So I Went and Did This ...

[GlennCraven]

Saw this project on eBay within about an hour from my home in southern Wisconsin, after doing a random search for "rolling chassis."

 

It's a 1951 Diamond T Model 660 with REO Gold Comet OH185 straight six replacement engine.

 

Once part of the highly regarded Adams Transit collection -- which was auctioned off in 2013 -- the seller said he'd reached the conclusion he would never get around to working on it. I might not, either, and it needs some substantial bits that could come at a substantial price, like a radiator and front clip.

 

Adams Transit has confirmed the Gold Comet was completely rebuilt (the new plugs and new Goodyear belts suggested such) before the restoration was stalled, and the rolling chassis was completely sandblasted and painted. It's an air-brake truck, which I've never worked on, and presently is sitting on 11x22.5s instead of the stock 10x20s. The Clark transmission could/should be a six-speed, with a two-speed dually rear end for 12 forward gears.

 

My wife's patience is being tested. Some of you who are familiar with me from this forum will understand. But it was too cheap to pass.

 

Now, like Brody in "Jaws" on the boat, "I'm gonna need a bigger trailer."

 

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

Cool project....

You will need some bigger tools too!

[Young Ed]

That sure looks like an R series international cab!

[plymouthcranbrook]

Looks like a Challenge but with a great reward at the end.  What a fun truck to have

[48Dodger]

Looks awesome! Hope you do have a chance to put some work into it.

 

Someone is gonna haveta explain the phone number to me...."EL-6-5544" ???? Is this a "supper/dinner" deal thing again?

 

You know, where I get remind I'm from the planet "Left Coast" ? lol

 

48D

[GlennCraven]

That sure looks like an R series international cab!

Yes, if I understand correctly from the educated, during this period Diamond T bought cabs from International and Autocar, depending on the application.

Eventually both Diamond T and REO were bought by White, and ultimately merged in the 1960s to form Diamond REO, not the band.

[GlennCraven]

Someone is gonna haveta explain the phone number to me...."EL-6-5544" ???? Is this a "supper/dinner" deal thing again?

48D

This link probably explains it best. But in the earlier days of telephones, the first two digits of many numbers were expressed as the corresponding letters on the dial, often with complete words used as mnemonics to remember the number by.

For instance, "EMpire3-2298" would be the same as saying "363-2298." There was actually a standard set by the phone company (linked at the Mental Floss page) to help reduce confusion. Before the 1950s some communities had so few phones that only two letters and three numbers were used, like "MIdway-921." (64-921)

http://m.mentalfloss.com/article.php?id=61116

P.S. As a kid in my western Kansas town of 3,500 in the 1970s, I can recall not needing to use all seven digits to dial a local number as one would today. Our phone number was 543-5448, but local callers could skip the "54" part and still reach us at 3-5448.

Edited August 5, 2016 by GlennCraven

[Dan Hiebert]

My brother and I used to visit our grandparents in Jones Ridge, IL every summer in the '60's and early '70's.  The place was so small (pop. @ 12 or so), that initially, there was only one party number for everyone that had a phone.  Caller just had to chance that the right person would answer, but since it was so small they would usually just talk to the one who did answer, and they would relay the message to the intended party.  Or, I distinctly recall my grandma (my grandpa never answered the phone) sending me or my brother to run to someone's house to get them to pick up.  Then, for a while, they only had to dial 4 numbers for local calls, which didn't happen much, since they preferred just to meet at the fence, the tavern out on IL-3, or the grain elevator.  But my grandma would prefer to just pick up, wiggle the hang-up thingy a few times to get the operator to pick up and ask for so-and-so.  That's why I always get a kick out of Lily Tomlin's telephone operator skits..."One ringy-dingy...two ringy-dingies...hello, is this the party to whom I'm speaking?", that's who I always imagined my grandma was talking to.

[casper50]

our party line had different rings for the different numbers.   i.e. 2 short, 2 long, or 1 short 1 long and so on.

Edited August 5, 2016 by casper50

[Young Ed]

Yes, if I understand correctly from the educated, during this period Diamond T bought cabs from International and Autocar, depending on the application.

Eventually both Diamond T and REO were bought by White, and ultimately merged in the 1960s to form Diamond REO, not the band.

Well that should help a little with parts of that nature! BTW those cabs are bolted together. Strange huh?

[Plymouthy Adams]

In part....

 

 "I'm gonna need a bigger trailer."

does the wife planning on taking that much when she leaves......next question..what the heck you going to do with it in the long run..rather larger for running to the grocery store..

[Plymouthy Adams]

 

 

Someone is gonna haveta explain the phone number to me...."EL-6-5544" ???? Is this a "supper/dinner" deal thing again?

 

 

growing up rural area...the phone cables were only capable of x number of lines and thus the party lines.  But the EL.was probably something along the lines of Elmira and identifies the exchange or cable if you will...dialing within the exchange one did not need the full number...when dialing another exchange the prefix was needed to identify the exchange the last number would be located on...

[TodFitch]

Looks awesome! Hope you do have a chance to put some work into it.

 

Someone is gonna haveta explain the phone number to me...."EL-6-5544" ???? Is this a "supper/dinner" deal thing again?

 

You know, where I get remind I'm from the planet "Left Coast" ? lol

 

48D

 

 

Others have already explained the EL6-5544 bit, but did not specifically specify that it was used nationwide including in California. My grandfather's house in Southern California had a number that started with HY4-xxxx ("Hyatt 4"). In Arizona, the first number I remember as a small child started with "MAin 4". I suspect many smaller towns/cities had only one exchange which could well be the "main" exchange.

[GlennCraven]

does the wife planning on taking that much when she leaves......next question..what the heck you going to do with it in the long run..rather larger for running to the grocery store..

 

 

Good questions.

 

I'm not sure whether I'll keep the main project. There's a truck shop among my account list and one I'm familiar with through a friend's store who both might be interested in restoring the original frame/period engine/cab. The lack of front clip is where they may balk a bit.

 

If I keep it I'll for sure join the ATHS -- American Truck Historical Society -- for the contacts I need to get it back on the road probably in period correct condition.

 

The gnarly red and yellow cab with all the lettering I will keep for sure. It will go on a later-model one-ton or larger donor frame (maybe even a rollback) and be capable of hauling away all the cars and my possessions when the wife kicks me out.

 

(Actually, the wife likes the gnarly cab.)

I just need to decide if I'm going 4x4 and high (2006 Ram chassis below, with some serious fab work I can't replicate) or more likely 4x2 and staying low. I won't be chopping the roof or anything too serious, because I need the headroom.

 

Edited August 6, 2016 by GlennCraven