History We ALL Love a DARE! PIX of TRULY Extinct Makes?

"In the Metz Plan car, the lower limit of automobile price has been reached, this being sold in parts, so that one may buy and assemble at leisure. This plan also allows of buying at one’s financial convenience, and has many more advantages, some of which are well told by the makers, C. H. Metz, president of the Metz Company, Waltham, Mass. He says: “No argument will induce the man who longs for a palace and who has the means to acquire it, to put up with a modest cottage.
“The expense of maintaining our little car in comparison with the big tourist is in about the same proportion as the cost of dwelling in a cottage is to the luxury of living in a mansion.
“If it is a matter of how many miles per dollar for your automobile use and pleasure, we can figure as close as anyone in the business, and our statements can be substantiated. We do not pretend to tell you what you should purchase, but you owe it to yourself to ascertain which car will carry you the farthest with the least trouble and expense.”

You know, THAT is quaint! Surely speaks reams about the country's attitudes around 1910, doesn't it? And, before the installment plan, here you could buy a car PARTS at a time!

HJ, that's GREAT that you came up with Metz info so fast after someone came onto the thread and presented the name!

But I can't smoke, 'cause I can't SEE the pulchritude in Post #1684. Am I the only one who gets a little box with a red X, instead of a photo?

 

For 1955, Chevrolet revived the concept of a pickup with automobile appointments and style touches, pioneered in 1937 by Studebaker. The Chevy Cameo Carrier had a cousin, too, the GMC Suburban Carrier. The Cameo was built from '55 through early '58, while the GMC apparently extended through '59. In a move common in the industry in the mid- and later-'50s, fiberglass style panels were attached to the steel pickup bed to help achieve the look desired by stylists, though a lower cost.

Both trucks are very scarce nowadays. Original Cameo production totaled only about 10,000 with about half made in the first model year. Only around a thousand GMC "Subs" were made, some 300 in '55.

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1958 was the last Cameo, being replaced the same year by the new Fleetside series. Pictured on "How Stuff Works," this Cameo shows a more trucklike appearance than earlier Cameos, indicating a transition to the emerging new Fleetside.


This '57 Chevy Cameo Carrier pickup was featured
in Classic Trucks magazine and is owned by Roger
Hamamura who originally built it up as a keen cruiser
with 454 big-block power. Roger felt the truck still
lacked a special visual snap, so he turned it over to
a friend for the customization you see here. NICE!
But does that top still need to come down???

 

Right click in the box with red X. then pick show picture.

Tried it. No soap. Message said Internet Explorer couldn't open it.

 

Technically termed a Jeep, the Mighty Mite has some obvious similariities, plus just as obvious differences. Built to be light and "disposable" (by one account, the U-joints were plastic), the aluminum-bodied transport weighed just 1,700 pounds, making it suitable for airlifting, so important in Marine battle tactics. Further reducing weight, the AMC engine was an aluminum V-4 and air cooled. The M422 is still the lightest U.S. military truck ever. And though officially rated as a quarter-ton vehicle, the actual load limit (men and materiel) was a hefty 850 pounds. And they could pull a trailer, too!

Conceived in '58 and commissioned in '59, the Mighty Mite reached full production by 1960, but ceased production after 1962 after less than 4,000 had been built. This was mainly due to the military's general shift from Sikorsky to Bell helicopters with different carrying capacities.

Any time you talk about ANY true Jeep, you have to think that every NEW model today carries in it the bloodlines of the Willys, Whippet (1st engine), Overland, Ford, American Bantam, Kaiser, AMC and Chrysler Corp. WHEW!!! To that end, the iconic JEEP is an automotive metaphor for the United States of America: a veritable melting pot!


This nice M422 Mighty Mite is owned by Mark and Michelle
Copeland. This was the first "Jeep" with an aluminum body.

 

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Now I need a cigarette! ROTFLMAO

Metz Master Six: 1920​

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Lanza Motor Co. -- Greenwich Village Girls." Somewhere under this mass of pulchritude is the Metz Master Six automobile.
​

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1957-1959 Dodge D100 Sweptside Pickup

"Straight Out of Tomorrow," was how its maker described the 1957 Dodge D100 Sweptside pickup. Indeed, Dodge's 1957 cars had what it claimed was a 1960s look, so why not its pickup truck?

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width=400 align=center sizset="61" sizcache="29"><TBODY sizset="61" sizcache="29"><TR sizset="61" sizcache="29"><TD sizset="61" sizcache="29"><CENTER sizset="61" sizcache="29"></CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The 1957 Dodge D100 Sweptside's rear fenders were straight off that year's Dodge station wagon.

So this stylish hauler came complete with contemporary tailfins, "Forward Look" emblems, and (if you liked) pushbutton LoadFlite transmission. In reality, Dodge, which usually ran fifth in truck production and held only seven percent of the truck business, couldn't respond with a ground-up rival to the stylish Chevrolet Cameo Carrier pickup. Dodge's version had to be built with off-the-shelf parts.
Joe Berr, special equipment sales manager at Dodge Truck, went over to the car plant and borrowed a set of rear fenders from a Dodge wagon. He had them welded to a long-wheelbase 1957 Dodge Custom Cab half-ton pickup, bolted on a station-wagon bumper, cut down the tailgate to accommodate the fenders, and made chrome molding pieces to continue the lines forward on the pickup's front fenders.
Add two-tone paint, full wheel covers, and whitewalls, and Berr had his Cameo fighter. Curiously, Dodge knew that the expensive Cameo was a sales dud well before the May 1957 introduction of the 1975 Dodge D100 Sweptside pickup, but went ahead with the car-cued styling anyway.
Stranger yet, promotion stressed business use rather than spiffy personal transportation -- and didn't even mention tailfins, which in 1957 were vital on any "sporty" vehicle. Dodge also didn't mention that most of the goodies fitted to typical Dodge D100 Sweptsides cost extra: automatic transmission, a 314.6-cid V-8, DeLuxe cab with wraparound rear window, power steering and brakes.
Apparently, Dodge saw the 1957 Dodge D100 Sweptside pickup as a publicity job rather than a serious money maker. Sweptsides were afterall costly to build -- always finished expensively in the special equipment shop and never transferred to a regular production line.

In 1958, the Dodge D100 Sweptside pickup reappeared with the restyled truck line, gaining quad headlamps and a busier grille. Dodge modestly said it was the "handsomest truck on the road today."
Like the Cameo, however, the Dodge D100 Sweptside pickup never appealed widely -- perhaps because both trucks had a relatively narrow box and were impractical compared to workaday rivals. The D100 Sweptside was shelved after the 1959 model year.

Collectible Pluses of the 1957-1959 Dodge D100 Sweptside Pickup

• A novel and nostalgic truck of the 1950s
• Poor man's Chevy Cameo Carrier pickup
• Great neo-classic styling
• Comfortable and stylish
• Usually has V-8 and automatic
• Bargain priced

Collectible Minuses of the 1957-1959 Dodge D100 Sweptside Pickup

• Special body parts virtually extinct
• Hard to find

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The Dodge D100 Sweptside was Dodge's take on the high-style personal pickup. It was about 25 years ahead of its time, and didn't sell well. </CENTER>
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GM, Dodge

Super Trucks: The Humble Beginnings


The optimistic years after World War II made it possible for automakers to consider adding extra style and performance to their trucks. The first evidence of this trend is the 1955-58 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier. Smooth rear fenders (more like sedans of the day), chrome detailing, and two-tone paint made the Cameo stand out. In response to the Cameo, Dodge introduced the 1957-59 Sweptside D100. Special features included tail fins (modified rear fenders from a same-model-year Dodge station wagon). These trucks offered some car-like features and extra performance. The Dodge was available with a Hemi V-8. Curiously, neither sold well due to their extra cost. The world wasn't quite ready.

 

1933 Willys Pickup

 

1938 Willys Pickup

 

1940 Willys Pickup

 

1940 Willys Convertible, 1 of 7 left in existence

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4719671

 

Same artwork as the blue one above but printed in red.

 

Kenneth Stowe (owner of a beautifully restored six-cylinder manual-transmission 1959 Sweptside) wrote that the front end of the 1959 was the basic D100/W100 truck configuration. There appear to be no factory records, but Kenny wrote that 180 were made in 1957; 975 in 1958; and 100 in 1959. Not unreasonable to imagine, considering the impromptu-sounding work that went into rolling them out of the Special Equipment Section of the truck plant. He also wrote that a subcontractor first put 2-door wagon fins to a pickup and dealers who saw the result asked the factory to copy the idea. But is probably the stuff of legend and it doesn't explain the hooded headlights!

Kenny believes there are fewer than 75 remaining from 1957, under 60 from 1958, and fewer than 30 from 1959. The last Sweptside came out of the factory in January 1959.

 

If we are on the subject of trucks.......one of my favorites! I just got rid of a 61.

1963 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside Pickup

by the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide



of Consumer Guide, the Auto Editors. "1963 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside Pickup." 10 October 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1963-chevrolet-corvair-95-rampside-pickup.htm> 12 January 2010.


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<!-- dtl_id=462430 //-->Corvair, Chevrolet's first compact car, featured a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine like the VW Beetle. Chevy followed the German company's lead further by turning the Corvair into a van and a pickup with the 1963 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside Pickup.

​

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The 1963 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside Pickup
offered a 105-inch truck bed. </CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Conversion from a sedan to a van/pickup involved moving the driver seat forward over the front wheels. Total length stayed at 180 inches, but wheelbase actually shrank from 108 to 95 inches.
In the event of a crash, the driver's feet were dangerously close to front bumper, but behind him was a truck bed 105 inches in length or, in the van, a load deck 114 inches long. The Corvair Greenbrier wagon could be fitted with three rows of seats -- offering the room and versatility of a minivan.

The commercial series was badged "Corvair 95" for its wheelbase. Three models were offered -- Corvan, Loadside, and Rampside. The Corvan was a panel van. The Loadside was a pickup with conventional double-walled box and rear tailgate, while the Rampside added a door on the right side of the bed that folded down to form a ramp.

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The Rampside had a door on the side of the truck bed
that could be used as a ramp.
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Unique to Corvair, this feature allowed heavy loads to be rolled instead of lifted into the bed, and Chevrolet sales literature never missed a chance to illustrate it. The top edge was covered with rubber to protect it when lowered to the ground or curb.

The cargo bed was longer than a conventional truck's bed, but wasn't level. The rear half of the floor had to be raised to clear the engine.

Fortunately, the Corvair's six wasn't very tall. Two horizontal banks of cylinders faced each other with the crankshaft in the middle. Chevrolet knew that a heavy engine mounted in the rear would be trouble for handling, and extensive use of aluminum kept weight down -- although some argued that handling was still a problem.

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The 95 Pickup's engine was made of a lot of aluminum
to keep weight down, but handling was still an issue.
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Unusual for an American economy car, the Corvair had dual carburetors. The compact 145-cid unit put out 80 horsepower and, important for a truck, 128 pound-feet of torque. A top-mounted fan provided the air for the air-cooled engine.

A three-speed manual transmission was standard, but four-speed manual and Powerglide two-speed automatic transmissions were optional.

In 1960, Chevrolet was the first major truck builder to switch to independent front suspension. The Corvair 95 went the full-size trucks one better by offering full independent suspension via the swing-axle rear suspension shared with Corvair sedans. In spite of its passenger-car origins, the Corvair 95 pay-load was comparable to full-size Chevy trucks.


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The truck's interior was basic, with a radio
and four-speed transmission.
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Corvair 95 sales never took off and pickups were never as popular as Corvans. (The 1963 Rampside listed for $2,212 when new, but found only 2,046 buyers.)
Ford introduced the Falcon-based Econoline at the same time. Just as the conventionally engineered Falcon outsold the Corvair, the Econoline beat the Corvair 95. Chevrolet fought back with a front-engined Chevy Van in 1964, but without a pickup version. Corvair van and pickup production ended that year, although some Greenbrier wagons were sold as 1965s.

The 1963 Rampside pictured here features a radio, chrome bumpers, and the four-speed transmission.

 

1949 Diamond T Model 201 Pickup

Now this is a truck! The 1949 Diamond T Model 201 pickup came from a truck family long referred to as the Cadillac of commercial vehicles.

Chicago's Diamond T enjoyed a high reputation for style and quality. But most of its products were heavy haulers, and one-tonners like the 1949 Diamond T Model 201 pickup are very scarce.


Diamond T styling often mimicked that of passenger cars: The grille of this 1949 Diamond T Model 201 pickup is similar to that of a late-1930s Cadillac.

The styling of the 1949 Diamond T Model 201 pickup can be traced back to 1936 (Diamond T didn't go in for planned obsolescence). In that year, a passenger car-like horizontal-bar grille was adopted, along with a swept-back two-piece windshield that cranked open for ventilation.

Restyling for 1938 focused on a grille/headlamp/fender ensemble that resembled nothing so much as the 1938 Pontiac, minus its Silver Streaks. The grille was slightly modified in 1939 -- it looked like the 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special's -- but from this point the Model 201's styling was frozen.

The Diamond T Model 201 pickup was accompanied by an open express body style and a panel delivery that Diamond T boasted had a 99-inch cargo hold. An X-braced frame mounted an extra-heavy-duty front axle and full-floating rear axle, held by leaf springs at each corner.

The six-cylinder Hercules engine ran in seven main bearings and was cooled by a gear-driven water pump; it developed 91 bhp at 3,200 rpm, working into a Warner T9 four-speed manual gearbox. The rear axle ratio was a suitably truck-like 4.62:1.

First gear was really an emergency low: in normal driving the top three gears were generally adequate. Gross vehicle weight was 8,000 pounds, but the bare chassis weighed 2,750 pounds.

The Diamond T pickup wasn't cheap, listing at $1,655 -- about a third more than Ford charged for the half-ton V-8 pickup. Even Ford's F-3 one-tonner undercut Diamond T by more than $200.

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Unlike most pickups of the time, the 1949 Diamond T Model 201 pickup used no car-based components. Note the unusual rear-window design.
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Though prewar Diamond T Model 201 pickups featured a handsome engine-turned dash, electric clock, fancy steering wheel, full-disc hubcaps and soft imitation leather upholstery, postwar models leaned toward the practical. Typical equipment included turn signals, an extra taillight, cab lights, oil filter, and heavy-duty generator.

Collectible Pluses of the 1949 Diamond T Model 201 Pickup

• Rugged good looks
• Really different
• Remarkably smooth, quiet ride
• Exceptionally high quality of construction, fit, and finish

Collectible Minuses of the 1949 Diamond T Model 201 Pickup

• Parts are almost impossible to come by
• Back axle hops over rough surfaces
• Cab is cramped for tall drivers
• A very hard truck to find

 

HEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY!! NIIIICE CAR! Couldn't they cram one more
lady on that car? Glad the phone booth hadn't come into convention yet.

 

The original Marmon Wasp driven by Ray Harroon to victory in the very first Indy 500, May 30, 1911, no longer exists -- EXTINCT. But it was such a landmark car that a detailed replica (pictured) has been done, and another is reportedly underway in Chattanooga, TN. The car above resides at the Kruse Museum, Auburn, IN, and was photographed for RemarkableCars.Com by Douglas Wilkinson.

Harroon, #32, led 88 laps of the 200-lap race and was relieved for 35 laps at midpoint by Cyrus Patschke. Harroon and Patschke averaged 74.6 mph per lap -- not too shabby for 1911 !!! Had to have been a PR boost for owners Nordyke & Marmon, too! The mechanic was Harry Goetz, and the car ran Firestone tires.

Back when a dollar bought something, the winner's purse was $14,250. To put it in today's terms would probably require multiplication by a factor between 20 and 30 !!! YIKE. What a prize in 1911, eh?

 

SunRoofCord, that brings back a neat memory for me! My dad
used a mechanic for things he didn't have specific tools for, and
the guy -- Bob Beck was his name -- had a '55 like this, as a
wrecker. But, if I recall correctly, by then they were Diamond-
Reo. Please correct me, if I am off base, buddy.

 

According to this excerpt from Wikipedia under REO, Diamond T Trucks did not merge with Reo till 1967.

REO After passenger cars

Although truck orders during World War II enabled it to revive somewhat, the company remained unstable in the postwar era, resulting in a bankruptcy reorganization. In 1954, the company was still underperforming, and sold vehicle manufacturing operations (the primary asset of the company) to the Bohn Aluminum and Brass Company of Detroit. Three years later, in 1957, it became a subsidiary of the White Motor Company. White then merged REO with Diamond T Trucks in 1967 to form Diamond-Reo Trucks, Inc. In 1975, this company filed for bankruptcy in the Western District of Michigan and most of its assets were liquidated.

Meanwhile, the corporation remained nominally after the 1954 Bohn sale. Management began liquidating the organization, but due to shareholder issues, instead acquired Nuclear Consultants, Inc., a nuclear medicine or nuclear industry services organization (unclear), and renamed the combined company "Nuclear Corporation of America, Inc." The company diversified, and purchased other companies, to become a conglomerate, including nuclear, prefabricated housing, and steel joist businesses. Most of these business were failures, except for the latter, and the company was bankrupted once again in 1965. Upon reorganizing, only the successful steel joist business remained; that company started producing recycled steel, leading to today's steel company, Nucor.

 

SWI, man, you ALSO brought a flash-back! These were odd t see, but the practical advantages for maneuvering and loading are obvious! They WORKED! A softball buddy of mine in the early '80s had a van version of these. Good van.
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Jeesh, SunRoof, Post #1704 surely tells the sad outcome for Diamond T, REO, Diamond-REO, doesn't it? (BUT, then, even WHITE went the same way eventually, didn't it? And WHITE had started out in the sewing machine and auto biz, as well!)

Yeah, that '55 I remembered MUST have been a Diamond T.

 

Gosh, I hope nobody brings up Seagrave of Columbus, Ohio, which bought the design for Pierce-Arrow's V-12 and kept UP-sizing them right up 'til 1969 or '70. Last gas-powered firetrucks in America. Biggest V-12: 906 CID!

OOPS! I guess SOMEbody just DID bring them up!

 

After I brought up the Chevy/GMC car-pickups of '55-'59, I am GLAD others stepped in with the Dodge Sweptsides!!! These were just SO typical of the kooky '50s, weren't they? Screw focus groups! Let's just BUILD it & see if there's a market!!! LOL

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On the OTHER hand, International Harvester is credited by many (albeit after the fact) with creating the TRUE fore-runner to the SUV -- WAAAAY back in the 54 with the IH Travel All. Not one damn focus group, either!

 

1941 Plymouth PT-125

The 1941 Plymouth PT-125 pickup differed little from its 1940 predecessor or, for that matter, from the 1939 model. And with good reason; Plymouth may have known its truck venture wasn't long for this world.

The 1939 Plymouth trucks had been thoroughly revamped with a new cab and totally different styling that no longer imitating the passenger cars. Rather, Plymouth finally had give its trucks a huskier look more suited to the breed.

But not everybody liked the new look. Critics said the front fenders were too bulbous and the hood to high and rounded. On the other hand, the rear fenders were fully skirted and all fenders sported "speedlines" to impart a feeling of motion.


This 1941 Plymouth PT-125 pickup represents the last of its breed; Plymouth would never again produce a genuine truck.

In a major change from pre-1939 models, the cab was moved forward and the pickup box lengthened. This changed the proportions enough to lose the long-hood look of the mid-1930s models. Plymouth was now able to advertise a "big roomy 3-man cab [with] oversize dimensions."

Sealed beam headlamps were added for 1940. The price jumped to $625 for the 1941 Plymouth PT-125 pickup, though styling changes were modest: cowl-mounted parking lights, headlights moved out to the centerline of the fenders (looking rather frog-eyed), a neat chrome "V" on the vertical front edge of the grille, and nameplates moved to the center of the hood.

Horsepower of the famous L-head six rose to 87. The options list included many heavy-duty extras and, since the basic truck was quite spartan, Plymouth listed a number of safety and appearance items: right-hand taillight, dome light, chrome headlights and cowl lamps, chrome windshield frame, grille guard, dual horns, sun visor, inside mirror, and spare wheel lock. (All of the above cost a mere $32.)

Plymouth trucks were built on the Dodge truck line but in much smaller quantities. In 1941 only 6,073 Plymouth pickups were built, while Dodge delivered more than 54,000 half-ton trucks to the government alone. For 1942, Plymouth fielded only a car-based utility sedan, and built just 80 of those.

Collectible Pluses of the 1941 Plymouth PT-125

• Scarce
• Easy to afford, restore, and run
• Solid construction
• Straightforward mechanicals

Collectible Minuses of the 1941 Plymouth PT-125

• Hard to find
• Replacement parts are scarce
• More expensive than most

Note the fancy "speedlines" at the bottom of the fenders of this 1941 Plymouth PT-125.

 

I like it. I like it a LOT! But, then, we just touched recently on the
ART of hood ornaments -- to which I would add, this GRILLE isn't
shabby, either!



'33 Willys pickup truck

 

Is this the same one that was in this month's Hemmings for 65k? Located in Penn.

 

1937-1938 Mack Jr Half-Ton Pickup

Mack hoped that its compact 1937-1938 Mack Jr half-ton pickup would sell at the 1936 Mack Jr's pace, but that didn't happen, and Mack's foray into the small-size market ended with the 1938 model.

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The 1937-1938 Mack Jr half-ton pickup was the big-rig specialist's final foray into the small-truck market it had entered with the 1936 Mack Jr.
</center></td></tr></tbody></table>
Mack's heavy-duty trucks are synonymous with big-rig toughness. But only truck historians may realized the Allentown, Pennsylvania, company also once built a "personal Mack," the Mack Jr in a size that would fit most every garage. (The model name was never spelled out, or given a period.)

The Mack Jr came about in the mid 1930s. Hoping to improve sales during a lean period, Mack arranged with truck builder Reo to sell slightly disguised Reo light-duty trucks with Mack badging.

The Mack Jr debuted for 1936 in 1/2-ton to 3-ton ratings (gross vehicle weights of 4500 to 14,500 pounds). This was light compared to the "real" Macks, which started at 18,000 pounds.

Eight model choices ranged from pickup and panel truck to a school-bus chassis. The program worked: Mack registrations increased from 1,515 in 1935 to 4,226 in 1936, with the Jr accounting for 2,343.

Mack revised the 1937 Mack Jr, replacing the 4,500-pound 1M pickup with a 5,000-pound 2M; with a special axle, it could even take an extra 500 pounds of cargo. A new chassis, heavier axles, and more rigid frame marked the 1937 Mack Jr as a serious truck built to Mack standards.

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Mack's distinctive bulldog mascot graced the hood of the 1937-1938 Mack Jr half-ton pickup.

</center></td></tr></tbody></table>Eye appeal was enhanced with new wheels, a handsome new hood and grille, and fenders painted to match the body. All bodies were improved in appearance, cabs were fitted with lovely appointments, and the trucks could doubtless handle far more than their 1/2- or 3/4-ton ratings.

Prices for the 1937 Mack Jr ranged from $575 for the 1/2-ton pickup to $1,205. Ford's pickup, in comparison, cost only $470. Mack told its salesmen it didn't know "how to sell at a price" and urged they sell the vehicles on their merits.

Still, deliveries slipped to 2,226 for 1937, then plummeted in 1938 to only 405. Mack pulled the plug, able again to succeed handsomely with its large trucks.

Collectible Pluses of the 1937-1938 Mack Jr Half-Ton Pickup

• One of the best truck marques in the world
• Unique and very rare
• Demand for these will always be far above supply
• Nicely styled and beautifully appointed

Collectible Minuses of the 1937-1938 Mack Jr Half-Ton Pickup

• Very hard to find
• Body hardware and some mechanical parts are scarce
• Very expensive

This 1938 Mack Jr 2M pickup was one of only 117 2M versions delivered for the model year.

 

It's the same car.

 

Don't blame me. You brought it up. LOL

Seen at 2009 "Back To The Fifties" show in St. Paul Mn.

38 BUICK/SEAGRAVE-V12.