Here’s fine load of 1971 (I think) Mopars, and a highly diverse collection. Crickets from the UK, Colts from Japan, and of course a couple of domestic ones too. And even the truck is a Dodge.
And here’s one from several decades earlier, with just domestics on board:
This looks like Dodges, and once again, the truck is a Dodge. Car carriers have always been independent contractors, but there clearly were terms that resulted in the semi trucks often being of the same manufacturer as the cars being hauled. That was more often the case the further back one goes, and less so in more recent decades, until nobody cared anymore. The domestics eventually all ditched their heavy duty truck lines, so that made it impossible. And the great majority of imports didn’t have trucks to use.
Mopar sure made some cool stuff in 1971…
I wonder if anyone ever did a Cricket vs Colt test?
Motor Trend, December 1970. That comparison also included a Corolla.
Here is are two from Popular Science online accessible online
https://books.google.ca/books?id=hNcDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76&lpg=PA76&dq=colt+vs+cricket+car+test&source=bl&ots=2hKmpodKeR&sig=ACfU3U2aUzuxuIG8Oqnuv5kTncbezaOOTA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwivt9ef4ZrpAhXRvp4KHRIBBxIQ6AEwDHoECBAQAQ#v=onepage&q=colt%20vs%20cricket%20car%20test&f=false
https://books.google.ca/books?id=dtgDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32&dq=colt+vs+cricket+car+test&source=bl&ots=vZu9uFMDSA&sig=ACfU3U0Jx55Q4UdshW-fxTdITSlGSwH0-g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwivt9ef4ZrpAhXRvp4KHRIBBxIQ6AEwFHoECA8QAQ#v=onepage&q=colt%20vs%20cricket%20car%20test&f=false
Ive driven both but a few years apart and different badges Mitsubishi Galant 76 and a 1979 Chrysler Avenger 1600 both rentals so both got driven pretty hard if you put the 78 Corolla I hired in there it was plainly the worst driver with the Anenger the best, the Galant was zippy but numb to steer better than the Corolla and they all sold really well here, the only country where an Avenger blew the usual rally winning Ford Escorts away with the late Andrew Cowan at the wheel.
I have the December, 1970 Road & Track where they introduce, test, and compare them. The Colt could have been a decade newer design. It had a real interior and features like an adjustable steering column. R&T said the, “Cricket interior shows where the money wasn’t spent.” It wasn’t spent on fundamental mechanical competency either, returning 22 mpg while taking 18.5 seconds to reach 60 mph on its way to a top speed of 85 mph. The Colt returned 26.8 mpg while taking 13.4 seconds to reach 60 mph on its way to a top speed of 96 mph. One can see why the Cricket had no legs in the US market, and how the Japanese drove such cars back into the sea.
Great photos!
Though the Barracuda appears to be the standout in the first pic, I find the Polara wagon very appealing.
The red Duster on the back appears to be a 340 model with the Rallye wheels and stripes(though it could be a twister)
I thought it looked like a Twister myself; the rallye wheels w. no bright edge + whitewalls is an odd combo that stood out, and the side graphic seems almost as slim at the rear ( no easy 340 call out of the proper size that I can see). Weirder things have happened with ChryCo. stuff then so who knows…
The trim rings aren’t definitive in this case as I’m pretty certain those, like hubcaps, were left off in the trunks during transport, note that they aren’t on the Cuda either.
I think it’s a twister too though, the rear decal is hard to make out but it’s got the twister hood graphic, you can just make out the body color on the fender above the headlight that wouldn’t be visible with the wide blackout the 340s had.
Also note the bright wheel liners; present on both the ad car and the transport.
Thanks Matt. I saw the Duster/Twister with the Rallye wheels. But I’m not a huge Duster fan, so I only acknowledged one car (the Barracuda) as the standout. The standout to me!
Technically that’s a ‘Cuda since it has the 71 only fender gills, but you called it right regardless, that car might be worth more than the property it’s on nowadays depending on what’s under the hood!
I think the bottom picture is a truckload of Plymouths. Dodges had fenders faired into the doors and a big ugly eggcrate grille.
And the guy who figured out how to get more than 4 cars on a trailer deserves his own holiday.
I was too lazy to google both of them, so I rolled the dice. I figured 50-50 odds weren’t too bad. 🙂
And there are probably only 2 or 3 people hereabouts who even care. 🙂 And I will confess that I had to google too just to be sure before I clicked to post.
Hey, I care and I recognized them as Plymouths right away as there were plenty of these sturdy old post-war cars around when I was a little kid in the 50’s. The club coupe has those fake white walls that always intrigued me back in the day. From allpar.com:
“Restrictions also made whitewall tires unavailable, so all cars built from July 1946 on were equipped with either white plastic wheel covers to simulate the look of a whitewall, or stainless steel wheel rings. These wheel covers fit under the regular hubcap and covered all of the wheel-the “whitewall” rings had a black stripe next to the hubcap itself.”
Loading #3 white Colt is no job for a recent graduate of Teach Yourself Standard Shift Academy. Hehe
And the big Polara spotted top and way on the back… ugh, rapidly accelerating the trailer’s designed to self-destruction.
First photo is a great catch. 4 Crickets in one place!
One puzzle for me – whats under the trailer, beneath the red Cricket? Is it a support block of some sort (for loading?) or just a shadow or nothing?
It’s a Dodge Charger! 🙂
I meant this block. Looks like a support, or maybe it’s just something behind the trailer
I think it’s some kind of mudflap maybe?
That’s what it is, attached to a cross bar and to designed to protect the new cars from debris/gravel flying up from the area behind the rear wheels. A second line of defense behind the wheel mud flap.
Thanks for the clarification – makes sense and helps you understand why so many cars are plastic wrapped these days.
Here is a similar image where you can see the area you are talking about better.
Cool, same exact truck, but Dodge hauling Chevys!
Definitely a block, you see it in front of the orange Vega
That pic is kinda cool because you could model the load with 1971 MPC kits or repainted promotional models. All Chevelle coupes, Vega hatches, and Camaros. Too bad that there aren’t plastic Dodge LN tractor cabs.
Something’s going on, multiple green Vega pictures here in the last few days. However I’m pretty sure the green GT on the lower deck wasn’t the ‘73 that became mine, as these look like ‘71’s or ‘72’s. But the temptation to find another Vega after 40 years is growing.
I know, I know, looking back I should have gotten a Nova, but seeing that green Vega GT (Mine was the color of the orange one above it) reminds me why I drank the Vega cool-aid. I don’t need another one, but I sure did like the way that little car looked.
All I can add is how efficiently the French did their thing……..
Very neat but judging by the panel damage not planned. Somebody did similar here recently with a freshly imported restored 57 Chevy, nose dive over the cab.
I’m always a impressed how tightly these companies can pack their cars without damage, I could never do this. The Charger is clearly strapped tightly down with its suspension so low, but the gaps between the ramps and bodywork Look like there’s barely room for daylight to pass through! The white Cricket looks similarly precarious.
If the Charger had the halo vinyl top it would be identical to my Dad’s first car, same color, same lower spec.
The car carrier landscape has definitely changed. I don’t remember when I last saw a full sized car hauler with a cab over tractor in the US. The Japanese Class 7 cab overs are popular as tow trucks and 3 car haulers for salvage and auction operations, but they don’t make anything big enough for the rigs that supply dealers.
Regarding brand matching the only imports that come close are Mercedes-Benz and Volvo butneither is an exact match. Volvo Trucks split off when they sold the car company to Ford (and used the money to buy Scania). Mercedes owns Freightliner but doesn’t sell any Mercedes heavy trucks in the US, although I have occasionally seen Mercedes Actros trucks on I-5 with Freightliner Product Validation markings.
Volvo bought Renault’s truck operations and Mack after getting out of the car business. Scania was acquired by VW along with MAN.
Brand matching the load and the carrier is pretty much over. The truck chassis used for auto haulers in the U.S. have become quite specialized and only a few manufacturers make a suitable truck. One of the most popular now is the Volvo VAH:
https://www.volvotrucks.us/trucks/vah/
fittingly pictured with volvos