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!

Drawings of 34pickup - Vic Vasselin

I knew him first as 34pickup and I look forward to his posting on Hank's Truck Picture Forum in the truck drawing forum - he posts under 34pickup.

I have since come to know him as Vic Vasselin. He is a full time truck driver and does truck illustrations and cartoons on the side. Vic's cartoons about the trucking life can be seen at
Tenfourmagazine.com - look for "truckertoons" or use the convenient link on this page -- Look for Truckertoons. There is also a full biography there on Vic.

I have wondered why someone would give themselves a screen name like 34pickup? I guess I would too if I had one. Vic also has 35 Dodge street rod pickup.

Vic tells me, " I draw trucks because I like them, specially old trucks." He's been honing his skill for 40 years. Some of his drawing require 20-40 hours to create. Besides Tenfourmagazine, he also contributes to a trucking paper in Pennsylvania called "Movin Out".

I have to admit that I am a bit jealous of Vics' talent. While I'm cranking out stuff on Photoshop, he is matching whatever I can create the good old fashioned way - by hand, pen, ink, and pencil.

Here are a few of my favorites drawn by Vic ---

1953 Kenworth
















Peterbilt -
















1960 Diamond Reo-















1930's Mack Gulf Gas Truck -















These are just a few of Vics offerings. From time to time I will change some of the "side pictures"
and offer some more of his creations. Perhaps I might even add some of his toons -

Thanks Vic, keep up the great drawings!!!

Christmas Still Here - Dodge L-700 info too!

It has been a long time since we have had a white Christmas here in the southern tier of New York. It would have been the opportune time for that Highway 61 - 1946 GMC Snowplow to have arrived, it will have to wait.












I did order another dump truck - a 1949 International KB8 -SA by First Gear. It should arrive next week, giving me time to think about where it's going to go - my wife thinks I need a room just for my models, I agree.

One "truck gift" did arrive, a gift from my wife which I will really enjoy. I think it might even help with my truck identification.



This is a great book about the trucks I remember from the 60's. It covers Autocar, Brockway,
Chevrolet, Diamond T - Reo, Dodge, Ford, Freightliner, GMC, IH, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt, White, and others such as Marmon and Hendrickson.

One truck that I didn't find though was the Dodge L-700 introduced in 1966. Perhaps because it was considered for light duty purpose, that may have been reson for its omission. However, as a modeler I have found like others, there is not too much info on this model - so I thought I would put up some here in picture form.








































Hope you all had a Great Christmas. I know I did! Looking forward to the new year - and some more old truck finds!

Farm trucks of younger days

My cousin recently sent me a box of letters containing some that had been written between my grandmother and my mother around the time of my birth, some letters referred to some trucks we had while I grew up on the farm.

I was born in 1952, the third and youngest of my parents sons. My parents were farmers back then, running a dairy farm on 200 + acres.

Of course we had trucks - and that is what these posts are supposed to be about. So here, are some of the trucks I remember, and a truck my brother remembers from before my birth.

My parents bought our farm in the late 40's. Their first farm truck was a Ford F-1.


I hope my brother checks this out to verify his remembrance. The first truck I remember, bought either just before I was born, or that year, was a grey Willy's Jeep pickup - for some time we kept the Willy's brush gaurd, probably still on the old farm.















I can remember - barely - riding in this as a very young child. Our next truck was an orange International pickup, bought around 1956. I don't think my dad liked it because it lacked 4WD.

















The next vehicle we had didn't stay very long - I saw it as an interim and don't know to this day if we bought it or borrowed it. It was a GMC Panel Van .


I remember it was a "hot" ride in the summer time - maybe that's why we got rid of it in late 1957. The truck we had just befor my sister was born in 1958 was a white over blue Willy's Jeep
FC-170 with a stake body. I have written in a past blog about this truck - my dad had 4WD again, and it was my favorite truck.
















The Jeep lasted till about 1963. We then purchased a Ford Econoline Van - it took us to Oklahoma and back again. The van was a six cyliner window van with removable seats so my dad could haul his tools. My mom drove this a few times, once loosing control on ice and putting it into a ditch - she suffered a bronken arm.




















The last truck we had before I went away was a 68 Dodge Sportsman. It was also a straight six and a window van. I dated my wife in this van when my mother wouldn't give up the dodge Dart.
When my dad died, my brother got this and drove it for some time.





















The Dodge in the above picture is a 64 - the color is right, but this is the "short" version, we had the longer 68.

The Twelve Trucks of Christmas

Time for a little sing along - you know the tune!! Don't forget the repeats!


On the first day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

A GMC -950


On the second day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Two Mack Bulldogs - (repeat first truck)



On the third day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Three White Freightliners - (repeat second and first trucks)

On the Fourth Day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Four Autocars - (repeat third, second, and first trucks)



On the fifth day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Five Diamond T's - (repeat fourth, third, second and first trucks)


On the sixth day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Six Chevy's for haying - (repeat five to one trucks)


On the seventh day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Seven Fageols a brimming - (repeat six to one trucks)


On the eighth day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Eight trucks for milking - (by now you should know the routine)


One the ninth day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Nine Hayes entrancing


On the tenth day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Ten Willy's for Jeeping


On the eleventh day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Eleven Peterbilts' piping


On the twelve day of Christmas the truck man gave to me -

Twelve Kenworths' a humming





Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays -

1946 GMC Snowplow 1/16 Scale

I've said this before, "my wife spoils me". She has ordered this from one of my favorite places,
Jeff's' Collectibles. So, I called Jeff this morning to ask if it would be OK to do a little advertising for him. If you collect die-cast trucks, I would recommend Jeff's. If these two links don't work,
try the link at the bottom of my sidebar.

Gosh, at 56 it's hard to feel like a kid again - this works!!

Jeff also has some real nice die-cast cars for you car fans. Thank you bears (my wife) and Jeff - I can't wait ----

AMT - Re-Issue of White Freightliner Dual Drive Tractor

Good news for truck model builders, Round 2 LLC - AMT has announced the release of the White Freightliner Dual Drive Tractor. It will be available through TOWER HOBBY, they expect an early release late spring of 2009. I cant wait!!

The picture above was made using the AMT advertisement picture and re- coloring it. Hope I can build my future kit up like this.

Two Mack Bulldogs and a Mack H-63

On our way to Auburn yesterday to catch up with the rest of the family for Thanksgiving. We stopped at one of our favorite stores in Seneca Falls, Sauders. It is a Mennonite run country style store offering all kinds of food stuff.

I was on the way out, when I spotted a basket with a sign above, "FREE CALENDARS". I took one
titled, "TREASURED TRUCKS".

It is from that calendar these pictures come. They were taken by a well known "cover photographer" named Ozzie Sweet. He is renown for his quality photographs.


MACK H-63 1954-56

1947 MACK LFT




1972 MACK R-685T

















Great picture of neat trucks!!!!

Peterbilt 359 x 2

What does one do when they don't have any truck models to take up some "hobby" time? Well in my case that's not hard. I go looking for great pictures on the net.

I found these two through Hank's Truck Forum (see my truck links). There are some neat trucks there, and some links to other truck related sites. I liked these two because of the way the picture was taken - allowing me to remove the background and artistically render the trucks.

I wish I could find more pictures of trucks with trailers - taken with a "corner perspective". The tractors alone are cool, but a trailer load makes it so much better.

My picture offering was modified once again in Photoshop. Two Peterbilt 359's - the beer truck can stop at my house any time!!!

As Homer Simpson would say, " HMMMMMM Beer!"