I have seen this truck from the rear at a long distance for several years at a race track we run at. I thought it was an old boxvan body setting there for storage. I walked over to ck it out yesterday AM and it turned out to be this. I think it is an old Railway Express Agency truck. The orig paint showing was Pullman Green . Close to olive drab but more green and shiny. I asked the owner later about it and he said it was an old ambulance, which I doubt. Also said they didn't want to sell it, but next time I see his brother I'm going to ask him as he might have different answer. It is a 11/2 ton but appears to have a heavy duty 3 speed box. Possibly some kind of special setup for their fleet. It has the 224" six in it. Very complete and orig except for the crappy camper conversion and a stove pipe hole cut in one side. It is really roomy in the cab and the box is very well built, quite solid and unusually large. I'm curious if someone might have a good idea for this.
I am just barely old enough to remember 'rolling stores.' Back when a lot of people in rural areas didn't have cars, general store owners would use a vehicle like this (or an old school bus with seats removed), fit it with shelves stocked with a variety of general merchandize items, and drive down all the country roads, making stops for anybody who needed anything from the store. They would also buy or trade for eggs, locally grown produce, etc. to resell. My cousin's husband Charles Allen, who recently died in his early 80's, operated the last rolling store around Villa Rica GA. My grandfather Bailey's tool shed was the body from a truck just like the one you're looking at.
Well if I had it I would turn it in to a Race Car Hauler. Convert the box into a living space while at the track and tow our trailer with it. Very cool find. Hope you can get it!
I would paint it green with black front fenders and wheels, gut the interior out of it and use it to haul my 4 motorized bikes to car shows. Would definately be the coolest kid on the block.
Looks like the Railway Express trucks we had here. If you were down here in NASCAR land it would make a good track weekend party truck. Put some fold up chairs on the roof with a blow up swimmin pool and a cooler filled with Bud. Glad I'm not a NASCAR fan.
The Jalopy Journal
