Features TRUCKS ONLY PIC THREAD! Show me your cool trucks...

My latest.

 

Yeah, I guess I've built a few trucks over the years

 

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Hello,

So Cal is the home of some cool trucks in all stages of custom builds and accessories. Usually, my wife spots any old hot rod a long way away, while we are doing errands and pandemic calming road trips to get a good atmosphere about our lives. She keeps her eyes forward, while I am doing the driving. If she sees the hot rod, sedan delivery, truck or roadster on the street, she calls out… “there is an old…(name) up ahead. If I happen to see it, I get my digital camera ready and wait for the opportune time for a photo.

This time, as soon as she saw this Red Chevy/GMC truck, I had already spotted it and had my camera ready for a drive-by photo without taking my eyes off of the street and traffic. I usually wait until there is no traffic, but sometimes, a point and shoot gets the job done.

And, I don’t hear some comment from my wife about being a careful driver in our old age…etc. But, a single quick photo keeps the peace inside of our daily drivers in So Cal.

Jnaki

So, the advantage of a digital camera is that any point and shoot, if pointed in the right direction and at the level from the ground angle, the results are almost fool proof. The camera does its best to record with the touch of the button. There is no hassling a phone, selecting the window, then the camera tab icon and centering the subject, while holding a vertical or sideways camera. Then, to top all of the prep work, trying to touch the center button, while keeping it in wiggle free position while driving, is a recipe for an accident. YRMV

A new way to use the term: "Point and Shoot." A one hand operation, for sure...

 

Not mine but it is for sale. (Don't know the seller). Looks pretty original. Has a work desk built into the back. Post for rack goes through roof and into the floor.

 

My old '41 Plymouth PT125 pickup. Engine was a '58 Plymouth flat Six that had been warmed over with Offy and Clifford bits. Fun truck to drive. I sure do miss it. It's somewhere in TX with a set of chrome reverse wheels and 3" wide whites that just don't look right on it.

 

My old 1954 3/4 ton

 

Kinda like 32-34 pickups at this house.

 

Back in 1975, when I got out of the Army, I pulled up in front of my Dads wrecking yard, in Atwater California, in a 59 MGA roadster, he said what in the hell is that? I told him and he wasn't impressed at all. He said put that thing out in front, with the rest of the stuff for sale, and come with me out back, I have the perfect truck for you.

It was a cool 1956 IHC S-110 retired bell telephone, line service truck. It had been abandoned and my dad drug it in to the yard. He said, I will sell you this truck for $100.00 and you can get another title through DMV since it was reported as an abandoned vehicle. He also said, it has a leaking rear main seal ( made of rope ) he showed me how to replace it.

My dad was right, it was the perfect truck for me.

Enclosed cab, windows that rolled up, locking doors, one piece windshield, flat floorboard, 3 on the tree, heater, bench seat, and best of all, it had a great utility box on the back that you could lock up and be able to haul stuff around, that would fit in it. He suggested that I take out all of the shelf's and individual little trays, which I really didn't need, and he was right, it gave me a lot of room to put stuff in the box.

I owned it for a couple of years, and then sold it to a friend. I have regretted that decision ever since, because, of all of the vehicles I have ever owned, that particular old "CORNBINDER" was the most fun.

It was also the very first International, I had ever owned.



Many years later, I was able to buy a very cool 1955 IHC S-100 pick up, that was all stock, with a very cool, home made shell, that had shake shingles all over it. It even had a split in the middle, dutch door in the back, the truck was beyond cool and very functional as well.



It eventually got sold to a very good friend of mine, here in Washington state, and he still owns it, only now its repainted and its a very kick ass FWD.

Below is a shot, taken from a free lance aerial photographer, that just happens to show the yellow phone truck being worked on by me, that day, the little black arrow points to the truck.

 

She’s finally home. There’s a ridiculous amount of crappy work that needs to be redone, and a ton of work still to do. But, she’s home.

 

Hello,

Norman “Rabbit” Samuels is/was a Long Beach local guy that was involved in all sorts of hot rod/drag racing builds. When he was associated with Reath Automotive race car builds, it just worked out for him. Then finally, he was known for his involvement in the famous “hot rods for sale business” called “Stick City.” It was a place to see a daily car show of many different styles of hot rods, race cars modified for the street and certified used cars.

Recent photos have shown various new builds for nostalgia sake. Here are a couple:

A display of the re-creation of the Rea, Sullivan, Slusser and Helmick Fiat Coupe stood out well. It was/is one great looking coupe from the Reath Automotive stable of fast cars. Back in the early 60-70s, we knew the story of Norman “Rabbit” Samuels. But since this old brain can’t put those facts together, how did the “Rabbit” play a part of the Rea, Sullivan, Slusser and Helmick Fiat Coupe photograph and photo story?


Jnaki

From a local Long Beach drag racer, my inquiring mind would like to know the background story. We were consistent supporters of Joe and Dellie Reath from the time of the 10th and Cherry Automotive Shop. It is wonderful to see this Fiat Coupe again in all of its glory.

But, during the hot rod photography era, the one thing that was impressive was this unusual hot rod truck that rolled up to the photo shoot location. Talk about something different and cool at the same time. A shop truck? Perhaps, but that bed needed a lot of blankets and protection to remain pristine like it was entered in a So Cal car show.

When Norman “Rabbit” Samuels was at Stick City in La Habra, CA, he had plenty of nice looking hot rods at his disposal. This hot rod flatbed truck was front and center. A highly modified, custom flatbed truck with plenty of GO as well as SHOW. A supercharged SBC motor, collectors, modified cab, frame and flatbed, along with Buick Skylark Wire Wheels.

It looks as if it never gets used for a parts runner or daily driver, but it did get work running small boxed parts back and forth during its heydays in So Cal. It still had elements of the original ‘T” flatbed truck, but of course modified to modern day standards with plenty of power to match the radical look.

It was a highly finished hot rod and had lots of admirers. But, over the years, it just kind of disappeared. So, hot rod hunters, where is this flatbed “T” truck these days? Still in So Cal? Or in a garage in IOWA?

My early art version and color added… a Tangerine metallic paint.

 

A neat little local truck, built by a couple of Chrysler retirees.

 

And now for something completely different.

 

Mine I built last year

 

My ‘36 and my old ‘50

 

Here’s my 59.

 

Some more