American Coleman

American Coleman was a line of American semi trucks associated with the company of the same name, which was based in Littleton, Colorado. The trucks were built from the 1950s into the 1970s and were used particularly in airfield operations and military applications. The available historical description centers on the Space Star, the line's official model name and its most distinctive known vehicle. The Space Star used an unconventional cab-over configuration. Rather than employing a conventional fifth wheel to couple the tractor and trailer, its frame locked into position with eight pins, making the tractor and trailer function as a single connected unit. The design also used four single tires instead of the dual-wheel arrangements common on many heavy trucks of the period. These features indicate an engineering emphasis on a compact, integrated vehicle suited to specialized operating environments rather than ordinary long-haul road transport. The truck was reported to achieve approximately 6.5 miles per gallon. Its cab incorporated two sleeping berths: one positioned above the driver and another behind the driver. This arrangement provided a degree of crew accommodation within the cab while preserving the cab-over layout. Another notable feature was service access to the engine. The engine sat on an independent frame that could be rolled out of the vehicle, comparable in operation to a drawer, simplifying maintenance access. The Space Star remained in production for only a few years, although the broader American Coleman line is described as extending from the 1950s into the 1970s. The available reference material does not establish a precise founding date, production totals, ownership history, current corporate status, or a surviving product range. Consequently, American Coleman is best documented as a historically specialized heavy-truck brand and manufacturer rather than as an active mass-market vehicle marque.

American Coleman was an American heavy-truck line based in Littleton, Colorado. The line emerged in the 1950s and continued into the 1970s, although the available reference material does not provide an exact incorporation date, founder, production volume, or detailed ownership chronology. Its trucks were associated with specialized uses, especially airfield operations and military applications, rather than being described as conventional highway tractors for broad commercial fleets. The best-documented vehicle in the line was the Space Star. It adopted a cab-over design in which the driver sat above or ahead of the engine, allowing a relatively compact overall package. Its coupling system departed from the normal fifth-wheel arrangement: the truck's frame was secured with eight pins so that the tractor and trailer operated as one unit. The vehicle also used four single tires rather than dual tires, another feature that distinguished it from many contemporary heavy trucks. The Space Star included two sleeping areas, one above the driver and another behind the driver. This arrangement gave the cab overnight accommodation while retaining the compact cab-over form. The truck's reported fuel economy was approximately 6.5 miles per gallon. Maintenance access was addressed through an independent engine frame that could be rolled out of the truck, making the engine accessible in a manner similar to pulling out a drawer. The Space Star itself ran for only a few years. The broader American Coleman truck line, however, is described as continuing from the 1950s into the 1970s. No reliable material in the supplied references confirms the exact end date, the disposition of the company, or whether the brand remains active. The surviving account therefore presents American Coleman primarily as a niche and historically distinctive manufacturer of specialized semi trucks.

1. American Coleman trucks enter production

   The American Coleman line is documented as being built from the 1950s, with applications including airfield operations and military use.

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2. Space Star introduced

   The line's officially named Space Star used a cab-over layout, an eight-pin frame-locking system, four single tires, two sleeping berths, and a roll-out engine frame.

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3. Production continues into the 1970s

   The American Coleman line is described as continuing into the 1970s, although the supplied source does not give a precise final production year.

   Source

A specialized American heavy-truck line emphasizing integrated tractor-trailer construction, compact cab-over packaging, serviceability, and suitability for airfield and military operations.

• Space StarSemi truck

  The Space Star was American Coleman's officially named cab-over semi truck. Its tractor and trailer were joined through an eight-pin frame-locking arrangement rather than a conventional fifth wheel, making them function as one unit. The truck used four single tires, reported fuel economy of about 6.5 miles per gallon, and a cab with two sleeping berths—one above the driver and one behind the driver. Its engine was mounted on an independent frame that could be rolled out for easier servicing. The model was produced for only a few years and was used in specialized airfield and military contexts.

1. American Coleman