Dick Copello’s Flickr page has an album of old Ron Adams shots, all taken on PA Rt. 22 (now I-78), all shot in the sixties. They’re all wonderful shots of heavy vintage iron, but what caught my eye this time was the disparity of their exhaust stacks. Nowadays, like so much else, they’re all the same: one or two straight, fat, chromed stacks. Not so back then.
This Autocar sleeper has to have the smallest muffler ever for a big diesel truck. It probably didn’t do a whole lot to muffle the likely NH Cummins under its long hood.
This Ward-LaFrance’s exhaust has taken a shortcut—right out of the top of the hood. This truck was re-powered, and the owner decided to keep it simple, and direct, and he drove it like this for over ten years. Maybe he liked watching the smoke when he put the hammer down.
A GMC hauling a load of M151 “Mutts” for the Army sports twin stacks. I see a “V” badge on it front fender; presumably the GMC V6. That’s a bit unusual, as most gas engine trucks dispensed with stacks, which were specifically created for the smokier diesel trucks.
Ironically, this GMC diesel “Crackerbox” has no stack. Looking through my detailed post on these, I see that the majority of the early ones did not have an exhaust stack, and just channeled out down on the pavement like most gas trucks. Later ones did have stacks.
This White sleeper has a typical arrangement: one stack with a good-sized muffler integrated. But no heat shield; that came later.
This Autocar has a similar arrangement, and shows why stacks were created in the first place.
A White 3000 with a stack that is oriented to the side, to help keep the nice moving van trailer from getting blackened.
A Diamond T without a stack. It might be a diesel with a low exhaust, or quite possibly a gas engine. The little single cylinder gas engine on the front of the refrigerated trailer runs a fan, which blows over a quantity of ice to keep the perishables cool. That’s how many or most “reefers” were, until the advent of reliable, small diesel-powered refrigeration units.
Another mini muffler, on an International R Series. It’s got the same refrigeration set up as the previous one, except that its vents are closed, so it’s got a load to keep cool.
This White sports twin stacks, which were not very common back then. They were typically used with V8 engines, of which there were several, but it’s not possible to say for sure if this truck has one. In this era it was all about utility, not showing off, so a twin exhaust system on the more typical diesel inline six engine didn’t make a lot of sense.
This Brockway COE, with a cab shared with Mack, also has a typical stack with a hefty muffler.
But this one sports twin stacks. A DD 8V-71, perhaps, which was a popular engine and often had twin stacks.
This Diamond T actually has heat shields on its skinny twin stacks.
The exhaust pipe on this Ford N Series has a somewhat circuitous path, bending inwards and then out again.
The White 5000 NAVL was unusual in a number of ways, including its fiberglass cab. Designed to compete with the very popular Freightliner COE, it never sold well, and was a rarity on the road. Its stack is tucked in between the cab and the sleeper.
Even rarer was this Marmon Harrington COE, which were last built in the early sixties. Its stack is conventional, but the truck is not.
The stack on this International DCO is no taller than necessary.
In the sixties, West Coast trucks like Kenworth and Peterbilt were very rare in the East. This Pete sports twin stacks, and they look fatter than pretty much all the others. Once again, the West Coast sets a trend.
Driving the Ward-LaFrance with the exhaust going through the hood would be like pissing into the wind. I’d bet a buck that the guy who came up with that set up didn’t have to drive it.
Actually not. There was a comment or two left at that Flickr page stating that hey knew the guy who did this; he drove it for some ten years. And was still alive in retirement as of the time that comment was written, some years back.
I guess I lost a buck. That old sulphurus diesel smoke was awful. Better him than me.
I loved the old ” heating oil” exhaust smell. Mack and cat had a distinctive smell. Detroit also had its own smell.
The lsd lost most of that. And this DEF gives the exhaust a nasty smell.
I never got nausea from my old 290 Cummings from the 70’s or later my 3406B Cat. But this new Paccar I’m driving today would give me nausea . Its so bad nowadays I try to sleep on the on ramp or at the customer.
Impressive. As a kid, I was always excited and curious by the variety of obscure/unfamiliar truck makes. And brand allegiance appeared strong, among transport companies. Black exhaust residue was such a familiar sight on trailer tops back then. Along with the lane centre oil streaks. Long distance moving trucks appeared so much more commonly. Like another lifetime.
Slightly off topic. A friend who worked as a road engineer spanning the 70s through the 90s, told me a number of his friends who worked in paving, died of early cancer-related deaths. May have been related to their profession.
I had forgotten how rigs needed to be plated for each state they ran.The IRP and IFTA has taken away all the color and joy of counting types of plates.
I came here to ask about that. I was wondering if they had to have a plate for every state they would travel in, and when that changed. How would that work for an owner operator that normally didn’t go to a certain state but was offered a load? Would he have to turn it down?
Yes, they did have to have a plate for every state. In 1983, IFTA (International Fuel tax Agreement), allows for the distribution of fuel/mileage taxes collected to be distributed proportionally where truck goes. If it fills up in New York and travels across the country on that tank, every state gets a cut of the taxes collected in New York.
That eliminated the old truck plates, which were a way for every state to tax each truck that used its roads. Very cumbersome.
Independent truckers almost never just roamed the country; they specialized in certain regions and types of loads. The pre-regulation era made it difficult to do otherwise.
No they didn’t need a plate for each state. Some states did but they had to have what was called a bingo card,which had stamps of the states opperated in
They youse to have a bingo card and they could run all the state’s that they had a stamp for
Had to be permitted for each state. Only tags were required for a few states. Had a bingo plate as well up front. States permits affixed to the doors on both sides. Tennessee had a sticker that had to be on the passanger side glass. OHIO HAD ONE FOR THE DRIV SIDE GLASS.
Some states would still require a fee paid. A fuel receipt at tax time to cover miles driven and some other fun stuff we don’t do today. But the government made up for that with the really dumb stuff they require nowdays.
I remember when the series Movin’ On premiered in 1974, the Kenworth W-900 that starred in the show, seemed so modern compared to most trucks on the road at the time. The custom paint reflecting the personalization of trucks, becoming so popular.
That style is not dead. One of the owner operators in my yard custom ordered a Pete with a similar spec. Looks like a modern coffin nose with silver metallic paint, a bright red frame and an extended wheelbase. I need to snap a pic but here’s another neat truck
Not a W 900 it was a W 925
Elon isn’t my favourite human being right now, but I’m looking forward to his electric semis arriving and gradually taking over the trucking industry. The difference in the street noise, especially in port cities like Vancouver, would be amazing.
As one wise wag put it, ‘Cities aren’t noisy. Cars [and trucks] are noisy’.
What’s wrong with Elon?
Before cars and trucks, it was horse shoes and wagon wheels rolling over cobblestone streets making noise. Don’t step in the dung! Every generation has something to deal with.
Given the amount of battery capacity needed, I wonder if collector arms running along power lines might be the way to electrify OTR trucking.
I fear that Musk is fast approaching the “Dearborn Independent” phase of genius-billionaire insanity. If he reaches it we can only hope he falls through to the “Kleenex-boxes-on-feet” phase quickly.
… Musk is a maverick and an eccentric for sure, but I feel the current hate is merely driven by his non-PC stance. I find his actions no more deplorable (or laudable, depending where you stand politically) than those of Bezos, Zuckerberg or any of the other usual suspects – goose, gander etc. etc.
Taking over? In about another 20 years. The city cabs will do well. You won’t have far to tow em back. But I dont see otr doin any big works for a long time.
We don’t have enough parking as it is now. Can you see them stacking up 4 and 5 deep out of juice on the off ramp waiting to get towed to an open charger that they have been waiting on for hours.
Amazed at how dirty/worn down all those old trucks look. Todays trucks, even basic fleet trucks are kept washed/cleaned and not beat looking.
Im guessing the thought is cops are less likely to pull your truck over for inspection if it looks clean and well maintianed.
Great pics – brought back memories of what I saw looking out of the rear-facing seat of a Country Squire on the interstates in the 60’s.
Yeah, those were the days.
Very interesting article.i forgot what all those trucks looked like. Nice to st them again
The front hub on that N Series Ford looks like a medieval weapon.
I suspect that truck was equipped with “center point” steering. This involved modified steering geometry and a slightly narrower front wheel track. Poor man’s power steering.
Cool post!
First 2 trucks I owned 73 IH 4070 sleeper then a 79 F model sleeper didn’t have power steering. Not air assistance nor a set back . Had to keep the fingers in on the top of the wheel when you were near the piller or you would bust a finger
Pondering aloud here, is it possible those tiny mufflers are more there to tame a particular frequency/resonance, rather than as a overall muffler as such? Akin to the small resonator sections that we see on the intake of many cars?
Unlikely. Until the Federal noise regulations for manufacturers came into play (1978 for 83 dBA and 1982 for 80 dBA) there was no real engineering for sound characteristics. At least not at Peterbilt where I worked from 1977 to 1982. However because of the custom nature of Peterbilt trucks and the effect of tires, gearing, even length on sound emissions, after the regs, especially 80dBA, came into effect, every single truck was tested at a special test track that was built a few miles from the California plant; I think they were on site at other plants.and by then mufflers were pretty big.
Could be some sort of a spark arrestor.
Those are called resonators. Usually about 16-20 inches long. They’ve been around for years. It’s just what it says.. rather than put a muffler on my old Peterbilt we had a 5-in pipe off the turbo into a resonator about 2 ft a pipe and then another resonator and then out to dual stacks it was still loud but it kept it from making your ears bleed
With some exceptions (the large number of sleeper cabs – owners back then did not think a driver needed such luxury) this is very similar to 60s Israel… Here’s a pic from when containers were first discovered but no one was really sure what to do with them (pic by Reuben Bassisat).
I enjoyed the pics of the classic rigs and the identifications. Thank you. I’ve had the misfortune of traveling on the former Rt. 22 and renamed I-78 in Pa. since the early ’60’s. I manage to keep it to a couple of times per year now. In the 1960’s, the speed limit was 60 mph for autos and supposedly 55 mph for trucks. It’s always been a very heavy truck route. Many of those old trucks were all in at 55-60 and long lines would back up traffic on the few hills to 35 mph.
I had a fine uncle who operated a sizeable produce shipping and distribution business on his central Pa. farm from the late 1940’s. Mostly potatoes, from Maine to Pa. and Md. He had retired in 1980 at age 60, bought a Winnebago and died very shortly afterwards.
From age 10 to 16, I often spent a week or two every summer staying there and helping with loading trucks and repackaging potatoes. Sometimes I accompanied drivers on fairly local runs. My uncle had a fleet of about 6 or 7 rigs, all GMC’s as I recall with the exception of a one Mack CO at the end. The ones that I recall were all 1950’s to 1970’s models. Some were diesel, perhaps even 2 stroke. I’m nearly sure that some older ones had gas engines. I know they were incredibly slow up any Pa. mountain grades. I recall the walls of his repair shop holding a number of GMC Rootes type superchargers. Not sure what models they were from.
As a further aside, the pre-1959 Rt. 22 in Pa. is still known as “old 22”, a 2 lane highway that passes through very town and village. Only recently has the very last original restaurant or two closed. Many roadhouses, filling stations, auto dealers and motoring cabins once existed. One particular 8 mile stretch was infamous as taking several hundred lives. Including entire families in road side homes. One of the only routes from the West to NYC and New England.
Thanks for your reminiscences. GMC trucks only used the 2-stroke GMC diesels until much later, so that’s what your uncle’s trucks had, along with the possible gas engines, which were still quite common at that time.
Yes, 55-60 was tops back then, and many of the older trucks couldn’t even do that on a level straight. I remember crawling along behind a truck climbing a grade at very slow speeds back then.
You happen to know what stretch of the highway you are referring to? Just a curiosity because I’ve run every mile of that highway that still exists and it’s original condition in a few places from New Jersey to Ohio.. I didn’t start driving until the early 90s but lots of 22 was still a two-lane road west of Harrisburg. Kind of amazed one of dad’s trucks wasn’t in this collection of pictures considering the number of miles he ran on that road and every name brand of truck you can imagine.
Truck wasnt a Diamond Reo. Diamond T and Reo didn’t merge untill 1967. Center point hubs like on Ford made a huge difference in steering.
Quite right. I’ve amended the text.
Elon.musk is a smart individual that people would Iove to.be like but they just can’t gitter done , why well cause they aint god dang GOOD ENUFF they aint got what it takes a 1)God ,2) clear mind ,3) an Elon aint got bunch of who done its in the way of his ideals,dreams and God’s final touch Amen, thank you very much until next time have a great day 🐢💨 MQ Tucker🤙
Use to read a complete Louis L’Amour western book in one year climbing those hills in Ontario. Wonderful photos. Thanks. Julian
There is indeed a vertical stack on the Diamond T in Image #8. It can be seen between the r/h vent door of the trailer and the mount for the cooling fan motor. It’s just a rusty color and is difficult to see.
The cab over Marmon Herrington was not discontinued. They merely dropped the Herrington name from production. Marmon continued producing trucks until 1997. The individual that owns the very last one to come off the line still drives it proudly today.
Could it be that the GMC hauling the M151s is a V12? I used to drive a V6 pickup at a job I had as a teenager. It ran pretty good but I can’t imagine it hauling that load. I will say one thing, it sure was bullet proof.
Speaking of bingo cards, the westbound scale house in CT says have your bingo card ready. I laugh everything I see that lol. Happy trails keep the rubber on the road.
I used to drive across I78 a good bit in the early 2000s. I remember there was always an older dude with a camera in the one pullout. Eastbound just past Lenhardtsville I think. Are these pics from the same guy?
Thanks for the pick