History Texaco tanker

Heres some pic's of the 'TEXACO' Tanker that is here in Invercargill,New Zealand.
Sadley the owner,Bill Richardson passed away a few years ago, Bill has a truck museum with alsorts on display,but this is the gem of the lot , John Beavan ,a well known Hot-Rodder done all the paint & panel work.
Bill was the most down to earth bloke ya could meet,he always gave Hot-Rodders a private viewing when a Run was on.........NO money could buy this, he was offered open check book stuff for it to go back to the states,Bill wanted it to stay in NZ.
He found it in New York,where it was being used for dust suppression in a rubbish tip.

Cheers KUZTOM

 

That is way too cool, thanks for showing it to us.

 

Thats it Kuztoms, nice truck, hope to see it with my own eyes one day in Invercargill. Museum is in the same town where Burt Munroe lived with the Worlds Fastest Indian, for those of you who dont know where Invercargill is, its in the South Island of New Zealand. I will find some photos of Bills trucks and post them, like the COE Ford.

 

JUST luv IT I am going to see this oneday

 

Artman, thought Id post those up after you bought the subject up I love the Reo's ,Diamond T's in that collection.
Now talking about Burt , heres a pic of a very young Kuztom & my wee girl Bex ,who is 15 now .I had Burts bike at home for a couple of weeks ,long story........

 

What a cool truck. Straight out of an early Superman cartoon.

 

Pete, if ya ever over this way,its a must do ,on ya list ,to go see this place .

 

What brand is the truck ?

 

Please do post more picts of his trucks.

Looks like a very very nicely done Airflow tanker.

We're fortunate here in Detroit to have 2. One at the Henry Ford Museum and one owned by the Chrysler Museum that makes it out in public occasionally.

Love those big trucks.

 

Dodge.....approximately 12 still in existance.

 

those are cool trucks. someone made a pressed steel toy out of that style tanker back when they were new.. not sure who made it...

 

Correct ,the Henry Ford outfit wanted this one also.

 

That truck is beautiful !
I am in for more pics too !

 

I wonder if the one I saw hidden in the back of the Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville is still there? It was unrestored, but unmistakably an Airflow Texaco tanker. I saw it about 1996. ITM is primarily a railroad museum.

 

Here is one someone here posted in another thread. It is the tanker body only.

 

I want that ^^^^^^! I love these old tanker trucks but I'm a bit of a gas junkie. The restored one is too cool. Now....if it was lowered just a bit.......

 

Grab it if its still there, restore it to the condition of this and the Henry Ford Museum will make you a rich man !

 

I found photos and info on Bill Richardsons 1940 Dodge Airflow. Bill bought the truck in January 1992 for US$7000, in very bad condition, it was smashed in the rear, because a bulldozer was used to push start it every morning for water spraying duties for a landfill operator near Chicago. The truck arrived in New Zealand on May 1992, and took about 3 and a half years to restore. Many panels were replaced and parts were missing, and a couple of mishaps, which is why it took along time to restore it at a panel shop in Invercargill. The truck cost BIG dollars to restore, but what Bill had restored was priceless.

The Dodge Airflow is one of the most valued trucks in the world. These trucks were built between 1937 and 1940, only 303 of these trucks were ever produced. This truck was 1 of 75 built for Texaco Oil Company in 1939 and 1940, this truck was completed in February 1940, it was the fourth last ever built.

The engine is a 331 cu in (5.4-litre), 100 horsepower, six cylinder inline L-head with a 5 speed gearbox. The wheelbase 4.78m and weighed 9997kg empty

Bill Richardsons company had around 350 large trucks and employed 550 people throughout New Zealand in the late 90s. They had many brands of trucks throughout the early years with v8 Fords, GMCs, Daimond T, internationals, leylands, bedfords, Commers, Thames Traders. The later years saw mostly Macks, and Fords with Jap and Euro trucks. Bills trucks did everything, he had loggers, concrete mixers, tippers, stocktrucks, lowloaders. The business continues today as the Richardson Group, and is still a big player in the transport industry.

Bills Museum is a 60,000 square foot building which has since been added onto. Trucks are still being restored since Bills passing. There are over 170 trucks, mostly restored. Also on display are many old engines, lots of petrol bowsers (13 are Texaco), gas memorabilia, old signs, hub caps, badgers, number plates, grills, models, tractors, farm equipment and many other items from the past. The other day an auction was held to sell off surplus trucks that werent needed as they were already represented in the Museum.

the photos are of the truck when it arrived by rail to Invercargill and when it was restored. Photos taken by Robert W Dick

 

Artman, good on ya for posting that ,well done .I got some more pics here somewhere of Bills other stuff.........

 

Man, thats freakin' sweet.
I really need to see that in person!

Will add it to the list.

 

Heres a few more pic's of Bill's collection, Ive been through it about 3 times now,and I will go through again. For little old NZ ,this collection is one of our national tresures............ ,There would be a public out cry if anything happen to this lot,Bill lost his son who was about to take over the running of the empire,sadley he got killed ,by a truck !

 

Toy Truck. Some were made by Ertyl:

 

Let me get this right. This truck carried fuel in the rear body part?

 

Yes. It's a tanker.

 

you didnt look your avatar much back then, lol. cool thread, ive only seen pics of it and havnt got to the musem yet, but i have been to the one near wanaka next to the aircraft place. thats a must see as well.

 

Thats amazing, i build fuel tanker trucks for a living and non of them look as cool as this or even remotely like anything i would ever deal with!!!

 

I live not 3 blocks from the museum , I heard a new shed may be built to cover the whole block and make it bigger. its a great tour . I was last there when Bill was alive, with my father who passed at about the same time as bill . It was a very small group ,listening to Bill tell a story of how he found every truck was amazing. there even was a truck that the army took from the family to use during the war and he found it years later on a farm and restored it . I don't know how many trucks are in the sheds but all the ones i looked at appeared to be registered and warrented.

 

My mate has a Airflow tanker money box. Ive been to the Wanaka Museum, a great collection of toys and pedal cars as well, also Southward Museum for its big yank tanks and bikes, also the car display in Nelson. My Uncle has a Museum in Awakeri, Whakatane, where he has about 25 old trucks,and a Mustang, Indian bike, Chev tourer, 1ton international pickup fitted with a Detroit motor and engine brake(jakes) has metal flake paint and is nearing completion. He has bought from Wanaka, one of New Zealands most famous trucks, v12 Detroit Kenworth nicknamed Concorde, was new for Mike Lambert on logs in the 70s, was the fastest truck on the road, past cars loaded, you could hear it miles away, also held the fastest lap record for a truck at Baypark at Mt Maunganui. the truck is know as a hot rod

 

I saw one of those at the NATMUS museum in Auburn, Indiana a couple of years ago. It's in pretty rough condition, but they have it displayed in the basement. Like a lot of unrestored vehicles in storage there, it's awaiting a sponsor I suppose.
Phil

 

lol, hey the FONZ just might be coming to Beach HOP ! ..........................YEH............Noddy ?
http://www.beachhop.co.nz/