Post by William Wilson on Apr 28, 2005 16:25:13 GMT -5
WHEELS OF HISTORY
Chuck Miller
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Just as classic car aficionados appreciate the fine lines and stylings of a '57 Chevrolet or a '32 Ford Deuce Coupe, there are plenty of fans and enthusiasts for such vintage trucks as a 1947 Studebaker M-16-52 stake platform truck, or a 1953 Kenworth "Bullnose."
Many of these classic truck lovers join the American Truck Historical Society (ATHS), which since 1971, has preserved and recorded the history of vintage trucks and interstate commerce.
"We try to show the progression of the industry," said Bill Johnson, managing director of ATHS. "From the early days when it was competing against horse and wagon, and through the days when there wasn't much regulation and safety concerns, to the beginning of the ICC in 1935, and down the line as the equipment and the industry have changed."
In the early days of trucking, trucks and haulers were essentially converted cars. "It later became apparent that the more you could haul, the more you could make. Vehicle breakage becomes an issue, as well as hauling power, and there was also a need for a better road system, which opened up the more remote areas of the country. Agriculture has really benefited from it. That's what showed the need in the late 20's and early 30's for some type of regulation, weight rules, length rules and hours of service rules," Johnson said.
Joining the ATHS provides members with a bimonthly magazine, Wheels of Time, a 64-page color periodical packed with articles and photographs of antique trucks, trucking company histories and the personal stories of the truckers who made the industry the driving force it is today. In one issue of Wheels of Time, the ATHS ran a contest to find the oldest existing truck still being used in commerce.
"There was a man in Wisconsin with a restored Diamond T. It has a little bit later drive train, and he just hauls a few loads a year with it, but it's one from the early 1930s. Because of the change in engines and drive trains from the 1940s to the early 1950s, when trucks converted to diesel, and then in the early 1960s when they went to the larger display diesels, which had more power, it made the older trucks obsolete very quickly. You'll still see some trucks from the mid-1960s in everyday service mostly doing short hauls," Johnson said. Wheels of Time also has a classified ad page, "The Back Lot," listing old trucks, truck parts, and trucking memorabilia for sale or being sought by ATHS members.
"I've sold several old trucks over the years," said ATHS member Jim Rose of Stockton, Calif., who owns three vintage Peterbilts, including a 1950 Model 280. "A lot of it is the type of trucks people drove when they were young. It's the camaraderie. We like getting together and discussing old times."
The showcase event for the ATHS is the annual National Show and Convention. This year's show is June 2-4 in Auburn, Ind. Last year's show drew 1,200 vintage trucks, fire engines and haulers.
"The National show has grown considerably," said Johnson, in a bit of understatement. "Our first show in 1979, in Sarasota, Fla., had 23 trucks."
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