Autocar Mondays – The Last One Out

After 36 years this Autocar Construcktor has been cut loose from the heard but that doesn’t mean it’s useful life is over.

During a lunch break last week I was browsing through the catalog for the Palmyra Municipal Auction when I came by lot 725. Once my brain processed the signals from my dumbstruck eyes my mouth let loose with an audible “nooooooooo” that rivaled this one. I’m sure people looked. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the Town of Clay saw fit to part ways with their 36 year old Autocar Construcktor in this modern age of ours but I was. The last time I saw the truck it seemed to be in pristine shape and not ready for disposal. After climbing all over this truck the other day I can confirm that someone got a hell of deal with this rig.

Both inside and out this truck was solid in each and every way. No rust. Let me repeat, not rust. Not in the cab corners, the rockers or above the windshield. The double frame had zero scale on it. The dump bead appeared nearly brand new, free of dents and gouges. Inside, the near mint condition continued with a dash free of major cuts and vintage steering wheeling free of cracks and still sporting the original Autocar logo.

At some point this truck ran a Frink blade up front and on the passenger side. Under the hood a Cummins NTC-290 still roared to life with the push a few buttons and the turn of a key. Combined with a RoadRanger 8LL transmission with locking differential and deep reduction gearing made this truck more than capable.

Again, I can not stress to you how clean and well maintained this truck was. Truly turn key. My hunch was that this truck would sell between eight and ten thousand dollars and that’s excatly what took place. Someone made of with this truck for a cool 8,000. Deal of the week right there.

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Within the past year in the half I’ve been able to witness two Construcktors from the Town of Clay cross the auction block. Remember the VAC Truck? If I had bought both I could have started by own fleet by now. Below, a video to confirm all that has been said above.

Have you spotted an Autocar? Let the world see! Email eric@dailydieseldose.com today!