Willème
Founded1923
FounderLouis Willeme
Defunct1970
Headquarters
Nanterre Edit this on Wikidata
,
France Edit this on Wikidata
ProductsHeavy trucks

Willème was a French truck manufacturer.[1]

History

Share of the Établissements Willème S.A., issued 20. September 1926

Willème was founded in 1923[2] as Est. Willeme S.A. in Nanterre, France by Louis Willeme, after working for Automobiles Grégoire.[3]

In the May 1962 A.C.E and Willeme signed an agreement in which A.C.E (Associated Equipment Company) will provide engine and components to Willeme for its special purpose and heavy-duty truck range the first order was started off with 500 units of A.C.E diesel engines. This agreement also authorized Willeme to assemble and distribute A.C.E medium duty trucks.[4] By the end of 1962 Willeme was assembling B.M.C (British Motor Corporation) trucks ranging from 1.5 to 7 tons capacity and also assembling A.C.E cargo and passenger vehicles in France alongside their own heavy-duty trucks.[5]

In 1970 Willeme started to have difficulties with A.E.C and stopped manufacturing their trucks and switched to Volvo for sourcing the engines and components at the Paris commercial vehicle show Willeme showcased their first 6X4 tipper chassis which was powered by Volvo's 270 hp engine supported by a fuller 13 speed gearbox.[6] Willème went bankrupt in 1970[7] PRP (Perez et Raimond Paris) took over the company and continued to manufacture heavy-duty trucks like TG 100, 200, 250 and 300 offered with Cummins, GM, Caterpillar and Mercedes-Benz engines capable of high payloads.[8]

TG300 was the most powerful truck offered by the company, promoted as a 1000 toner ballast tractor capable of towing 1000 tons with a suitable hydraulic modular trailer. Trobosa, a Spain-based trailer manufacture also developed some TG300 models as it was a leading manufacturer of tank transporter and hydraulic modular trailer. In 1979 MOL Trucks acquired the design rights of the TG range from PRP and continued to manufacture heavy-duty ballast tractors mostly in 8x8 configurations and Cummins engine with towing capacity of 300 to 500 tons for oversize load transport applications.[9] In 1980 Creusot-Loire used TG range of trucks to develop their T40A military tank transporter in 8x6 configuration powered by a Detroit Diesel engine supported by a 13 speed Allison transmission.[10]

Products

Willeme PRP T40 rigid tank transporter at Musée des Blindés, France.

Willème specialized in heavy haulage ballast tractors and large lorries.

Early models

The DW12A was used as a tank transporter by the French army.[11]

Post-war trucks: S10, L10, and R15

10- and 15-ton trucks, with Deutz engines, sold between 1945 and 1953.[7]

610 and 615 series

Sold 1953–1963.[7]

TL and LD series

Available with both AEC and Willème engines.[7]

  • The AEC-engined 5741-CG was sold as an 8-wheel heavy wrecker.[12]
  • Some models, such as the W8SA, were also built as oilfield trucks.[13]
  • RD 6x4[14]

Willème-PRP

  • W200, 8x4, 245 tonne gross weight.[15]
  • The TG200 was an 8x4 heavy-hauler, capable of handling 200 ton loads.[16]
  • TG250: 250 tonnes gross weight[17]
  • The TG300 was 8x8 capable of hauling up to 1000 tonnes, powered by a Detroit Diesel V16.[18] Some were built by Trabosa.[19]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Willeme vehicles.

References

  1. ↑ Lecat, Gilbert. Camions Willème, le roi des poids lourds. ETAI. ISBN 978-2-7268-8915-2.
  2. ↑ "Gazoline : Camions Willème, le roi des poids lourds". Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  3. ↑ "Model Auto Review News". Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  4. ↑ "Strong Objections to Portable Tanker Bid | 11th May 1962 | The Commercial Motor Archive". archive.commercialmotor.com. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  5. ↑ "International Fli r at Paris Salon | 12th October 1962 | The Commercial Motor Archive". archive.commercialmotor.com. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  6. ↑ "!mins tp) | 9th October 1970 | The Commercial Motor Archive". archive.commercialmotor.com. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Willème". Archived from the original on July 15, 2007. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  8. ↑ "Special French units | 21st September 1979 | The Commercial Motor Archive". archive.commercialmotor.com. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  9. ↑ Graham, Chris (2021-08-23). "Great eight-leggers!". Heritage Machines. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  10. ↑ "Frenchmem take on heavy duti | 12th January 1980 | The Commercial Motor Archive". archive.commercialmotor.com. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  11. ↑ "Axis History Factbook: Composition of a B1bis battalion (France)". Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  12. ↑ "Forget the Willeme wrecker... It's that mystery jet that Biglorryblog wants identified! - Biglorryblog". Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  13. ↑ "Bonneted beauties at the old Brussels and Paris truck shows...Biglorryblog has a black & white nostalgia moment! - Biglorryblog". Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  14. ↑ "More on the wonderful Willeme from 'The Brochure King' - Where else but on Biglorryblog?! - Biglorryblog". Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  15. ↑ "More Willemes and Sisus on Biglorryblog - you can't beat a good heavy hitter. - Biglorryblog". Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  16. ↑ "Wonderful Willeme shot by Mike B...and that's what I call a restoration says Biglorryblog! - Biglorryblog". Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  17. ↑ "More wonderful Willemes on Biglorryblog...the pictures just keep coming in. - Biglorryblog". Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  18. ↑ "Hard-working Willeme still hauling in China....who knows more about this heavy hitter asks Biglorryblog? - Biglorryblog". Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  19. ↑ "Trabosa TBA1 8x8 pictures from cars photos on webshots". Retrieved 2011-01-03.
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