A view of the Past, Vintage Photos

1955 Peterbilt model 281.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4474114]A little before my time, (like before I was born) but they called those the "bullnose" KWhoppers. Torsion bar suspension, good lord, we called it "torture bar". It was awful. Thanks, Giggs.[/QUOTE]

I had a couple of torsion bar suspension trucks. They weren't that bad but nothing like the rides you get today

 

Thanks truckdad, keep 'em coming. I think they made the "needle nose" for a few years after this, but as motors got bigger, a bigger radiator was needed, and most got the wider front. I like those chrome Luberfiners too, and some had a chrome PS reservoir next to it. You can have those pesky "tube-type" tires. If I never see another inner tube in my life, that would be fine with me. Tubeless was the greatest thing to come down the pike for trucks. This truck appears to have a different style "tattle-tale" on the dash.

 

Oh yeah. Flat tires were just part of the job. Tubeless didn't really kick in until the 80's. It was, by far, my biggest gripe with the RR cans I hauled out of Chicago in the late 80's, early 90's. All those "Z" vans used tube tires, and most chassis. I had a tire blow the ring off once in a RR yard a guy was fixing for me. Good thing I wasn't next to it. Even to this day, I'm always leery of airing up a tire.

 

check out this newspaper ad....

 

Give the proper credit. found it on the dirty old truckers page.
https://www.facebook.com/TheDirtyOldTrucker