announced the cessation of operations.
Ward LaFrance, a unrelated competitor fire-apparatus manufacturer also based in Elmira Heights, New York, was founded by a LaFrance family member. It went bankrupt in July 1979 and was later reopened by a different party, under the name of Ward ’79. There is no association.
