Three days on the back roads

I am fortunate that as a school bus driver, I get Presidents' Week off. It has afforded my wife and I time to explore some of the back roads of New York and Pennsylvania. As reported in my last post, this allowed for the finding of the 31 Reo Speedwagon. The following day we were on the road again near the hamlet of Risingville and spotted this old White Frieghtliner. Something doesn't look good about its' frame.
















Then yesterday we had an unexpected but pleasant drive to Prattsburg. On the way through Savvona, NY, I spotted this Autocar Dump Truck.


















I have to give Jan credit for these two photos, I never remember to carry my camera. All in all, it has been a good three days on the back roads of New York.

Early 30's REO Speedwagon - FOR SALE

WOW x 3!!!!

Who would have imagined when we started out from our house this morning to run some errands that I would end up on a country road near Watkins Glen and run across two people standing by an old barn looking at the subject of this post?

After yesterdays post about the old Studebaker, I could see this old REO being taken from out of the barn - some new spark plugs, drain and replace the oil, a new fan belt, battery, pump up the tires (duals in the rear with chains), about a gallon of gas, the keys were even in the ignition, (also note that newer oil cleaner), and she's ready to run.

The truck belonged to one of the two's grandfather, who passed away at 90. It looks a though it's been parked for a few years, and the original engine has been replaced by a Willy's. The flatbed was rebuilt, but the original bed is above the truck in the rafters. The original engine is across the street.















































If you find yourself wanting a good truck for a restoration, this might be what you're looking for.
It's FOR SALE.

THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN SOLD -- POST UPDATE  -- 4/10/10

Old Studebaker Truck - It's Alive!!

You all have heard about those amazing "barn finds"? You know, where someone finds that old car or old truck as in this case?

Well here is one great video about a truck that had been sitting in a barn for thirty years - an old Studebaker Flatbed -

It's OK to comment - REALLY!!!

Yes, it is OK to leave a comment on any of my posts and hey, if you leave an email, I'll write back. That's what Franz did - he's from West Germany and left a comment on a post I did on the Mack H-63. Franz is one great truck modeler, and he is currently working on a resin kit of a Mack H-63.

FRANZ's MACK H-63


Franz also sent some pictures of some builds he has done of some European Trucks - I am not good at identifying these models, so I will use the titles he gave.

MAN F8 Orientline No.1










Scania T142 H Silberente


I think this is Franz in the next picture with another of his great truck models. The picture says:

Austellung Haar bei Munchen (with two dots above the u in Munchen)















I know Franz's English is better than my German by far!! Franz also sent me this neat picture of a truck he photographed.

Hofbesuch Spiess Volvo FH16


I am always looking for trucks to add to my collection. Feel free to drop a comment, and leave a way for me to write back.

Thank you Franz -

Going Home - and a bonus!

It was an interesting weekend. First a trip to Auburn, then on Sunday, a trip to Ovid. It wasn't supposed to be a day for trucks, it was to be a day to see a snowy owl. The trucks were a bonus.

I grew up in this area between the Finger Lakes of Cayuga and Seneca. It was a surprise to find that old Chevy, the Ford Pickup, and a VW - Bus. The other trucks have been sitting along the side of route 96 outside Trumansburg for as long as I can remember - that's a long time!!!

Here is my Sunday Truck Surprise ----

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!