My dad drove one of these here in Australia, a 59 or 60 model with a big Cat in it for heavy haulage as well as an Oshkosh. I wish he was alive to see this video. He was one of those old school, proud operators, a real driver.
When I was a kid in the 70s my uncle had some Autocar gravel trains. I remember them leaving the pit loaded up the hill out of the pit at over 120,000 pounds the ole trucks would be shifting going up the hill. some of the other trucks would never shift until the crest of the hill. I seen the scales in the winter time the Autocars would be 150,000 plus.Needless to say my uncle Cal was proud of them ole trucks
My Dad and Mom owned a Diamond T and an AwfulCar. The Diamond T had a Buda 290 hp diesel. And the AwfulCar had 250 Cumapart. They both had 5 + 3 tansmissions. Reycos, and SQHD Rockwells, 3.70:1 diffs. 22 inch tube type disc wheels. Nice trucks. Would love to have them back. Autocar made a beautiful tilt hood conventional that was a lot better looking than any pete.
Mack, Autocar and Pete are the best. Mack LR, Autocar ACX and Pete 520 are some of the best cabs in my opinion. Others may like different cabs but I like those
I worked for McHugh Brother's Crane Rentals in Penndel Pa. Red frames and wheels green cabs, 318 Detroit's 13 speed double overdrives with 2 speed tandems. Hendrickson RS suspension (no springs, just rubber mounting blocks). They rode rough as hell, and were noisy, but they would pull anything and were tough trucks
Dominion Foundries and Steel Company Limited in Hamilton Ontario had a good size fleet of Red painted, short wheelbase, large HD axle units. 1952? - 73?. They plied the mill roads of the East end mill town hauling specially designed, brick lined clam shell ingot carriers - melt shop to soaking pits. They moved very slowly, and probably were pulling around 100, 000...at least. I think the trailers may have been Autocar as well, as I've seen photos of complete numbered units taken before use. ArcelorMitttal Dofasco might actually still have just one single late 60's unit still in limited use. I love those 60's handbuilt Autocar's, thanks so much for the vid.
I remember in 1979 when I got my commercial license the company I started for were phasing them out, 1 Left and nobody wanted to drive it. The tractors today are a dream to drive compared to that. Back then with the length requirement cabovers were pretty much all that were our there that I remember.
I hauled a lot of steel with one like that. The only bad thing was the aux box used to lock up going from 2 to 3 and I'd have to stop and stick a bar in the linkage to make it right again. The guy that drove it before me was pretty hard on it.
Mine did the same thing when i bought the truck. I took the cover off on the floor boards that covers the shifting linkage. One of the mounting brackets had a crack in it. I welded it, and it worked like new. I had a lot of fun with it hauling wood. The truck was red with black trim, and i kept it polished, she was my baby.
If I had owned the truck I'd have done the same but the company said only the company mechanic was allowed to do any work on the trucks. We had some drivers that were less than smart so the policy made sense.
Autocar was popular on the Sugar Plantations here in Hawai`i...especially here on the Island of Hawai`i. Kohala Sugar & Hamakua Sugar used them to bring in the cut cane from the fields. Yamada Transfer had 2 running raw sugar to Kawaihae Elevator fo shipping...
Great video! Imagine if they inspected vehicles like that today. We would have half the vehicles we have on the road lol. Back then they actually cared now its about quantity then quality
Autocar was the only truck big and powerful enough to run a snowplow AND a sand & cinder spreader off of the same truck, in the mountains where the trucks had to pull up to 11% grades.
those poor workers....old school intense labor....cnc lazers and modern equipt blows this stuff away...sorry guys, you did a hella good job back in the day!!!
this video seems to be from the 1940’s or early ‘50’s from the grill assemblies shown. Old Autocars never died. They were built like tanks and all steel. No fiberglass front ends. There is Autocar dump truck now working road constr in my neighborhood. Its at least 50 yrs old and runs like a clock.
These are the trucks Peterbilt tried to be back in the day. Overall, they weren't far off, but Autocar was the gold standard until White Motor Company took over, which began the downward spiral. Truly a shame, White ruined everything they acquired.
@@Townshipfarmer, Minniapolis-Moline, Diamond T, Reo, Oliver, Autocar, White Motor Trucks, Freightliner, Hercules Engines, Hupp Engines, Cockshutt of Canada, and Western Star. They ruined and cheapened every brand they touched. Way to go and so many great brands.
That was a great video for did that bring back memories made in America by an American when times were great in this country everything we've made from dirt to the atmosphere made in America I know this country dear trouble when them Toyota in Honda motorcycle started showing up God Bless America support Trump each person that is an American they should do his part or her part to make America great God bless the United States of America and the great Americans that make it happen register to vote and vote take pride in what you do
a long time ago, Autocar trucks were made in Ardmore Penna [1930's?] - used for coal delivery, and similar - the engine?? - it was under seat, I think --- different exhaust sound - we kids called them "min-min" trucks, due to this different exhaust sound - I suspect a 2 cycle , or similar engine -- I cannot find any info or clue --- can you help? - it was really a different sound!
Building is still there,I work at a local quarry the owner worked in the engine shop in the 60s.We have a A-Car at the quarry, my father drove for Trans Materials in an Autocar.
john cline.... actually, Volvo has not had anything to do with A-car since 2001. GVW group LLC. (Grand Vehicle Works holdings from Ill.) bought out A-car from Volvo and has returned it to being a solely independent company, once again.
Back in the day with no safety glasses, ear plugs, or stupid MASKS. Back in the day when there was work ethic, integrity, and a sense of accomplishment.
My father drove an autocar 6-wheel Drive 6 by 6 called it back then maybe it's still today that's how I learned to drive on that truck in the bush holding pulpwood abitibi price owned the trucks there was three of them that I know for on this island I think only one remains the one my father drove belong to George freak a contractor would abitibi got sold in an auction don't know where it ended up the other was owned buy FC budgull Limited I think it got scrapped and there's one remaining owned by Glen Peterson still running today not used in the bush but perked in his yard but still runs and drives oh and the island that I was speaking off is Newfoundland
7:00 better than rivets--- ??? Nuts & Bolts stay tight? With a lock washer that is already half broken? When that lock washer breaks the rest of the way you have a loose bolt rattling around. Lock washers may be ok for assembling soft steel grain bins or something that doesn't move but a flexing truck frame?
Lock washers look like that. The split in the washer bites into the metal as you tighten down on it and locks everything into place. Now if you don't know what a lock washer looks like,then maybe you don't know which end of the hammer does the work!
@@snoebay88 i think he's talking about when the other side of the washer breaks! I have seen them break also not to mention bolts do loosen even with a lock washer. Huck bolts are far superior.
Gone. Today's "Autocar" are a European made garbage truck with an Auotcar badge glued to the front. My dad owned a late 60s model (the one with the square fenders) dual axle dump body in the early 70's. He said the reason he bought the Autocar was they were the toughest over the road trucks you could buy. But sadly they are a memory.
World commerce is what happened. This kind of "boutique" production could not remain profitable in view of other U.S. and foreign manufacturers in the market. Hell, Autocar was probably already on life support when this film was made.
