This past Sunday was spent like so many others this time of year: hiking in the Cascades in the Oakridge/Westfir area, followed by a visit to Brewer’s Union Local 180, for hamburgers and their keg-conditioned ale on the sidewalk patio. There’s also a very healthy sprinkling of CCs in Oakridge, but this old International tow truck caught my eye as we were leaving.
We’ve had some discussion here in the past as to which exact truck was the inspiration for Tow Mater. The answer is none, exactly, but the closest is an amalgamation of the Chevy Loadmaster Task Force (’55’-57) and the International series before this one, with the high-set single headlights. But this one is genuine, and not trying to be anything other than what it is. And Eric will undoubtedly chime in and tell us exactly what year and series. Looks to be from the mid sixties to me.
This truck is the one that was used to start this business, which has grown and prospered over the decades. And the owner is not about to give it up, even if it hasn’t towed anything in some time.
Gotta’ love that shifter and all of its bends. This interior is strictly business class, right down to those gauges. I bet this truck could tell some stories.
Looks to be either a ’63 or ’64.
It does appear to be a C series which were produced in 63 and 64. However since the basic body didn’t change it is possible that it is a different year truck and these parts were what were available. That was the case with one of my Scouts, it had been in a front end accident and they put a 1975 grille on it instead of a 1972 unit like was right for the vehicle. I did find and install a 1972 grille.
What a great looking truck indeed and thank you for photographing this. Bet it wishes it could tow occasionally. I think Oregon is the only state that lets tow trucks use red lights (and sirens I think) which threw me for a loop because I used to pull over when I saw the red and amber lights flashing. The oldest trucks I have seen in this and similar professions are a few Sixth Generation F-Series down in the Carolinas in AAA Emergency Service duty and a smattering of 1980s C/Ks tow trucks or rollbacks still working for companies.
The Union Pacific Sterling is also interesting and large trucks in Oregon sport more axles than I have seen in other states.
Very cool old tow truck. One wonders what interesting iron it’s had in tow over the years?
1963 C series 1300.
I only say this because it comes very close to a picture I found in Crestline’s
“International Trucks” by Frederick W. Crismon.
Gotta love a serious working truck, although I think the IH cab looks best on the Loadstar medium truck where the square grille emphasizes its verticality.
I always thought Mater was based on a ’57 F-100.
I can see the I-H cues as well
It may not have towed anything in a while but it sure looks ready to go. Those tires are properly inflated. Clean the windows, hang a new air freshener from the mirror and crank it. The knobs on the CB radio are still shiny.
Towmater was clearly designed after the ’55 ~ ’57 Task Force GM series , not the Load Master .
I used to have a ’55 Chevy two ton tow truck , it was indestructible and looked like every previous owner had tried .
I still miss it but what the hell do you do with a beat to sh*t 25 year old tow truck that has a manually operated PTO driven Murphy Plate rig ? .
It’s too big and worthless .
It still looked better than Mater though =8-) .
-Nate
Doh; yes, Task Force, not Loadmaster.
Regarding Tow Mater: having examined it carefully, I have come to the conclusion that TM is perhaps closest to the Chevy, but also has some elements of the IH trucks just before this one (picture attached).
My conclusion is that TM is the creative product of its designers, who obviously had several trucks they were looking at at the time. But the Chevy is probably the closest.
This truck could still be towing today if registered and insured with its add-on wheel lift which was probably added to its tow body in the 90s and its tow dollies ,hi- lift jack and tow sling it probably has seen some very busy days in its life. I love trucks that are workhorses as you do not have to worry about a scratch or nick . I spent over 15 years in the towing business and drove a few trucks like this and it brings back a lot of memories.
Last year I saw a WWII Studebaker 6×6 recovery truck doing a recovery of a crashed car. Not just a tow, because they first had to retrieve it from down the side of a mountain. A modern tilt/slide tow truck was on hand to take over once it was back on the road.
Cool looking ‘Binder! That shifter sure does have some funky bends, not unlike the mile long piece for grabbing gears in my dad’s ’84 Power Ram which has a granny gear 4 spd. You betcherass Id love to take this old towmater for a spin!
I had a ’62, that was very similar…i couldn’t kill it. I also couldn’t find parts at the time, and traded it off for a ’65 Chevy.
Bonus points for getting the Union Pacific Sterling Dump Truck parked next to it.
It probably has siblings still working on wheat farms in OK/KS/NE. Never found age to be a determining factor on the 2 1/2 ton farm trucks. I guess the time spent in them has more to do with turnover of tow trucks than the function does.
Looks like a West Manufacturing body, West was a regional towing equipment manufacturer in Los Angeles from the 50s until the 90s, they also made the economical “Hydra-Boom” unit and really durable 3 piece tow dollies.
If anyone is still interested in this old rig, I recently acquired it. 10 years after most of you left comments. Now to get it back on the road! We got it fired up today but appears to have some clutch issues fingers crossed.