It’s a Snow Thing – Jordan Spreader

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Eric

I’ve posted plenty of plows on Daily Diesel Dose before of all shapes and sizes but I think it’s safe to say none have had a wing like this one. The first thing to catch your eye is the enormous V-Plow up front but that is quickly eclipsed by the massive steel platted wings on either side of the rig. An on-board Detroit Diesel generator provides power for the hydraulics and other systems while a locomotive attaches to the rear of the machine for momentum.  At first I thought this was a in house created machine but a quick Google search of its number reveals this is Jordan Spreader. Designed to do the work of an army of men the Jordan not only breaks through snow and ice but can be used to cut back banks and spread gravel. A machine for all seasons. Click here for more information if you are so inspired you can click here to see the spreader in action.

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This shot gives you a better view of the massive wings. Talk about steel!

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It’s a Dirty Job

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Eric

There are plenty of specialized trucks in this big old world of ours. Each make, model and variety has its own set of fan. Some like fire trucks while other enjoy highly customized OTR Petes and Kenworths. It may surprise you that is there is group of truck fans out there that puts all others to same when it comes to the sheer amount of content they produce. I’m talking about the garbage truck aficionados. Yup, the humble garbage truck has a devoted base of fans. Take a journey over to Youtube and type in the simple phrase garbage truck and you will be greeted with hours upon hours of video. I don’t have any video..yet…to add to the fun but here are some photos.

This Freightliner Condor may have seen better days but it is still in the trenches fighting the never ending battle against trash. The Condor is now a “legacy” product in the eyes of Freightliner. Unlike other manufactures who quickly move on to new models and forgot the trucks of the past Freightliner has an entire segment of their website devoted to older models no longer in production. It’s neat and I wish other builders would do the same. You can check out the Condor page by clicking here.

Freightliner Condor – Click to Enlarge

Representing a more modern take on trash collection is this Syracuse City School District International Workstar. It hasn’t been beat to a pulp yet but give it a few years.

International Workstar Garbage Truck – Click to Enlarge

Both trucks are equipped with Pak-Mor bodies.

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Lost and Found – International Transtar 4200

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Eric

I’ve never been one to pass up an International sitting by the side of the road or in the case of this Transtar 4200, sitting behind a truck stop. The paint has faded and some rust is creeping in around the windshield but all things consider this truck appears to be solid. The marker lights below the headlights look like they came off an Scout of the same era. I don’t believe they are stock to the truck. Other items that caught my eye are the flappers on the stacks and the large rotating emergency lights. This International represents ’70’s tow truck technology at its zenith.

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At the Dealer – The Macks of Roth Steel

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Eric

I don’t have much to say about this truck other than I like the way it looks. A little beat up. A few spots of tasteful rust. A nice example of working truck.

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This sister truck to this rig is just as interesting. The loading apperatus on the back reminds me of some medieval torture device.

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Both trucks belong to Roth Steel which happens to be the home of the Ford LTS8000 from a few days ago.

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Vintage Words – Built Like a Mack

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Eric

Check out this old but awesome Mack Truck advertisement for their off road offerings. Back before color photographs became the norm illustrated sales pitches like the one below were they way you reached potential customers. This kind of ad reminds me of the many childrens books about trucks I read during my formative years.  Good times. Click the image to see a full sized view.

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Still Working – Ford LTS8000

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Eric

The past two days have featured old truck still working to earn their keep so why stop now? This Ford LTS8000(?) is a true junkyard dog. Photographed at a very active scrapyard this truck looks like it is sporting solid rubber tires. Great for surviving those nasty bits of steel just waiting to shred your average weak air filled rubber donuts. This Ford still has some old plow equipment hanging off the side. Possible ex-Syracuse DPW unit?

Ford LTS8000 – Click to Enlarge

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Still Working – Autocar ACL Tanker

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Eric

Can you believe I’ve sat on this photo for over two months?! This Autocar hot oil tanker looks to be in great shape but does not appear to have moved in some time as evidenced by the beautiful green pasture that has sprung up around it. I am unsure on the model of this truck but my best guess leans toward and ACL based on the Volvo GM Truck Company badge near the rear of the cab. This would mean the truck was probably built in the mid 1980’s. Next time I’ll have to take a closer look at the registration sticker.

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Still Working – International S-1900

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Eric

Just in time for the holiday season, a green and red International S-1900 dump truck belonging to the Torrence Group. I’ve seen a few other Internationals running around town from TG but they are mostly late model International Paystars. Was this the truck that helped to start the company? Once a workhorse, always a workhorse.

International S-1900 – Click to Enlarge

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On the Job – Oshkosh F2346

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Eric
Oshkosh F2346 Cement Truck

Oshkosh F2346 – Click to Enlarge

A face that only a mother could love. That is the phrase that sprang to mind when I saw this Vitale & Robinson Concrete truck rumbling down the street the other day. Like many smaller truck manufacturers Oshkosh was not above purchasing cabs from competitors in order to reduce cost. I’m pretty sure this is Peterbilt/Kenworth cab based on the three rear windows although the split windshield seems to be an Oshkosh modification. Previous generations of the F series used not only a Freightliner cab but the grill housing as well. Click here for a photo.

The photo below happens to be a screen grab of a video I shot of this truck. I’ve slowly been assembling clips of random trucks and construction work I’ve encounterd during my walks through downtown Syracuse. Look for more info soon!

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PABST ASAP

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Eric

I was watching an episode of Abandoned last night in which the crew toured the old Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee. The decaying complex of buildings that comprised the former headquarters of Pabst were literally jammed full of unique and interesting beer related treasures. I’m talking beer cans, kegs, neon signs, official records, antique furniture, the list goes on and on. Halfway through the show it struck me that I have my own little piece of Pabst history, the image scan you see below.

Old PABST Truck – Click to Enlarge

This image is another one sent to me by Marc. From the little we can see of the truck I’m going to hazard a guess and say it is a GMC 550, similar to this truck. If you have a better guess please let me know.

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