Once upon a time I drove behind the local Target and found a Peterbilt with log hauling trailer. This particular area of town isn’t known for logging and I was fairly sure Target had yet to start selling logs for the season so I continued to investigate. And then I saw it. A broken U-Joint. It doesn’t matter if the engine has been tuned to 600 HP and is pared with an 18 speed trans with a 2 speed auxiliary transfer case, the game ends once that small but crucial piece of steel gives loose.
If a broken U-Joint is all this truck of 29 years has seen in terms of repair than more power to it!
Alright, here are those photos I promised over two days ago. 🙂
To put on a truck show you need plenty of help from club members, the general public and commercial sponsors. Truck related businesses are a natural fit and often donate funds or trucks to display. The ATHS Hudson Mohawk truck show always seems to have sponsors not only willing to donate but also bring a truck or two to for people to climb all over. It’s a nice touch and one that I look forward to each year.
As in years past a fully decked out and brand new Western Star snow plow was on the show field. Town of Malta, NY should have nice and clean roads this winter.
Here is a setup that drew plenty of eyeballs when it rolled in, a Kenworth T-880 of Dave’s Logistics for Power Systems. Check out the gallery for a shot of the boom fully extended. It made me dizzy just looking at it.
Just like the ATCA Northeastern PA truck show and the ATHS National show I still have plenty of video footage to process. Think of it as something to look forward to as the truck show season winds down. While Detroit Diesels found their way into nearly every truck builder’s engine profile Mack Trucks seem to be found with a green leaker under the hood less than any other brand. This is just my non scientific observation. Here is a Mack RS700L complete with 12V71.
In the gallery below you’ll find a few more shots of the trucks mentioned above plus a few other brand new units. Also found is a shot of modern engine in the form of DD13. Just look at the miles of wires, piping and sensors. God Bless modern technicians.
Today we have another familiar face for Autocar Mondays with this Autocar Construcktor. While more modern trucks crumble and begin to show their wear in just a few years A-Cars are of a different breed and only seem to get stronger with each passing decade.
It’s only natural that we’ll see a few repeats over the years with their abnormally long lifespans. This Construcktor of Gerald A. Welch was found doing the work I’ve so often seen it doing before, rebuilding sidewalk cutouts.
And to think, the streets used to be full of these fine rigs!
To revisit past action involving this truck choose a link below!
Back when this 1957 International S-120 rolled down the assembly line could the workers toiling away have ever dreamed that some day their very same company would produce a truck like the LoneStar in a the background? Talk about future shock. Trucks have come a long way in the past 50 years that is for sure.
Will the cabover every make a comeback in the United States? No one can say for sure but I can tell you the exist in plentiful numbers are truck shows across the country.
If I didn’t take a picture of it I may have it on video. Sometimes both.
Tomorrow coverage wraps of this great show with a look at some of the more modern rides and even more classics on video.
You know me. I get excited when I hear about new construction but not because of the economic opportunity it represents for the community but for the chance to see trucks and heavy equipment in action. Developers have been courting tax breaks for an addition to the historic Amos Building and with recent approval by officials construction was slated to begin immediately. A few week passed. Then a few more. Finally heavy equipment showed up in the form of this orange painted Cat 330Cl with drilling attachment.
I’m guessing based on the arrival of this contraption there will be no basement excavation for this new building. Color me sad. Piling work has already begun.
I thought that I might get some interesting video out of this project but it turns out that drilling a big hole into the earth is pretty boring. The machine turns a bit. Some workers watch. Occasionally a large rock results in a loud noise until it is pulverized. That’s about it. I’ll keep tabs on this project for future activity.
Ram Trucks have a trim level across their model line referred to as the Big Horn. Every time I see one I can’t help but think that’s not a Big horn, this is a Bighorn! *see below*
Technically, it looks like the name is spelled different by using using a space. Either way, to drive the point home, this is a Bighorn.
When you see a truck like this one in such immaculate shape you know it has to be owned by a serious truck person. In this case, George Tackaberry. I like the long wheelbase on this rig. It would look great cruising down the highway with triaxle aluminium grain trailer in tow.
Look, another photogenic Kenworth W-900. It’s hard to take a bad photo of one. Much better looking than a Peterbilt if you ask me. 😉
Also at the show were some light duty vehicles repowered with Detroit Diesels. I’m not sure of the make but they sound like they belong in heavy equipment. Lots of noise, little speed. But that’s not the point with a Detroit.
Who doesn’t love a good Peterbilt 3xx model truck? This one has all the prerequisite bits and pieces required to wear the red oval badge. Tall stacks, rounded headlights, roof mounted A/C, marker lights all over and a large sleeper with heart shaped windows. Class pays.
On the polar opposite side of the truck spectrum resides this rat rod B-model Mack. Now, I know some of you are going to look at this truck and shake your head and declare it a waste while others will grin like little children on Christmas. Personally I think it’s pretty cool simply based on the amount of work that went into this setup. This truck is loaded with many tiny details and even larger engineering feats. This video only captures a few of them.
You don’t see too many Western Star cabovers on the road much less one in this pristine of condition.
Enjoy wave after wave of fine machines as they arrive to the show. Warning, loud train horns from the first truck.
The 26th annual Hudson Mohawk classic truck show played host to not one but two vintage Sterling trucks. The one you see below is a 1949 HWS235H with super heavy looking suspension pieces and Timken axles found out back.
When I think about Sterling trucks I think about chain drives. I want to say it was the hallmark of Sterlings trucks, a technology they stuck with and refined even as planetary gears were coming into their own. This 1952 Sterling HB3006D was a rare one for sure. Only five of this model were built and this truck wears serial number one. When new, this truck sold for 24,000 dollars, a princely sum in the ’50s.
While it arrived on trailer it motored to its own parking spot.
Looking back at past years there always seems to be an interesting Sterling or two. Check out this ’47 from the 2013 show.
H-Model Macks, the cabover of the past. I always enjoy seeing this 1957 H-63 owned by George Tackaberry. It’s pristine in every detail. If you can find a nicer H-63 buy it! One of my favorite features of this truck is the air start engine.
The H-63 arrived on the back of sharp looking Freightliner.
Of course it wouldn’t be a classic truck show without a B-Model.
And so many more including Superliners, a 1927 AC Mack tanker, a Petercar hauling said tanker, an amazing Brockway 360 with a V-12 Detroit, a 1955 Mack LTL, Walter trucks, and a Kenworth K-100. Much more to come!
An Autocar so nice I shared it twice. Those of you with long memories may remember seeing this mint 1984 DC-64B from my ATHS York coverage. Or you might be like me and not remember it all. How could I forget such a pretty face? Unlike the York show I was able to catch some footage of this truck in motion at the ATHS Hudson Mohawk show this past weekend. If you think this A-Car looks good standing still just wait to you see it rolling.
I believe it was Montgomery Burns who said that since the beginning of time man has yearned to destroy the sun. I almost agreed with him on Saturday as it certainly gave me trouble with certain spots of this video.
Stop back tomorrow as we dive headfirst into coverage from this great show.
This weekend brings us the 26th annual ATHS Hudson Mohawk classic truck show in Ballston Spa, NY. As before, this is a two day show so if you’re reading this before the late afternoon on Sunday the 27th it’s still not to late too attend! I stopped by on Saturday and took plenty of photos and videos if you can’t make the trip. It will take me sometime to process so gaze at this photo and then watch the retrospective video from the past six years or so. As tradition dictates Autocar Mondays will feature a prime candidate from this wonderful show. Not only can you see some great trucks from years past but you also catch a glimpse of how much video capture technology has improved.
