Miller-Meteor is really the story of three companies - the A.J. Miller Company, the Meteor Motor Car Company, and Wayne Works. The only definitive book ever published on Miller-Meteor and its illustrious corporate predecessors, this tome is a multi-faceted history of three fiercely independent, yet interwoven, companies, the unique segment of the motor industry in which they were involved, their charismatic leaders and, most of all, their unique products. This volume showcases hundreds of never-before published original factory photographs.
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In 1957, two of the oldest and most illustrious names in the North American funeral car and ambulance industry merged to form a professional car manufacturing powerhouse. Right out of the gate, Wayne Corporation’s Miller-Meteor Division charged into the front rank of this specialized, highly competitive niche industry. The Miller-Meteor chronicle is a most compelling one but, Miller-Meteor is really the story of three companies - one of which could trace its roots back to the days of the horse-drawn hearse the other to the dawn of America’s motor age.
Founded by Amos Miller in 1853, the A.J. Miller Company started out making a wide range of hand-crafted, buggies, surreys, wagons, hearses and other horse-drawn vehicles, eventually became an automotive body builder and then evolved into one of the most prolific manufacturers of funeral cars and ambulances in the country. Miller was a styling leader, an innovator and a respected name in this highly competitive segment of the American automotive industry. Through the years, Miller-Built funeral coach and ambulance bodies graced the chassis of some of America’s most famous brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, LaSalle, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Pierce-Arrow and Studebaker. Inspired styling and mass-production techniques made Miller funeral cars and ambulances among the most popular in the country.
Established in Piqua, Ohio in 1913, the Meteor Motor Car Company was founded by a dynamic individual who had become involved in the development of the automobile at an early age. Employing unorthodox marketing, production and sales techniques and turning out high-quality, well-priced equipment, Meteor dominated the American professional car market for over a decade and quickly became the world’s largest manufacturer of ambulances and funeral cars – at the same time dabbling in such diverse products as phonographs and sleek, wooden speedboats! Like Miller, over the years, Meteor’s coachwork could be found on the chassis of some of America’s most prestigious marques.
Acquired by industrial conglomerate the Wayne Works of Richmond, Indiana in the early 1950s, A.J. Miller and Meteor were soon forged into a single, powerful entity that would brazenly challenge rival professional car manufacturers for industry dominance over more than two decades. Miller-Meteor rocketed into the front ranks of the highly competitive professional car marketplace of the late 1950s and on to a leadership position by the end of the 1960s by employing innovative engineering, quality craftsmanship and advanced styling elements combined with intelligent marketing and pricing policies.
About the Author
Thomas A. McPherson is one of the best-known and most respected professional vehicle historians and authors in North America. In addition to his landmark American Funeral Cars and Ambulances Since 1900 – still considered the “bible” of the professional vehicle hobby – Tom McPherson has authored four other corporate histories of American funeral car and ambulance manufacturers with his definitive volumes: Flxible Professional Vehicles – The Complete History, The Eureka Company – A Complete History and Superior – The Complete History and The Henney Motor Company – A Complete History. McPherson has also written numerous feature articles on professional cars, their manufacturers and the history and development of these specialized vehicles for funeral service and antique vehicle publications throughout North America. His extensive knowledge of the vehicles and the professional car business has earned him the title of being the “official industry historian” from the manufacturers themselves. As such, he has been the recipient of many companies photographic and literature archives over the years which he has made available through his many books and other published works. McPherson resides in Toronto.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another GREAT history book from Thomas A. McPherson,
By TEX "MEAN TEXAN" (TEXAS) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Miller-Meteor: The Complete Illustrated History (Hardcover)
This is another great book from Thomas A. McPherson.
The reviews on this book are completely misleading on how great the book is. The info and photos in this book are some of the best,if not the best. A few of the photos are small, But not many. This is the Complete Illustrated History of Miller Meteor,key words being illustrated history. This is what you get for your money,if you can't read than buy this as a picture book. Thomas A. McPherson is the top author and 'Guru' on this subject.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good But Not Great,
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This review is from: Miller-Meteor: The Complete Illustrated History (Hardcover)
Tom McPherson is the Most Respected Author and 'Guru' on hearse facts & books but, I was disappointed to find that in this book he failed to list "Miller Meteor By The Numbers". It lacks a listing of the model numbers and , most importantly, ALL of the production numbers from each year by model. As a hearse/ambulance history buff that's why I bought the book - assuming it would be like his others. I noted the other review here and I have to assume since M&M led the pack in sales for most of the years, that there were just TOO MANY photo's to publish FULL-SIZE and that's why some of the pix are too small. STILL, all in all, a Very Good Book - just a little bit disappointed.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Very disappointing; leaves much to be desired,
This review is from: Miller-Meteor: The Complete Illustrated History (Hardcover)
What a disappointment! I expected lots of photographs, but the book is mostly text. The photos that are used are way too small for the most part...very, very disappointing, especially for such an expensive book. Plus, many of the pictures in this book are just artist's renderings from ads and brochures instead of actual photos. Again, very disappointing! The same goes for most of the captions; they contain lots of manufacturer's advertising rhetoric instead of actual descriptions from the author. Per par for all of McPherson's books, many of the warning devices (especially sirens) are misidentified.
Like "The Henney Motor Company - A Complete History," this book is better borrowed than bought.
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