I had a fascinating conversation with the grandson of one of the Richard Brothers. Through family lore and articles, he was able to fill in a great deal about Richard Brothers and Allied Products. The three Richard Brothers were Clarence (the engineer), Otis (marketing and business), and Clement (tenacity and drive). Otis started a hardware store with a business partner in 1920, at the age of 23. In 1917 Otis and Clement founded Richard Brothers Sheet Metal Die Works. They had developed an interchangeable and removable die punch system that revolutionized the industry. The original RB logo was an upside-down horseshoe with the name RB Die Works. Later the RB shield logo was developed. By 1930 there were several RB plants throughout Michigan. Allied Products was formed by the merger of RB, Victor Peninsula Company, and Indiana Lamp Co., all serving the auto industry. The plants were used for the WWII war effort, and Allied Products' history turned out to be a series of mergers and acquisitions like White Farm Equipment. (They even purchased the Studebaker Stamping Plant in South Bend). Allied went from the largest manufacturer of heavy metal presses to the 1990's when Richard Brothers Die Works was discontinued, and eventually Allied only retained Bush Hog,
Verson, and Coz. Sadly, Allied Products became the largest Midwest technology form to go bankrupt at the beginning of the technology bubble. Although RB punches and dies are still being manufactured under the company named
Danly IEM.
So, the stamped steel raised roof of the Briareans would be a simple task (though I wonder who manufactured the fiberglass rear doors). And it is no surprise that '62 seems to be the final year of the Briarean professional cars. 1962 was a troublesome design year for Chrysler, and in 1961 Allied Products was acquired by a group of investors, who in turn, fostered several company acquisitions. Some that made sense, others that did not. Allied became victim of financial and management woes. Or as one writer called it, "old-fashioned greed."
I haven't yet found a location of a RB building Eaton Rapids, the city listed in some of the brochures, but here's the old
Detroit Richard Brothers Division Plant and the
Hillsdale Plant #3.
I am indebted to the RB family member who graciously shared some of his fascinating and important family history with me.