OH YES -- A GOOD CHRISTMAS HERE

Yep, thanks to all who showed up to the MURPHEY gathering for the wonderful gift of family!! And while all gifts were CERTAINLY appreciated, this is a blog about trucks.

So, a special thanks to my oldest daughter who got me --- oh heck you already guessed it ---

It came yesterday. Actually she said it was supposed to be delivered UPS on Monday, but that was not the case. I was out in the neighborhood yesterday and spotted the UPS truck making deliveries, and I was next.
I have completed the rear end and rear wheel hubs for paint. This is going to be a patient build, and yes, it will be done as a ROADWAY truck.---

Thanks guys -- GREAT CHRISTMAS all around!!!

My Merry Christmas Trucks

I was talking with my buddy Jerry last night about getting things ready for Christmas this weekend and having all our kids home for the holiday. It WILL BE GREAT!!

He reminded me however that I should have a "special" ornament on my tree -- of course a truck.

My reply was that we already incorporated a neat couple of trucks in our Christmas decoration theme --- I've sort of adopted them as mine.

HAVE A MERRY , JOYOUS, and WONDER FILLED CHRISTMAS !

I'M LIKING TRUCKS ----

AMT/ERTL -- Mack DM-600

This post is about yet another memory now almost long gone, but brought to light once again by a post on HANK'S TRUCK FORUM. Recently there was a discussion on ROADWAY trucks, and the memory came flooding back.

One of my other treasured models, now long gone, was an AMT/ERTL -- 1/25 scale MACK DM-600 done up in ROADWAY colors. I am sad to say that I gave it away, and I don't even have a picture.

However, I AM EXTREMELY PLEASED that this kit has apparently been reproduced and I believe is available through MODEL ROUNDUP.

I am hoping this will be my Christmas present this year!!

Can see it now -- ROADWAY!!!!

Rare Ford COE Twin Engine

Persistence has paid off in solving the mystic behind this mid 40's FORD COE TWIN ENGINE---

This is perhaps one of the rarest examples of Ford ingenuity in existence today -- for a fact it is the only one. Here is it's story quoted from another web page.

"As the fires of war engulfed much of the globe in the mid-to-late thirties, the free world that still existed turned to the United States for help. American factories began to reap the profits from that foreign war. As the firestorms of war engulfed more and more of the globe, it became evident to many in the U.S. that we must prepare to defend our way of life. The problem was that all of the possible aircraft plants in the U.S. had contracted all of the production that they could possibly handle to the British and others.

It was at this point that the federal government turned to Henry Ford with the question, "Can you build aircraft (bombers) the same way as you have built cars?" Mr. Ford replied, "I suppose, Let’s take a look," At this point Mr. Ford along with a group of company officials went to San Diego, California to look at Consolidated Aircraft’s B-24 Bomber assembly line and designs. From this visit and others the famous Willow Run plant and its production came into being. The main point with which we are concerned is that Lloyd Lawson of the E &L Transport Company was in the group to look into providing transportation of the components which would be produced at Willow Run Ill. The components of the bombers would be shipped to San Diego Ca., Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City Okla. where plant space was available.

Lloyd Lawson returned to E&L Transport Company in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designed the twin engine Ford truck tractors, using 2-100 horse powered Ford truck engines driving 4-speed Warner transmissions and Timken differentials. Each engine had it's own, ignition switch, gauges, radiator, Transmission drive shaft and rear end. This was basically two-one and a half ton trucks in one chassis using standard off-the-shelf cabover engine Ford truck parts. Some parts were modified, but all were Ford. The drawing board and blue prints consisted of the plans being drawn on the concrete floor with soap stone. The engineers consisted of the men working in the shop. The total production number of these vehicles was 96 to 98. About one half of these vehicles had the rounded cab as does #50. The other trucks were designed with the more square cab."

"According to the caption for this June 17, 1942, photo, this is simply a “Ford truck to haul bomber parts,” but our friend Fred Crismon, author of “U.S. Military Wheeled Vehicles,” has more:

Early in 1943 [which clashes with the date of the above photo -ed.] this highly specialized vehicle was shown to the public, identified as a tractor designed to pull a 60-foot-long “supertrailer” in which 34 complete tail cone assemblies could be carried. The tail cones were for the B-24 bomber of which Ford was one of several builders. The assemblies were carried between several manufacturing plants according to contemporary sources, involveing runs between California and Texas, Willow Run, Michigan, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Fort Worth, Texas, and between Loudonville, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York. Two Mercury V-8s were used, driving into synchronized transmissions.

Crismon also noted that the tractor was rated at 10 tons and that the trailer was loaded from the top by overhead cranes. About 70 of the trucks were built, and the twin engines were accessed by pulling them as a unit out the front of the tractor. Crismon provides evidence that, although Ford was often mentioned as the builder of the trucks, a company named Thorco Dual Motors built them – Thorco being a trademark for the Thornton Acle Company. However, James Wagner, the author of “Ford Trucks Since 1905,” wrote that about 100 tractors were built by E and L Transport of Dearborn, and the corresponding trailers were built by Mechanical Handling Systems."

source: HEMMINGS AUTO BLOG and THE OLD TRUCK HOME






Update Photos --- 2/23/12


This is an earlier example of a Ford Twin Engine circa 1938 ---

More pictures of the Ford THORCO twin engines ---

A Rare and Unusual FORD COE

My good friend JERRY over at HANK'S TRUCK FORUM has come up with another stumper. It is this FORD TWIN ENGINE COE.

If you look closely at the grill, you will notice two radiators. Why? This truck had two engines, that's why. Apparently FORD built this truck for military use. It had a 70 foot trailer used for hauling aircraft parts.

What is not known are the specifications, how many were built, what engines were used, what year was this manufactured in? As far as I can find, this picture found by Jerry is the only one on the net. It might have been taken at an ATHS show.

Any further info about this truck would be appreciated -- it certainly deserves more recognition!!

Please note:

THIS PICTURE WAS FOUND ON HANK'S TRUCK FORUM -- AT THE TIME OF THIS POST IT WAS THE ONLY PICTURE I COULD FIND ON LINE OF THIS TYPE OF TRUCK. MY SINCERE THANKS TO GARY MORTON FOR TAKING THIS GREAT PICTURE AND ALLOWING ITS' USE HERE!!

Beverage Trucks -- 1920 -1960

While on a recent trip to Buffalo to visit our son, I happened into a flea market and came across this FORD COE beverage truck. When I purchased it for $15 dollars to add to my collection of models and die cast trucks, it did not have the A&W logos -- those are my doing.

Those of you that look at this thread from now and then know that I have been "absent" at periods -- this due to the time I spend on HANK'S TRUCK FORUM. This has NOT been time wasted though, as I have started a thread devoted to the obscure BEVERAGE TRUCK.

This thread contains lots of cool pictures of all kinds of "beverage trucks" and some forgotten brands of soda, beer, and dairy products.

Come take a look ----- The Beverage Truck -- 1920 -1960 -- Hey, you might even want to post a few pictures of your own, comments welcome too.

Round 2 LLC Release of AMT WHITE FREIGHTLINER DUAL DRIVE TRACTOR

I have been watching for the re-release of the classic AMT kit of the WHITE FREIGHTLINER DUAL DRIVE TRACTOR promised by ROUND 2 LLC last year. Finally in mid October I heard from one of my online hobby suppliers that it was available -- I placed my order!!!

I was pleased when it arrived five days latter. Round 2 was true to the memory of that old AMT kit. The instructions were just like the ones from the old kit. The parts were clean and the chrome did shine. My only complaint was the decals were too thick -- even decal solvent didn't help. The build up was exactly how I remembered the original.

Here are some pictures of "SPIKE"

A Case of the WILLY'S

This past summer brought about a pleasant surprise, a vehicle I hadn't seen in a long time and the chance to actually get in one for the first time since the early 60's.

Just up the road from where I live I spotted a Willy's Jeep FC-170. This was a former fire vehicle belonging to the small village of Millport, and it was being sold. Despite the fact that it hadn't run in four years and the brakes were not working it was in very decent shape otherwise. I have always wanted one of these as my dad had one back in the late 50's. It was my favorite of all the trucks my dad had. I should have jumped when I had the chance -- final sale price -- $5900.

Alens REO

I recently received the following e-mail along with some GREAT pics of a REO belonging to ALLEN VERMAN ----

hi there

ran across your site with the pic. of the old REO truck and thought that since you like old trucks so much i'd send a couple pictures of my '34.

i have had virtually no luck finding pictures of a truck like mine anywhere, it's a model 1B, without a bed at the moment untill i find a suitable style to use as a model.

we are wondering what this truck did for a living, the thing has lots of miles, but the secondary springs are not worn, other drive train parts show quite a bit of wear.

another truck nut

allen verman
cuba, ohio

Thanks Allen for the e-mail and the great pics --- NICE TRUCK YOU LUCKY MAN!!!

In search of WALTER

No, not the Jeff Dunham character, but great trucks known as WALTERS. My quest was to view and photograph the WALTER SNOW PLOW collection of Jerald Johnson in Lapeer, NY, just west of Marathon.

First, a little history about the WALTER

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William Walter was a Swiss immigrant, and came to the U.S.A. in 1883 and established himself as a manufacturer of candy and confectionery machinery. He built himself a passenger car in 1898 and from 1904 to 1909 made high­ quality cars, at first in New York City and later at Trenton, N.J. Truck production began in 1909 a t the New York factory on West 66th Street, and in 1911 the first 4-wheel­ drive trucks appeared, which were to become the staple product of the company. Based on the French Latil and of similar appearance with radiator behind engine, they were made in sizes from 1 ½ to 7 tons. Conventional rear wheel drive and also front wheel drive trucks were also made, all with internal gear drive to the wheels. Engines were Walter's own make up to 1920, then mainly Waukesha during the 1920s. Gradually the rear-wheel-drive models were phased out, although a 15/25-ton rwd tractor with 5­speed gearbox was made as late as 1924. By the mid-1920s Walters had assumed their characteristic appearance with engine projecting ahead of the front axle; in 1929 the first Walter Snow Fighter appeared, and this was a field in which the company later became well-known, as well as for highway maintenance work and carrying cement mixers. During the 1930's Walter supplied a number of fire engines to New York City. Articulated dump trucks were used in open-cast coal mining, and Walters were also seen in the logging industry. By 1940 there were six models, all with 4-wheel-drive, of 3 to 12 tons capacity. Engines were 6-cylinder units by Waukesha, Hercules and Cummins, the latter a diesel.

During World War II Walter supplied 4 X 4 artillery tractors with 672ci 6-cylinder Hercules engines to the U.S. Army, and also snow removal trucks with Waukesha engines to both U.S. and Canadian forces. After the war the 4-wheel-drive trucks were continued, and Walter entered a new field with the building of airfield crash tend­ers. These were developed in conjunction with the Federal Government, the Port of New York Authority and the National Fire Protection Association. Current production includes crash tenders with single and twin engines, refuse collection trucks and the familiar 4-wheel-drive trucks and snowplows.

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Our drive from Horseheads took about 1 1/2 hours, and I am sorry to say that upon our arrival Jerald was not present, the house across the road completely empty.
I had found out about this collection through my friends over at HANK'S where we have been discussing these brutes in a forum. Here is a taste of what I found --



This is just a small sampling of what I found. If you want to see more pictures, and read some more stuff about the WALTER, check out the post's on HANKS TRUCK PICTURE FORUM, the
WALTER THREAD --- remember to check out the previous five pages!!!