Before the flat nosed Freightliner COE became the most popular truck of its kind for decades, there was its predecessor, the “bubble nose” Freightliner. Conceived in 1940 and and first built in 1942 by west coast freight hauler Consolidated Freightways as a better truck than was available on the market, thanks to its light aluminum cab and efficient cab-over-engine design, by 1949 CF started selling them to other operators. Freightliner was eventually spun off and today it’s the #1 selling big truck.
This 1955 model WF64 must be from right about the end of the bubble nose’s run, as its replacement had arrived in 1954. Since it’s sitting between two of those, we’ll take all three in.
Since CF was not in the business of marketing trucks, they made an agreement with White, then the biggest truck company, to market, sell and service Freightliners; hence the badge. That agreement lasted until 1977.
This is a typical West Coast semi truck with its very long wheelbase, put to use here with a “dromedary” freight box. We have a gallery of many similar and the later versions here, all shot at a California rest stop.
I only vaguely remember these bubble nose Freightliners from when I was a kid. They were predominantly West Coast trucks, and by the ’60s their flat-nosed successors were everywhere. One year (1963?) on our annual summer pilgrimage to Colorado I took along a notebook and tallied all of the brands of cars and trucks I spotted on I-80 (traffic was a lot lighter back then), and White Freightliners were #1, like these two flanking the bubble nose.
The one on the left is a ’67. There were many mostly subtle changes throughout its seemingly endless lifetime (1942 – 1997). This one is still badged White Freightliner. These came with a wide range of engines, but in the era when I was most exposed to them (and rode in them when hitchhiking) the DD 2-strokes, most of all the 318hp 8V-71 seemed to be especially popular. Jeez, these trucks were so noisy inside their aluminum can cabs. I don’t know how the drivers did it, but then my ear issues go way back, quite likely from high fevers as a very young child, in the pre-antibiotic era, at least in Austria.
The other one is from 1968. It still has the original dual headlights. The quads became optional starting in 1958. This one is a straight truck, and most likely still hauls hay or straw with a drawbar trailer. That’s still a very common application for these old COEs, as of course it allows the biggest loads and its seasonal nature. In hay growing areas one can see plenty of these old COE rigs parked, awaiting the next crop.
Since the “White” is missing, this one sports a non-original badge, part of a screened unit. Looks like there’s an air intake behind it. But the Freightliner badge is how they looked after the split with White in ’77.
Lots more photos and history here:
Well that triggered a memory. We live on the highway growing up and back in the day so much of the traffic seemed to be Trimac cabovers that looked so much like this. And they were just grinding up the hill so we could hear them for miles. We did a car counting game and these counted for 3 points.
And then when I searched it of course, I realized that the Trimac trucks were Kenworths.
Trimac did use Freightliner cabovers as well, so your memory is correct. They are still around but without the distinctive maroon and white paint scheme so you dont even notice them anymore. They were probably the biggest bulk hauler in the western provinces at one time.
Since it’s been a while since I visited, does the museum still have the miniature Freightliner built by Hyster, and occasionally used as a delivery truck.
Yes it is. I’ll be doing a post on the museum soon.
Cool!
Did the cabs tilt on the Bubble Noses, or?
They did not, engine access was by removing the seats and floor in the cab. The grilles were hinged as well. Freightliner didn’t offer a tilting cab until 1958, even the early ‘Flat Nose’ cabovers had fixed cabs.
Bubble nose cabovers did not tilt, and until 1960 or so neither did the replacement flat front cabovers. Everthing came out the front. Of course, engines and radiators were not as big back then, but it would still be awkward to work on.
Tilting cabs had thier own issues though. You had to check the cab very carefully for loose items, worn hinges and cylinders caused problems and you needed to make damn sure that cab was locked back down when you were finished!
In the 1970s, Hot Wheels introduced a die cast rig, styled very much after the Freightliner cabovers. As a kid, I had the American Tipper (dump truck) version, as well as the American Hauler.
I don’t ever recall seeing one of these. I will also admit that I always believed that Freightliner was a model name of White Trucks, and had not known about the Consolidated Freightways connection.
Fascinating .
I love the bubble nose’s looks .
-Nate
I like the older models, Ive driven the newer cabover Argosys, they have tuned out some of the noise Paul, Cummins under the cab helps but smooth and comfortable to operate? no, not yet.