Truck Restoration

[RobertN]

You may find this site interesting. I like the old Kenworth Bull noses.

Hank's Truck Pictures Web Site

Here are some of your Labatt's trucks
http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/goudy/white/labatts_white_810t_1944.jpg

Truck pictures
Hank's Truck Pictures

If you could find some of those old Whites and Macks, Binders, Jimmys, Reo',s and such as the Diamond-T's and yes even those beautiful old Brockways that looked like overgrown Model-A's etc from the 50's era and some of the 1940's KB-14 Internationals(Binders), the big FWD with Buda Diesels, Oshkosh, Walters and as somebody else mentioned, the Mack B-61 Thermodyne diesels from that era
. . tug

 

[JESSE1]

Robert, you beat me to it posting Hank's address. Tugboat definately needs to check out that site. I've been checking out the pictures there for years. I don't bother with looking at the new trucks, they all look and sound the same. My family was most involved with trucking from the mid '50's to early '90's.

Smoke mirrors gave a good indication of how hard the engine was working. The sound of the engine mattered a lot but seeing how much smoke or flame was coming out the stack could show you how much you needed to back off the throttle. Later trucks had pyrometers installed to measure the exhaust temperature.

 

[farmboy12]

I was reading about the truck used in "Duel" with Dennis Weaver. It had a mirror on the hood. The explanation was that it was for looking at the exhaust. The driver would adjust throttle, or change gears, partly by the smoke/exhaust they saw. Apparently, it was before all the gauges and stuff they have now; if the exhaust was not right, then good chance you were toasting your rings.

I saw that truck for sale on eBay just the other day. Thought about checking it out to tow antique tractors.


Kyle

 

[tugboat-2]

Jesse and Robert : Thank you both for the links especially to Hanks. Although I must admit you guys have got me in deep trouble here.

My wife gives me a job and next thing she is looking for me. "Where the heck are you?... "Where have you been all afternoon?"...I thought you were going to do,..... "Yes dear, I'll be there shortly, just have some computer business needs attending to here!"

HO, HO, . .just wait till she sees me comin up the lane with some big old antique junker truck in tow, oh well at least I can blame it all on you guys! Hee, hee !

But meanwhile, every chance I get I'm glued to the Hanks etc truck collection,...WOW !!! This is going to be great when we get snowed in, good excuse to study old trucks,...what could be better? (aside from out in the drive- shed working on a restoration)!

Oh yes Robert,..thanks for the Labatt stuff,...just exactly the way I remember them up close and personal years ago. They still have at least one around for special occassions I think. It was the result of great design-art-work and beautifully handcrafted wood and body metal on the tractor and trailer!!!

THANKS GUYS !!!

CHEERS!
. . tug

 

[mjncad]

I don't know him personally but I know several people who do. I understand he has quite a collection of trucks.

I live within walking distance of Don's place and he has a huge pole barn that I estimate to be 60 - 80 x 200 in size plus a number of of other outbuildings. In all the time I've lived here, I've never taken the time to ask if he would be willing to show me his collection. I'm not the type to show up unannounced on some one's doorstep; though I could drop him an old fashioned letter in the mail.

Every now and then a '57 (I believe) Freightliner tanker with pup trailer with P-I-E markings comes out in the daylight plus two Kenworth 2-axle conventionals. I ran into the Freightliner's owner at the Co-Op one day and he told me he is a dentist who put himself through dental school driving rigs in the 50's and 60's.

 

[RobertN]

I have posted about this in other threads. I wish I could afford one of these things. That KW from "Movin On" has always been my #1 favorite truck. Closest I have come to driving one, is the GMC Topkick 2800 gallon water tender at our fire station. It has a big Detroit V8 and 10 speed Road Ranger.

The Duel truck is out there. It was repowered. It is one of three I believe; the other two were wrecked in the movie. The truck was also repainted; it had other color schemes for a couple other movies. The "color" now is all paint, to look like a beat up truck. It has been bought/sold a number of times.

Paul Sagehorn in New Jersey has the only known original "Movin On" truck. It was repowered, and the chassis stretched before he got it. He repainted it; while doing body work and sanding, they uncovered the original "Sonny Pruitt" logo on the door.

Paul Sagehorn also has one of two "BJ and the Bear" trucks; the second is in Australia. On his website, he has pictures of the BJ and Bear truck being towed home by the Movin On truck. Him and his Dad restored it, and use it in their trucking business. They have a trailer painted to match.

Paul had made a "BJ and the Bear" look-alike truck before he bought the original. He sold it; It is out there and makes the truck show tours.

Another guy has a "Convoy" Mack. It is not an original movie truck, but has parts from the originals. The only known surviving "rubber duck" truck was converted to a concrete truck after the movie, and later on was rolled in an accident. It was totaled, but this guy got parts off of it, and from what was left of the one that crashed in the river. He also found the original trailer. It was gutted inside to make it lighter for the movie. It still had dents in it from when it crashed in to the jail house in the movie.

I have found "Movin On" on DVD. It is fun to watch. The video is mediocre, because it is old VCR recording; apparently a lot of the original footage was lost, and the studios have not released anything that they have left. Still fun to watch, fun memories.

Paul Sagehorn's Movin On and BJ and Bear truck website:
TV Truckin

Duel:
http://www.stlouisdumptrucks.com/Duel/index.htmlv

Convoy:
Homepage of the New Convoy Rubber Duck Truck Website

I saw that truck for sale on eBay just the other day. Thought about checking it out to tow antique tractors.


Kyle

 

[mjncad]

That KW from "Movin On" has always been my #1 favorite truck.

I always liked the KW W900 series and the Pete 359 series from that era. The KW has the best looking hood with all the right proportions and curves, while the newer KW hoods with the sharp creases and rectangular headlights leave me cold. I also liked the 'Movin' On' truck for having a tapered bumper instead of the God awful 'Texas Square' bumpers so prevalent these days, and that the exhaust stacks look correct for the vehicle instead of the '***** envy' over sized stacks so many truckers feel the need to add to their rigs. Also, trucks of the 70's had just the right amount of marker lights on them instead of the Christmas tree look so common these days.

 

[JESSE1]

Personally, I feel that the '70's were the high point of truck styling. I'm like you in that I don't care for the oversize stacks that look totally out of proportion to the truck. I never thought I'd miss the COE's but any brand made up through the late '70's still looks good today.

 

[RobertN]

Well, I like the 50's style of your trucks. Kinda like the 1940's Farmall's; nice lines and curves. After finding those pics of the Labatt's trucks though, those were pretty cool too!

Can you imagine the work that went in to the curves on those trucks?

Personally, I feel that the '70's were the high point of truck styling. I'm like you in that I don't care for the oversize stacks that look totally out of proportion to the truck. I never thought I'd miss the COE's but any brand made up through the late '70's still looks good today.

 

[JESSE1]

The earlier trucks had style but were low on driver comfort. The cab on my White is so narrow that you can touch both doors at the same time. Dad always said you could sunburn both arms at the same time. I would think they could have stamped those fenders out pretty quick once they had the die built for them.