Hope this is an appropriate place for this question...
Looking for some help with research for a novel.
Part of the story takes place in South Carolina in 1942.
One of the characters drives a truck for a SC cotton mill company.
He has a regular, round-trip route: Every day he leaves before dawn from the Upstate (the upper northeast part of the state near the Blue Ridge), drives all the way across state down to the Low Country (the coast), and returns empty.
Say he is hauling milled cotton to Charleston for shipment...
Given the time period and the cargo, what make/model truck might he be driving?
Assumptions about the truck:
1. It is hauling as large a load as practical for roads at the time.
2. It is an extra nice truck. Top of the line. Late model. A truck that would give other truckers truck-envy...
Many thanks in advance.
Trucking in 1942
Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Dusibello, Apr 11, 2010.
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This is about as elaborate as it got during that period....
1940 Ford tractor.....Dusibello Thanks this. -
I assume it was difficult to buy new equipment during the war. You should research Corbett trucks that were manufactured in Henderson, NC during that time. Search on Hank's Truck Pictures.
Dusibello Thanks this. -
IIRC...Sleepers weren't in trucks back then.....And drivers just basically placed boards across the seats with their feet hanging out the window.....
Anyone who drove back then had more brass than most of us doing it today....
No A/C.....
No power steering.......
No wussies need apply back then.....Dusibello Thanks this. -
Yea, steering would suck at low speed. Would have to stand up and crank that big wheel around.
google hanks truck pictures. They have some good pics of White trucks around that year.
They were the parent company of Many current company's at different times.
They owned Diamond T, Western Star, AutoCar, Stirling, and others. Also produced Freightliner for a time.
They were about the largest truck manufacturer at the time in the US, also Mack was good at the time, but White was higher quality.Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
Dusibello Thanks this. -
If you use Hanks truck pictures Keep in mind that he is based in western canada and the old Kenworth Pete and Hayes (all the really good trucks) were all western manufactured and would have been rare in NC . But a western logger with a hall scott hi horse power LPG sure would have caused truck envy
Dusibello Thanks this. -
i hope this may help. In that time the starters of trucks were Manual(big stick). When you didn't have energy you had to turn a handle in front of the motor. The cabs didnt have much isolation it has like hell in the heat. No power steering,the seat was stationary in the button was your tool box, the brakes depended on the strength of your right leg( its pretty hard to describe it to you).to stop the truck + always had 8x8 pieces woods, the all diagrams and connection brakes was copper ,( no hoses) The drivers had a pot next to the manifold were they put food and fifteen minutes starting the truck(driven) their lunch was done.the drives always drinks water from any river and put in the radiators too, The motors ran 65,000 to a 165,000 to make the overhaul. A driver needed to have skills of a mechanic (growing up in a back yard) when you wanted help you needed to send a telegram. The distance between states were weeks not day or hours like this day in time. this is based on what my father told me (I did not live this)
Dusibello Thanks this. -
Boy did I come to the right place...
You guys are good. This is extra quality stuff. I'll take it all in and process and come back for more if you all don't mind...
Thanks again... -
Wonder if that is two trailers, or is the truck a 14-wheeler flatbed with another trailer in tow?
Edit: Guessing that is two trailers now... Just basing that on the trailer wheels... Looks like the truck has six, and the first trailer has eight?Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
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