Hendrickson Trucks

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen a Hendrickson truck in person. One time. And that was at the 2015 ATHS National Show. Best know for their superior heavy duty suspensions the Hendrickson Company at one time also built equally heavy duty trucks. A midwestern company through and through it’s rare to find these trucks on either coast in the numbers that you’ll find while searching around Chicago. Ryan came across a veritable treasure trove of old trucks when visiting Mohr Ready Mix of Oak Park, IL. Naturally they had a few Hendrickson kicking around.

Hendrickson Truck

What is it with ready mix companies and never throwing anything away? Thank God they don’t! Stop by allreadymix.com to see more of this fleet!

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17 Responses to Hendrickson Trucks

  1. Mike says:

    As far as I know, Henrickson trucks were built a Chicago suburb (not sure where, exactly). I am from the Chicago area and have seen many Hendrickson trucks. they used International cabs and, of course, had Hendrickson suspensions.
    A friend of my fathers, Ralph, bought a 1966 Hendrickson truck around 1975. It was in good shape so he had it painted. It had a 220 Cummins withe an air starter. Ralph’s brother, Emmet, had a few of these over the years. I may have pictures somewhere but i’d really have to dig around!
    I really enjoy your blog. Keep up the good work.

    Mike

    P.S. I live way out here in Colorado. If i see something interesting should I send it your way?

    • Eric says:

      Hi Mike, yes! Please feel free to send in your finds. All material is welcome.

    • Butch Songer says:

      Mike, I think Hendrickson Truck factory was McCook IL.
      A friend of mine from the racing Bettenhausen family had a couple of ’61 tractors pulling semi-dump trailers and redi-mix concrete trucks.
      I’m trying to find a company that makes baseball caps with n old’61 Hank embroidery on the cap as a gift for a friend. Thanks

  2. Ralph says:

    Wow what a piece of history! Thank god they didn’t demolish that or crush the truck! Thanks for sharing this Eric!

  3. JOHN SOEHNER says:

    Hendrickson would seem to be more associated with fire equipment. I did spot this beauty on a ‘Round The Great Lakes tour
    /Users/johnsoehner/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/Thumbnails/2014/10/03/20141003-090257/fBRPW2SfTxKg42TCmkwnDg/thumb_THS_9658 jol_1024.jpg
    /Users/johnsoehner/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/Thumbnails/2014/10/03/20141003-090257/FPOQ7532SI2TCvKStEnVIA/thumb_THS_9659 jol_1024.jpg
    /Users/johnsoehner/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/Thumbnails/2014/10/03/20141003-090257/9VXMbJj2SE+0QthmASvN4g/thumb_THS_9660 jol_1024.jpg
    /Users/johnsoehner/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/Thumbnails/2014/10/03/20141003-090257/hmQ4U74OSoiiJ9CIGbIuWA/thumb_THS_9661 jol_1024.jpg

  4. Branson R Watson says:

    I have a old Hendrickson and id like to fine another one

  5. Ben says:

    Mohr went out of business a few months back. Today we loaded all the Hendrickson’s out of there and saved them from the crusher. The are in really bad shape but they will live on.

  6. Peter Robinson says:

    Does anyone have a good picture of a Hendrickson Semi I heed to have it drawn for someone.

  7. Delmare J Allen says:

    I worked for Mohr and drove the Hendricksons as well as worked on them. We at one time had the R-model and the H-model. Some had 501 gas motors in them, some were converted to DT-466, some had Cummins, Detroit 8-v and some had Detroit 6-v motors. They all had the same thing in common they road extremely rough and the cabs were extremely hot. But they held up thru the test of times. We could of put batteries in them even today and they would of run. Unfortunately the 135 year old company went out of business.

    • Red says:

      You didn’t drive a real Hendrickson unless you drove #51 like me and Leroy did, Flub. We used to have to have somebody on the job hop up on the running board to help us turn the wheel to back into a tight spot. It was a beast..

  8. L Marvin says:

    As a teenager I worked at a Clark Oil station in the South Chicago Suburbs. All the fuel was hauled by F.J. Sibr Trucking Co. I never saw them drive anything but Hendricksons. It had to be some kind of payload/weight advantage because those trucks were hard to maneuver and were not well suited to fuel delivery

  9. Harry Panka says:

    I stated as apprentice mechanic in 1967 at the new garage they built next to the assembly building 24 bays they hired like 6 young guys for this huge garage in Lyons Illinois at best times building 3-5 trucks per week hand built also huge chassis for crane and fire trucks still building fire trucks and some trucks in Grand Rapids Michigan now company called HME equipment great place to work for back in 60-70s family got old and sold out truck was a beast not sure if HME is still in business…..

  10. Bob says:

    In 1965 I learned how to drive on a Hendrickson tractor with a dump trailer. 180 Cummins with a twin stick 4X4. A year later I got one with a 318 Detroit Diesel and a 13 speed over air shift. What a difference

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