1954 Autocar Diesel

[Southcity]

Seen this Truck a few times but never got a chance to snap any photos of it until yesterday. I am a huge fan of all trucks regardless of year, make etc. but big rigs are my personal favorite, especially older ones. He was parked on the side of the HWY on Route 37 near Sears Point Raceway, California.....flipped a u-turn and met the guy and snapped these photos.....its a 1954 Autocar Diesel, enjoy the pics.

[Southcity]

some more

[Tx Firefighter]

More details please.

Does he really work the truck or is it a toy to him ?

What drivetrain does he have in it ?

[Southcity]

I had a feeling the first board member to request for more info on this truck would be TX Firefighter.........and that's a compliment!

We were both in a rush, he had his motor idling and was getting ready to pull out so I scrambled to grab my camera and snap up some photos, I regret that I forgot his name but I will stop him again next time I see him to get more info, here's what I got in the rush:

He's an independent trucker, hauls pretty much everything/anything, so not a toy, he really works the truck. The first time I ever saw him (few months ago) he was haulin some Hotmix AC concrete on a tandem bottom dump and he confirmed this when I asked about it.

He said he upgraded the drive train, brakes etc. but I did not have enough time to get the particulars. I'll update again the next time I am able speak to him.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by Southcity

so not a toy, he really works the truck.

Not an understatement, this truck must easily have a millions and millions of miles on it. I've seen it dozens and dozens of times over the last 20 years hauling day and night. This Autocar is quite a sight to behold, surely a legend on the West Coast.

[6772owner]

That is just awesome, I love big rigs...

[Benelli]

That thing is awesome!

[CORSAIR]

Thats a awsome old truck I showed my pop's he is a old truck driver and learned to drive in a 49 auto car. He totaly digged looking at the pictures.
Thanks for the effort for the pictures it was worth it.

[Tx Firefighter]

That guy "gets it".

You can buy a new Peterbilt for 125k or you can revamp an old truck and have no payment. Guess who makes more money hauling the same load ?

I'm doing the same thing right now. I need a new welding rig so I'm doing a frame up restoration on an old truck rather than buy a new diesel like all the other guys do. In the end, I'll have say 10k dollars invested rather than 45k and I'll be the guy with the cool old welding truck.

If more folks did this kind of thing this country wouldn't be in debt up to it's teeth like it is.

[Southcity]

Hey TX Firefighter, I think I speak for most board members here when I say that I hope to see a build thread on this rig of yours. I agree with your comments, this guy certainly does "get it".

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

That guy "gets it".

You can buy a new Peterbilt for 125k or you can revamp an old truck and have no payment. Guess who makes more money hauling the same load ?

I'm doing the same thing right now. I need a new welding rig so I'm doing a frame up restoration on an old truck rather than buy a new diesel like all the other guys do. In the end, I'll have say 10k dollars invested rather than 45k and I'll be the guy with the cool old welding truck.

If more folks did this kind of thing this country wouldn't be in debt up to it's teeth like it is.

[Southcity]

Thanks to all the members that have chimed in on this post and shared their own war stories, provided info and links, great to see that others enjoy these old work horses as much as I do.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Southcity

Hey TX Firefighter, I think I speak for most board members here when I say that I hope to see a build thread on this rig of yours. I agree with your comments, this guy certainly does "get it".

I will do a build thread. I'm gathering together a lot of pictures as I progress. I figure this to be a year long build. By summer or so I should be far enough along to make a showing of it.

[special-K]

I dig the old rigs,too. Autocar is one of my all time favorites. I'm a member of the American Truck Historic Society which is about the preserving and informing the great heritage of this countries trucking industry. You should go to www.aths.org and check their website. Last year the big national show was in Pleasanton,CA. This year it's in South Bend,IN. We have local chapters all over and some pretty decent local shows to see some cool trucks. The best part is it's all for fun...no trophies or prizes. It's amazing the effort some put out just so a rather small crowd can see their old work horse.
Thanks for sharing that truck with us. Cool beans!!!

I'm a light duty truck guy in what I do. I started out fixing up a '71 K/20 and making money while others worked to get out of debt for a truck that would end up in worse shape than mine once it was paid for. I have bought one new truck. That was in '92 and I put about 65% down with money I made working from old trucks. The payment was in significant,I paid it off early and am still working out of it 19 years later.

[cayoterun]

Great pics. Thanks for posting. Brings back lots of memories of what I drove back in early 60s.
I'll bet the drive-line update he put in it will let him pull with any shiny ones out there, and has more fun making money than the big payment boys.
Keep us updated.

[special-K]

Around here there's a guy that runs a '75 Autocar dump truck out of some local quarries. I've always appreciated seeing that tough looking thing on the hiway. About 15 years ago I finally got a chance to catch him and get the lowdown. When it was new he showed it for Autocar. He removed the emblems so it was easier to wax and probably to clean it up. The sides of the hood are louvered,the cab is metallic gold. The bed is black steel. It's not all polished stainless and aluminum like a road tractor,but tastefully detailed. No Alcoa wheels,just the 2pc wheels painted up with chrome acorns on the nuts. Maryland downsized the gross weight for tandems,so he upfitted to tri-axle and kept on rollin'. It's no coincidence that guy has sat in the same cab for 35 years. That's a man and his machine united. Maybe corny to some,but I love this kind of stuff.

This guy found a rare Sterling rotting away,restored the body,and mounted it on a lter Mack chassis. He operates with it for his bread & butter:

[cayoterun]

[QUOTE=special-K;4459366] That's a man and his machine united. Maybe corny to some,but I love this kind of stuff.


X2

[old Rusty C10]

ive seen severalof these but not with the extended cab.. they used em for oil trucks and garbage trucks here

[JimmyFloyd]

So is that extended cab factory on the autocar?

[JimmyFloyd]

Found this truck on the net from a show:




And also went out a grabbed a picture of this truck, which I have know about and liked for about 3 years, but I believe it was a bus chopped down into this. Any way to tell if it is original? They also have the second truck next to the garage.

[geezer#99]

Nice!!! Saw one in NZ. It was right hand drive!! Pulling a huge boat onto the ferry in Wellington.

[Dieselwrencher]

Very cool pics, thanks for sharing them. I love old big rigs. I'd love to build my own one day, but that day isn't here yet. I used to build glider trucks and that was awesome. Now thanks to the EPA, glider kits are illegal and can't be built anymore. So revamping an old chassis is the way to go. But it has its' draw backs too. Repairing the truck all the time versus being on the road making money is the biggest reason you don't see more old trucks being put back on the road. I was on the hunt to find an old big rig last fall. I gave up because I just don't have the money right now for one. I do have a 85 FL120 cab and hood, but IDK if I'll build I or not. I'd rather have an old Pete or an old B900 or even an old W900, good luck with that huh?

[special-K]

Here's my buddy's '59 Reo. It was a single axle/day cab. He found a sleeper truck that was rough and re-did it. He also stretched it and put a tandem set-up under. It was also a gas job originally and now runs a Cat 3208 and the gears are up there in the mid-3s. He runs a sign painter,pinstriper,lettering business and this is his studio he takes to shows:




GMC Cannonball on the run:

[Dieselwrencher]

That is a nice Reo! Nice cannon ball too!

[cam.man67]

Some sweet old trucks, love the Autocar,especially that it's being used. There's an old Mack that I drive by every day to go to college, would love to see it on the road again. I'll try to get some pics.

[special-K]

Here's what Chuck did with the old cab