Old School Truckers

Talk about memories! Wow. I forgot about the tattle tale (tach o graph) I had in my first truck. 1967 Pete daycab with a 290 Cummins and a 5 and 4. I had to change the little round card every time I started out.

Thamks for the memories. Sure glad I don't have to mess with that crap anymore.

 

Shiny 290!

Flames comin out the stacks looked like a meteor coming at night.

Wow...flashbacks

 

Flames coming out of the stacks?? Wow, I saw on the movie "the deer hunter" when they were passing that rig at the beginning flames comming out of its stack.. What caused that? Fuel Pump turned up?

 

Mine didn't flame but it smoked and pulled like a freight train. I loved that 5 and 4 trans because I pulled 6500 gallons of gas or diesel around Colorado and Wyoming and could always find a good gear to ascend or descend those mountains. Hell, I pulled road oil down through Southpark and across Wolf Creek pass to the "million dollar highway outside of Durango. They were rebuilding the pass back then to install the truck run a ways.

Keep in mind, this was back in the early 70's BEFORE jake brakes were invented. The Eisenhower tunnel was still a dream back then. Wouldn't matter because you can't take HAZ through it. We had to go over Loveland pass and Vail. Vail was still only 2 lanes then. I 70 quit just west of Denver.

Dang....I AM old....lol

 

My first truck was a 290 GMC Astro 10 speed. It still ran 76mph but we were light most of the time. Except that one time I was told not to scale and picked up a trailer full of D-cell batteries. I'd hate to see the weigh ticket on that one.

 

Can anyone say "compression release" ? Ever use one?

As a boy , I worked at a trash co. sweeping and lubing..... used to get a buck to wax top dogs Autocar. Had the steel bat wing hood and the aluminum radiator and 20" Dayton's. It was worth a buck to be that close at that time.......

And I got to listen to a safety briefing when the new 318's came in.....these were V-8's and the drivers were being warned "not to tear the drive shafts out" ( smirk )

So thanks, Jimmie and Charlie, for giving the $2.00 man a chance.....( was my wage at the time and the handle I used on the phone to demanding folks whom requested my identity after interupting my sweeping activities )

 

Ahhh yes. The 318's and the 350 "double breasted yamaha".

 

Drove a few trucks that you shut off by starving the fuel. Knob on the floor by the shifter. CF had alot of Air start engines w/ 9speed knee knockers. Member when some trucks you got in had a different tranny installed and you'd hit your hand on the dash when shifting it or come up against the seat. Spicer trannies,BUD/West coast rims,tube tires,Detroits,El dorado seats. Yeah the ol'days,when everything was good to go.

 

suicide rims, pulled some 40 foot trailers.

Hockey puck suspension.

5X4 brownie

Mack R-model.

 

The first truck I ever owned myself. In 1990 I bought a '69 COE Pete. 318"Yamaha" 13 speed , 4:10 gears ...
Rooftop A/C that didnt work, I ran from Southern Cal to Vegas in summer.
The right rear glass in the sleeper was broken so I just pushed it out to let more air flow through the cab (sort of like turning the hairdryer on high).
I put pistons, jugs, and rolled new bearings in that truck in 8 hours once.