Pics from Back in the Day

[Photon440]

OK... gotta ask; how did you guys know that place was in OKC? I mean Mr Photon 440 is in canada and Mr DeltaV is in Georgia... how would you recognise something deep in the middle of the Flyover Zone and even know it was on Paseo St apparently?!?!? What am I missing?

Mother's Rock Shop was a famous place back then, it's been on twitter.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

 

[oldbee]

A cracker box jimmy! Detroit powered I assume?

C’mon Wayne answer. 6v92?

 

[68BabyBlue]

C’mon Wayne answer. 6v92?

I drove for the local Allied agent in '77. The agency had a '72 Brockway with a 6V71 Detroit. Screamed like a scalded cat to reach 10 mph.

 

[guy gadbois]

Beasts in their natural habitat...

 

[Bennoel 10]

Beasts in their natural habitat...
View attachment 1780317

Looks like the Nova (Chevy 11) had a bit of a Bobo. Silly bowtie drivers. Lol.

 

[chargervert]

C’mon Wayne answer. 6v92?

That GMC is an Astro 95. The cracker boxes were the earlier cabover trucks with the rear corner of the cab cut at a 45 degree angle. The looked like an upside down Nabisco box,aka cracker boxes.

 

[guy gadbois]

I built a big scale Astro/Titan truck with a chrome Sunoco tanker model when I was a kid; only big truck I ever did - thought it was a cool looking rig.

 

[oldbee]

That GMC is an Astro 95. The cracker boxes were the earlier cabover trucks with the rear corner of the cab cut at a 45 degree angle. The looked like an upside down Nabisco box,aka cracker boxes.

You are correct, an Astro. Part of clutch linkage was tied to the cab, when starting out on a hill the cab would rock to the right and engage clutch all the way. Had to floor the throttle or it would stall out, ask me how I know..

 

[68BabyBlue]

I built a big scale Astro/Titan truck with a chrome Sunoco tanker model when I was a kid; only big truck I ever did - thought it was a cool looking rig.

Did the same with a Kenworth K100. Drove the real thing eight years later, shortly before cabovers faded away, after 1980 changes in overall length limits.

 

[chargervert]

A cabover Pete with a refer on and a Jimmy haulin hogs! And eleven long haired friends of Jesus in a 52 microbus!

 

[chargervert]

When I was a kid,my step father was the service manager of the local Peterbilt dealership. He used to roadtest all the new Peterbilt tractors when they came in. He would take us for rides in them. Some still had the plastic on the seats.

 

[F4R/T]

Hard to believe those old cab overs were as successful as they were . Every once in awhile you see a cabover around but it’s rare. I’ve seen a few on the interstate lowered and stretched out, they look neat but I wouldn’t want to make the climb up there all the time and I was always told they were cold in the winter and rode like crap... and the worst part is if you got in a wreck you were the first one there.

 

[Big bill]

.

 

[64BEL]

Hard to believe those old cab overs were as successful as they were . Every once in awhile you see a cabover around but it’s rare. I’ve seen a few on the interstate lowered and stretched out, they look neat but I wouldn’t want to make the climb up there all the time and I was always told they were cold in the winter and rode like crap... and the worst part is if you got in a wreck you were the first one there.

We have both a conventional and a cabover engine in our Fire Dept. I prefer driving the cabover.

 

[68BabyBlue]

Hard to believe those old cab overs were as successful as they were . Every once in awhile you see a cabover around but it’s rare. I’ve seen a few on the interstate lowered and stretched out, they look neat but I wouldn’t want to make the climb up there all the time and I was always told they were cold in the winter and rode like crap... and the worst part is if you got in a wreck you were the first one there.

PA was 55 foot overall length, 73280 gross weight state before 1980, so they were popular for running trailers over 40 feet long. We referred to the conventional cabs as "west coast" trucks, because they could pull longer trailers legally in their home turf. When I ran at night on I-80, they would be out like vampires, trying to get across PA before daylight. I was doing the same, because I was usually overweight.

My old 4070 International cabover had an electric bunk heater, which managed to keep the cab comfortable in winter. I slipped on the steps more than a few times, not a big deal in my 20s. Today I'd probably break a hip. I drove an Astro 95 Jimmy for a few days one week when the International was in the shop. I thought the air suspension would be an improvement in ride quality over the International, but I was wrong. With a loaded bulk tanker smacking me around, the Astro rode like a baby carriage being shaken violently front to back.

Before I bought the International, I drove a company truck, a '66 Brockway cabover, It was so cold in winter I wore snowmobile boots while driving, and three layers of thermal clothing. Decades later, when I bought the Peterbilt 379, I found it hard believe the improvement over the stuff I started with.

 

[Runcharger]

Dad's Freightshaker. 1693TA Cat in it, 425HP when 335's were the big thing. Rough riding and crappy to climb in and out of. However pulling a loaded B-train it would pass a 335 with a single trailer on a hill no problem. Pulled the engine out for a scraper eventually and buried it near Tesla Lake in the Yukon.
He also drove arch truck occasionally, 335 Cummins in it with a 5 and a 4, Pulling off a landing the front wheels would come up about 5 feet off the ground before it broke the load free. Then those two sticks would get furiously thrown around the cab because if you missed a gear and stalled you wouldn't be able to get it going again. Koehring was a 1066, 5 yard bucket and a 430HP V12 Detroit in it.

 

[Runcharger]

Hemi Rag at a Red Deer meet in the 80's.

 

[Runcharger]

Reputed to be a Hemi 4 Speed body, at Snobars in the 80's I should have bought it.

 

[Bennoel 10]

Reputed to be a Hemi 4 Speed body, at Snobars in the 80's I should have bought it.

View attachment 1780658

Yes you should've especially because it has the ultra rare painted aerodynamic driver's door rear view mirror. Lol. All kidding aside looks very solid and with todays prices a home run