Still Working – GMC “Crackerbox”

Andy sent me this photo a few days ago. It’s a GMC COE commonly referred to as a crackerbox or sometimes a slab cab. Looking at the photos it’s clear where this name came from. The more I thought about it the more I realized I had no idea what the real GM model name was for this truck. Nearly every resource online refers to them by their crowd sourced nickname. Google GMC Crackerbox and then google GMC DLR. You tell me which one produces more viable results.

Either way, as of three years ago this GMC was working in a boatyard on Cayuga Lake. Check out that hoist. Huge. I have no confirmation but I would guess this truck is Detroit powered. Past life as a Yellow Freight Lines rig?

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The cab still wears the truck number from a previous life.

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*READER UPDATE*

Jim Writes

The GMC designation for this truck was the DF-Series. The one shown is probably a DF7000. A DLR is a diesel (D), set-back-front-axle COE (L) with an air-ride suspension (R). The DLR7000 had a 6-71 engine in it while the DFR7000 (diesel (D), set-forward-front-axle COE (F) with an air-ride suspension (R)) had a 6V71 in it. Eventually the “R” was dropped and the single axle became the DF7000 and the tandem axle was the DFW7000. These both had spring suspnesions. If the truck had an 8V71, then the designations were DF7100 & DFW7100.

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14 Responses to Still Working – GMC “Crackerbox”

  1. Jim says:

    The GMC designation for this truck was the DF-Series. The one shown is probably a DF7000. A DLR is a diesel (D), set-back-front-axle COE (L) with an air-ride suspension (R). The DLR7000 had a 6-71 engine in it while the DFR7000 (diesel (D), set-forward-front-axle COE (F) with an air-ride suspension (R)) had a 6V71 in it. Eventually the “R” was dropped and the single axle became the DF7000 and the tandem axle was the DFW7000. These both had spring suspnesions. If the truck had an 8V71, then the designations were DF7100 & DFW7100.

    I don’t thing this was a Yellow Freight truck because of the black fenders. Maybe an Interstate Motor Freight Sysyems, but who really knows.

  2. Richard Rutherford says:

    It looks a Roadway Express tractor. Orange with black fenders. Numbers look to be the style Roadway used.

  3. Worked at both Yellow and Interstate in the ’70s. Not the correct color for either company, and don’t recall any Crackerboxes. In hazy memory, both ran mainly Ford tractors, also recall some Kenworth, GMC Astro, IH and White Freightliner.

  4. Mont Switzer says:

    That “crackerbox” single drive axle looks like a Preston tractor to me. I have one built in 1967 which had a sleeper when I bought it. We have removed the sleeper and made a day cab out of it like those operated by IRC&D Motor Freight, Inc. of Richmond, IN. Both my Dad and I drove day cab tandem drive axle GMC “crackerbox” tractors for them back in the 1970’s. Mont Switzer

  5. stephen ross says:

    I was a fleetcarriers broker in the early 70s hauling new gmcs to dealers from the plant in pontiac michigan. I have a 65 cracker box and i now live in central texas near austin tx. they are fun old trucks not to many left.

  6. Devin says:

    Looks like old Yellow freight co. truck

  7. Loren Goll says:

    u r so right, does look like old ( y f s ) unit. used 2 drive those back & forth to the y f s facility in k.c.

  8. Kyle Maslyn says:

    It is an old Gatesman-Newman tractor. The had a terminal in Newark N.Y. West side of town by the Wegmans and bowling alley. All GMC equipment. They also had “B” series with V-12 gas pots.

  9. Vern Danko says:

    They were not the worst- but close to the worst I ever drove- when I started out I worked for a steel outfit that had six of these- all used daycab units purchased second hand. They were loud(er) than normal, cold, rattly, and we had one that had the cab locks break- driver hit the breaks and the cap titled fwd and he almost fell through the window. They did run fairly well- but just even for that time were uncomfortable and absolutely bear bones. When they were replaced with new Transtar IIs in we drivers did a dance in the street

  10. Richard says:

    I always wanted one of those. Not sure If I’d want to be in the cab when it flipped forward!
    Looking at an early 80’s Ford daycab single screw.

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