Features McQueen's Truck

Probably not too late to get a bidders card

 

Back in 1961 - 63 my Father was a sports car mechanic,, yea OT but we are talking the days of Tigers, Alfas, Jags. And were he worked also raced in the early Sprots Car Club Races. Every so often he would drag one of us kids to a race. And what I really remember were the 'rich' teams with the Transporter vans. And the really kool ones had the viewing platforms on the top. they had ladder to climb up to the top were a flat base was attached for chairs and some had a flipup fence around the edges to keep someone from a nose dive. Now take a look at the 'camper'. See the almost aircraft steps up the side? and the plywood base upon which Ali McGraw could sit and watch Steve ripup a converted parking lot?? I can....

 

First thing I thought of was that it was a rig to haul his dirt bike, and camp out in the desert.

 

It was definitely for spectating of some sort, too. Look at the steps going up to the platform.

 

I can definitely see this rig hooked up to a trailer for his Triumph desert sled...

http://theselvedgeyard.files.wordpr...e-t100-steve-mcqueen-bud-ekins-motorcycle.jpg

edit: didn't realize the pic was fuckhuge

 

HMMM this seems to have former military or govt. traits all over it... green would be forestry ...or parks dept ... that camper is not home made ....no way

 

Interesting truck...I believe that one is the long-wheelbase option on the 1/2 ton (extra brace on side of bed), which had all the usual works but with 2-piece drive shafting.
It is somewhat rare...one of my friends went nuts trying to get the center joint to live, and had to search like crazy for parts.
The 3/4 ton with big hubs looks almost exactly the same and is easier to find.

 

Forget the truck, I want to know who Ryan considers the coolest dude to walk the earth if McQueen is second - is it really Mal Hooper

 

I see that thing on the desert pulling a bike.

 

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=LA0713-164217&entryRow=2&lottype=Car&startRow=1

 

Seriously cool. There is definately a whif of military, or government surplus about that camper. The steps look exactly like the fold-down steps for the old Mil-Van based shop-sets from the 50's and beyond...

 

Too cool, If only that truck and camper could tell stories.

 

8 Stud wheels, 1/2 ton?

 

the one pictured is a half ton?
love this truck and have always liked home-built/custom camper caps and roofs. any more pictures Ryan?

 

I could picture him camping on the beach in Pismo with that and tearing up the dunes in his Corvair-powered Manx.

Seriously. Just sayin'..

 

Auction site shows it is the big pickup...didn't know they had hubcaps like that for anything but the 6 stud!

 

This truck belongs to a friend of mine. It is the real deal! I have not seen in it for 20 years or so. As memory serves me it is all light birch or maple paneling inside with a narrow bench seat/ bed on each side. Lots of compartments for storage, etc. There is an I beam slide deal at the top that pulls out so you can hitch your desert sled Triumph to it, lift it up and slide it back in. It would be a little crowded with your wide Flanders desert bars sticking over your head. I'll bet you can still smell the hot Triumph and the desert sand. I hope my memory is correct.

 

Surprising, didn't really think you were even into trucks, especially a work truck like that. Although that is definitely a super cool one. Learn something knew everyday.

 

I believe there was never any factory built long bed 1/2 ton Chevy AD trucks,only GMC had that option.

EDIT, I enlarged the smaller photo of what appears to be the same truck with no hubcaps...Looks like a 3/4 ton floating rear axle...

 

^ Steve, that sound's spot on, for desert racing, of course! I wonder who was making stuff like that back then? Had you not posted your info with the slide-out beam, I'd have guessed it was just built for general camping / hunting and perhaps modified a tad for some other special purpose or another, like to haul around a track / nature photographer (that's what I would love it for!). Gary

 

That's a Sugar City Merch truck if I've ever seen one!!! Damn that's cool. I still think Bobby Green's new race car hauler is the ultimate tow rig but this is pretty damn cool too.

I'm so sick of driving my silverado to shows. I wish I would have thought of the hauling possibilities before buying the cars that I do have. I want an original Mullins or trade something for a '37 Sedan Delivery.

 

Checked in to answer a PM and saw this thread. McQueen has been and always will be number 1 in our house as far as involved actors. Met him right after he filmed "Bullitt" thanks to my dad.

 

I just bought some gmc hubcaps that i though wee the right ones turned out to be the bigger 8 lug ones.

the bigger ones are more rare and I traded three bead large ones for four perfect 6 lug ones.

man I love those trucks,makes me smile that I drove one to work today

 

All I can say is it would look bad ass setting at "the bend in the road" with a cool race bike hooked to a trailer behind it.

 

Great observation and a very likely the purpose of the truck.

 

Thanks for the details!

 

Around 1963-4, McQueen raced a Cooper FJr at the Santa Barbara road races. His tow car was a long wheelbase Land Rover, and both the Cooper and LR were painted matching BRG. Very classy.

On the hood of the Land Rover was lettered H2PO3+(NHq)4G2O4 Racing Team. Turns out that's the chemical composition of chicken shit; the formula was the name of a fanciful MC club that included Bud & Dave Ekins, Malcolm Smith, and McQueen.

Classy, for sure.

PS: The numbers in the formula should be subscripts, but I couldn't find a way to post them.

 

Mcqueen "but my baseball went inside the wire".