GM Semis

[Bob B.]

Those 'pit fenders' were a General RPO option, but I am not sure which years.

[factorystock]

One of my favorites, heavy duty early 60's 10 wheelers. Highly styled sheet metal, something that disappeared, IMO, in following generations of heavies!

[Bob B.]

Originally Posted by factorystock

One of my favorites, heavy duty early 60's 10 wheelers. Highly styled sheet metal, something that disappeared, IMO, in following generations of heavies!

Yeah, and big gas V-6 power! That truck is probably a WA6500 with a 478 in it.

[watahyahknow]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Check out those off road fenders!

i pitty the fool that does a braketest in front of it

[special-K]

Originally Posted by factorystock

One of my favorites, heavy duty early 60's 10 wheelers. Highly styled sheet metal, something that disappeared, IMO, in following generations of heavies!

Me too. In fact, I like the '60s Fords and Dodges in the same configuration. The red Dodge tandem dump that Matchbox came out with in my later childhood was my favorite of them all.

But I also think the next body was a wonderful thing in it's self for it's own reasons. I love the 60-66 body style. It came out of the jet age and is what I would consider "over styled". I think GM designers got carried away back then designing the first body around the Fleetside bed during a time when tailfinned turnpike cruisers ruled. I have always loved the styling. But time has shown most left it behind as dated until fairly recent years. Now with the early customs/hot rod era on a comeback trail, as well as about anything lder being a hit, you see a spike in interest.

In the end, I love a stout truck. In the end, they are all stout and I love all the heavy GM tandem dumps (and other configurations) from the first to the last. I can appreciate each one for what it is and could never limit myself by excluding any. Lowe's had all those grey tandem flatbed of the last GM heavy truck body style and I loved seeing that hefty duties haulin' down the road

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Originally Posted by Bob B.

Yeah, and big gas V-6 power! That truck is probably a WA6500 with a 478 in it.

I agree, a 6500 Model with a 478 V-6. If that is a wrap-around windshield, then it is a '63.

As some may remember, I drove a '62 6500 with a 478.

Those trucks were special. Driving one is an experience.

Great picture by the way. One I've never seen before.

[factorystock]

Another one of those heavy duty 10 wheelers on a tuff job, without, IMO, the over sculptured sheetmetal. The trend was beginning toward simplifying designs in this weight range, IMO, styling dept no longer had the luxury and budget to "over do it", business was business. However, special- K's great photo of the 70 series tandem ( high end of a lighter series ) does show the continuation of the, IMO, "highly styled sheetmetal" of the past.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Sure looks like a nice heavy truck even though it is a 7500. Could be a big V-6 Gas or a 6V-53 Detroit. Looks like a '68 or '69 Model.

Another great picture that I've never seen before.

[GM72K10]

1960
Los Angeles

[sweetk30]

looking at the rail yard off load pic . .... can you imagine how good they were backing all the way to the trailers and driving out and NOT going over the sides . . . wow they were some tuff old truckers .

[Bob B.]

Southern Pacific Taylor Yard, Los Angeles. Wanna hear a story?

That was called 'circus loading'. Special flatcars made for 'piggy back' trailer on flatcar intermodal service. S.P. used a system called the Clejan Dolly. The flatcar had tracks on it and the semitrailer had special rollers that rode on the tracks and were also used to lock the trailer on the flatcar. A tractor could back down multiple flatcars to pick up the trailers, and the tractors were also guided by the rails on the flatcars. So, backing in a straight line down the flatcars was not as difficult as it seemed. Now, Southern Pacific thought this system was really great, because only trailers owned by their own trucking subsidiary Pacific Motor Trucking had Clejan equipment. So, it you wanted to use S.P.'s intermodal service, you had to use Pacific Motor Trucking too! Worked well to S.P.'s favor for many years, but eventually other railroads used different equipment so they could carry anyone's trailers. Fun while it lasted.

S.P. had a lot of GMC's over the years. All 3 GM plants in California were served by the Southern Pacific, and S.P. also used a lot of G.M. EMD diesel locomotives. Must have gotten great deals on all that stuff!

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by Bob B.

So, it you wanted to use S.P.'s intermodal service, you had to use Pacific Motor Trucking too!

Here's a good example of one of PMT's delivery trucks. Note wide front fenders on this '64 C 80, not a common site on '63-66 Chevys.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Nice looking heavy truck.

Also notice the typical West Coast Budd Wheels.

[Bob B.]

Wonder if that Chevy was a tractor or a straight truck.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by Bob B.

Wonder if that Chevy was a tractor or a straight truck.

Good question. IMO, it must be a tractor since it's a 80 series. Most pickup and delivery PMT's I've seen were 60 series or GMC 4000 series. Here is an action shot of a heavy GMC (note V6 emblem seen on front of hood) crossing the Bay Bridge into San Francisco in the 60's.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Most likely a 6500.

Good picture.

[Bob B.]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Good question. IMO, it must be a tractor since it's a 80 series. Most pickup and delivery PMT's I've seen were 60 series or GMC 4000 series. Here is an action shot of a heavy GMC (note V6 emblem seen on front of hood) crossing the Bay Bridge into San Francisco in the 60's.

That's what I was thinking. S.P. seemed to like tandem axle gas tractors, I have seen S.P. GMC, International and Ford tandem axle tractors with gas engines from that era.

Thanks for posting those pictures!

[regan wilson]

[special-K]

WOW! That picture looks like it was taken yesterday. Two great examples in Woodland Green. Quite a load on that dump

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Nice example of a late 50's heavy.

[davischevy]

Man that brings back memories. In 1959, My dad bought a new 59 C10 8' stepside, Woodland Green, at Claude Parrish Chevrolet in Liberty, MO.

[Bob B.]

Looks like a proving ground photo.

[MJN]

Heres a picture thats hanging on the wall at work. Nice old GMC loaded up.

[5Tractorguy]

[5Tractorguy]