Something old - something new ---- 50's Mack LJ

For those that follow this blog, you have probably noticed some new format additions. That is because it has taken me this long to figure out how to add the slide-shows to the sidebar and the videos to my posts.

Now I have a whole new media to explore thanks to YOU TUBE. I like the idea of video with sound as it captures not only the beauty of a fine old truck, but also can bring back the memory of a particular sound -----

Enjoy this 1950's Mack LJ, and remember what it was like back when -----

The History of Mack Trucks

The Video below is from THE MACK TRUCK WEB SITE - it is a brief history of the Mack Truck.

Hayes Trucks in the Canandian West

Hayes Truck Logging Video:

A Sterling example of an incorrect spelling -

A great picture of a fine early 40's Sterling, pulling a MURPHEY trailer.




Sorry, but I couldn't resist. Love the air conditioning in these old trucks!! Can anyone tell me where this company was from, and what happened to it?

If I Had A Million Dollars -------

Found this "Adult Die-Cast" toy site that makes some really nice "old school" die-cast "toy"
trucks. They specialize in older pre - 60's trucks. As can be seen from the picture above, these "toys" are built like the real deal - they are tough. They are put out by a company called SMITH/MILLER and have been in existence since 1979.

Now, if any readers out there would like to donate one of these fine models to my collection, I wouldn't mind at all!!!

The site deserves checking - better make that a big check!

Studebaker Heavy and Medium Duty - A New Find for Me

Sometimes it pays to play "out of the box". Yes, I knew that Studebaker made trucks, but I thought only pick up trucks. Nothing wrong with that because they were good trucks - loved by hot-rodders and custom builders. In many design aspects they were ahead of the times. A fine example is the following------

1947 Studebaker M - Pick-Up


I had forgotten that Studebaker also made some very fine and innovative Heavy and Medium Duty trucks. Probably the reason for my forgetfulness is the fact that I don't remember seeing too many of these in the past - THAT IS NO FAULT OF STUDEBAKER! I fortunately found a picture of a 1960's Studebaker HD truck-------

1960's Studebaker Diesel


The picture above produced an inquiry to my friends at "straightstack.com", and since then a new item for their gallery. I asked if anyone knew how long Studebaker had been making HD trucks. No one there answered so I started my own research. I found that early in WWII, Studebaker was one of the first truck manufacturers to produce 6x's for the U.S. Army. These trucks were also used by the Russians who mounted rocket launchers on them - some of these survived into the 60's.

1940's Studebaker Army Truck - nice restoration


Furthermore, they aided in that war effort in the production of the "Weasel" and engines for aircraft. My search for tractor type trucks was a little more difficult - they are rare! Pictures are rarer! Again, that is no fault of Studebaker - they made fine trucks. My first find in the tractor category was this -----

1936 Studebaker M - COE with deluxe sleeper




I wasn't satisfied to stop here, so I found a latter model - color picture ------

1938 - 40 Studebaker K - with deluxe sleeper



If that isn't neat enough (note the classic sleeper windows - a change from the 36), I found a
Studebaker "conventional" tractor with a trailer --- and some paint scheme!!!!

1936 Studebaker 2W - 865 - Conventional


I will be posting more of Studebaker's fine trucks on the side-bar, so be watching. As I've already said, "these are a rare truck to find - even pictures".

If you have pictures of these old trucks, please contact me. COMMENTS are welcome too!!!

Don't forget your truck "tags"

Going a little off subject today. A few days ago Jan received an email from one of her "blog friends" stating that she had been "memed" or tagged. Her task was to put up six comments about herself, and then tag at least one other person to do the same - kinda like that kids game we used to play! I got tagged ----

Well, after a lot of whining, I have decided to go along with it - she says it might help me get more readers. So, here goes ------

1. Born in September of 1952, my first ride was in a truck. To be more specific, it was a Willy's Jeep pick-up. I have no recollection of that - I was just a baby.

2. I am a collector of models. My wife says we have a virtual museum. My collection includes cars, airplanes, and of course trucks. My airplane collection is the largest and includes both 1/48
1/32 and one 1/16 scale aircraft mostly of WWII era with the exception of a few jets. Currently
this collection numbers over 85. I have always been fascinated by flight, remembering my grandfathers stories about his remembrance of the Wright brothers early flight and how I, years latter watched man fly into space through the early X-15 flights, then Mercury, Appolo, Gemmini, and to the moon.

3. This blog was started on a whim. I'm sorry for that confession because this blog has become an obsession. It got started when my father-in-law wanted to set up a blog himself. I had to talk him through the steps over the phone, so we both set up "Google Blogs". I have come across some interesting people through this blog, and found some interesting trucks for my ever expanding collection of photos. Since this blog is about trucks, mention of my truck model collection would be appropriate here - it includes semi trucks with trailers, and pick-up trucks.
I collect both plastic kit models and die-cast. My current collection of trucks numbers 20 - includes trucks with trailers.

4. Both my wife and I used to ride bicycles a lot! When I went away to college in Oklahoma City,
my first purchase was a Schwin Varsity 10spd. It was to be the first of many bikes I had in that time period as many of them were stolen - I actually trusted people back then. During my second year at college, Jan attended also. One of our first rides together was to go to visit one of her friends in Ponca City, Oklahoma. I planned out a route knowing little about Oklahoma roads and terrain. Our trip took us through the center of the Oklahoma Indian Nation - on a road that was often dirt. It was hot, and we both learned about what are called "goat heads", the hard way.
These are hard thorny seeds, and you don't want to sit on them. We stopped in a town that looked like something out of Stienbecks "THE GRAPES OF WRATH", picked up some Cokes out of an old style Coke water cooler, and headed north. We saw few cars, and Jan was beat. What comes to our rescue was an old Chevy pick-up (remember this is a blog about trucks) who takes us to the highway leading into Ponca City - we still had about 25 miles to go. With wind to our backs, that is still one of the most pleasant rides I remember through the gentle hills and plains of northern Ohlahoma. Then it happened, just in sight of Ponca City, I was not paying attention and my front wheel came too close to the kick stand on Jan's bike - it was then that I fell "head over heals" in love with the woman who would latter be my wife.

5. I married Jan at the age of 19, just a month before my 20th birthday. We were married in her house in Interlaken, N.Y. We returned to Oklahoma City where I had a job driving a school bus. After a year of driving a bus, I quit and found a job as an optical lab technician - finish person. We lived in Oklahoma almost 5 years, moving back to New York in 1975. I worked in three different optical labs, ending up in Horseheads. Ten years ago I quit my job in the optical business, and went back to driving a school bus - a lot had changed since I first drove a bus at 19.

6. Finally!!! The elementary children on my morning bus run all call me, "Mr. Nuts". This is all my fault. When I first started this run, I had this very talkative first grade girl that sat behind me in the first seat. Early on I told her that it was her job to watch out for squirrels, that whenever she saw one she had to tell me. Of course her curiosity kicked in and she asked me why she needed to watch for squirrels. I told her that nothing scares me more than squirrels. Again she asked me, " why?" I said, "What do squirrels eat"? And of course she said, "nuts". ----------------

And I said, "I'M NUTS"!!!!!

Thanks Jan - this was a fun little exercise, and yes, I love you -----

1940's Autocar with Sleeper Cab

I could not resist the subject of this post, a 1940's Autocar with a sleeper cab. The original picture was in black and white, I wanted something with a little color. Using Photoshop, pencil, pen, red and black Sharpie, and a little lost talent I came up with this creation.

The drawing may not be that good - but that is one tough looking truck!