Oldest trucks that still have good parts avaliblity?

Yep, buy new hubs and wheels and be happy. I hated those. You know there's a handy little tool to get broken inner nuts off? I almost bought one myself after having 6 of them torched off to do a brake job.

 

I'm a huge fan of the older iron, as you can see by my signature pic.('72 359)If you go with a classic truck, (old is such a harsh word) update it as you go. Modern axles, electric wipers, probably keep the old motor, you'll get a tip of the hat, every time. I think you can find anything ever created on Ebay. I'm just amazed at the stuff there. Good luck on the 4070 IH, once in a while they come around, and to think how popular they were years ago.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4245751]I'm a huge fan of the older iron, as you can see by my signature pic.('72 359)If you go with a classic truck, (old is such a harsh word) update it as you go. Modern axles, electric wipers, probably keep the old motor, you'll get a tip of the hat, every time. I think you can find anything ever created on Ebay. I'm just amazed at the stuff there. Good luck on the 4070 IH, once in a while they come around, and to think how popular they were years ago.[/QUOTE]

You know I thinking about the old 4070's yesterday. And the 4000s and Emoryvilles before them. There were SOOOOOOOOOO many old coe Transtars on the road back then. I had a couple, at the time they were good trucks. Have not seen one on the road in several years.

 

Those double nut, actually nut and stud, were just worst idea. There was always one that wouldn't come off. That's why, like you say, go with the Unilug, and be done with it.

 

It is relatively simple. The manufacturer these days justs looks at the numbers of parts sold. If a given part # drops below a certain threshold, it will discontinue it. But that also means certain parts for an older truck might be available because later trucks used the same #. A lot of the parts in question are made by outside vendors. If that company goes out of business, the the OEM has to find a replacement provider. They will look at the popularity of the part #'s provided and decide which ones to retool for and which ones to discontinue. A lot of stuff is now coming from Asia because of this, even if you get it from KW or Freightliner or whomever.
I have been dealing with this issue since the 1960's for parts for my Studebakers. Freightliner is doing a pretty good job supporting my Argosy, a real odd duck, but mostly because it is still in production. I was a supervisor for Penske logistics in a GM operation and visited hundreds of parts suppliers in that capacity, and learned how the business flows.
Of course there will always be the "will fit" segment of the industry. You can build a complete 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible from aftermarket will fit parts. Truck parts ars similar, if enough of them can be sold to justify the tooling, some one will do it.

 

I could never argue with a fellow Argosy owner, it's butt ugly and I love spending time behind the wheel in it, it never ceases to amaze me how well it maneuvers in tight spots. But I got a soft spot for most COE doesn't matter the brand and your right shaker has done a good job keeping parts available for them but you don't want to have to shell out for a one piece windshield used on the 2000.

 

Hi Mooose, I had to look that up, so that's an Argosy. I sure hope it's better than the mid-90's cabovers. I drove a SBFA Freightliner in the mid-90's and that, I can truthfully say, was absolutely the worst truck I ever drove, and I've driven every kind of truck made. (yep, including a Marmon and a Diamond Reo) Even the old Transtar 4070B was a better truck. The SBFA Freightliner had an air ride cab, that literally pogo-sticked down the road, and a clutch that had no pressure point, it was either in or out. It's a testament to my driving skill, I never ran over anybody or anything with that truck.

 

I saw a slick old Autocar last night while I was fueling. It looked just like the one my grandad had back in the 70's. I wanted to talk to the driver about it, but he left before I got the chance.

 

Hi Naptown, I take that back, I never drove an A-car, but I had a Western Star that used the same cab. Some of those A-car's were beasts. When a truck was a truck!

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4247173]Hi Mooose, I had to look that up, so that's an Argosy. I sure hope it's better than the mid-90's cabovers. I drove a SBFA Freightliner in the mid-90's and that, I can truthfully say, was absolutely the worst truck I ever drove, and I've driven every kind of truck made. (yep, including a Marmon and a Diamond Reo) Even the old Transtar 4070B was a better truck. The SBFA Freightliner had an air ride cab, that literally pogo-sticked down the road, and a clutch that had no pressure point, it was either in or out. It's a testament to my driving skill, I never ran over anybody or anything with that truck.[/QUOTE]
Oh my back aches just thinking about that!!...lol this one has a pretty decent ride. (My back would tell me otherwise) it helps it's on 8 bags and a 230" wb. I love the swing out stairs for getting in and out