Hi I'm Jim Wood or as some know me J.E., Gambler, Woody, I started trucking in1955 in Detroit Mich. Then in1960 with Atlas Van lines . Had ten rigs & retired from A.B.F. freight Sys. in 2006 with twenty years in the teamers. It was a bit harder in the 60's but the Lord gave me a hobby that gave me a GOOD living. HE HAS BEED VERY GOOD TOME.
Wow.....Great video. Before my trucking time in the early 70's but i can still remember some of the trucks. Diamond ts, whites, internationals, Fords, chevrolets, and dodges. Remeinds me of an old truckstop dad and i stopped at several times on Rt.#2 between Toledo and Sandusky Ohio. Greys truck stop. An old greasy spoon from yester year from this era....not the cleanest place...BUT great food with large portions near(on) a bend in the road. When i traveled with dad back then i got to have my own 7-up and did not have to share with my sister. Strange the things a grown man remembers from his youth...as i wipe a tear from my eye. R.I.P "The Gambler" Harvey from Holland Mi....OH and the Marmons, the brockways, the autocars the........
My dad started driving in 1946 when he got home from the service. Them guys had to have iron rearends because the trucks rode so rough. 30-35 was top speed when they were loaded and only 2 lane roads. Them guys were real truckdrivers not some of the steering wheel holders of today.
Thanks, this brought back a flood of memories for me. No, I didn't drive truck but my father did. He started back in the late 30's or early 40's while in the CCC. He's told of all the drivers having to maintain their own trucks.
Thanks for posting this. I saw a few things I only heard of previously, like the bunk house. I drove from 1997-2015. I always respected the drivers from the time period shown in the video.
1946 federal 25m2 my grandfather drove and my dad following him. I just got it back 32 years later and the old flathead 6 is going to roar to life again!
Wow great pics. The golden years of truck driving. I have 34 years in. Trucking is nothing like it use to be. Truckers were curious and conducted theirselves like a professional driver, not like today. Laziness and NO professionalism at all
My first ride in a truck was sitting on my daddys lap at the age of 5 in a brand new 22 model White. In those days there was no power steering and in many cases no heater or defroster. A big heavy robe to put over your legs and a candle on the dashboard to defrost the windows. Turn signals were an option and when drivers wanted to turn they'd flash the clearance lights so folks would know they were going to do something and stay out of the way. When I started driving in 1964 it was in an R model International Harvester with an inline 6 gas engine and a five speed with a 2 speed differential. At the age of 19 I was hooked up to a pole trailer stretched out to 90 feet with 96,000 pounds of structural steel on it. My first week driving truck I worked 98 hours. I was a wee bit tuckered out.
Dad & brother both short halers & OTR. I remember the old trucks..cold, drafty, steel dash boards, piss poor brakes, small engines, line of cars a mile long behind you, doing 10 mph at the top of a grade, vinyl hard bench seats, long old shifters( grinding gears)...geezer I could go on. You had to be there.
I enjoyed the video. It was before my time. I started driving in 1968 driving a 1958 Chevrolet single axle truck tractor hauling baled cotton and cotton seed from a cotton gin. Those drivers got to enjoy better meals at those truck stops than drivers of today can imagine. Those drivers were professional s and didn't have to go to school to learn how.
Hi
I'm Jim Wood or as some know me J.E., Gambler, Woody, I started trucking in1955 in Detroit Mich. Then in1960 with Atlas Van lines . Had ten rigs & retired from A.B.F. freight Sys. in 2006 with twenty years in the teamers. It was a bit harder in the 60's but the Lord gave me a hobby that gave me a GOOD living. HE HAS BEED VERY GOOD TOME.
Wow.....Great video. Before my trucking time in the early 70's but i can still remember some of the trucks. Diamond ts, whites, internationals, Fords, chevrolets, and dodges. Remeinds me of an old truckstop dad and i stopped at several times on Rt.#2 between Toledo and Sandusky Ohio. Greys truck stop. An old greasy spoon from yester year from this era....not the cleanest place...BUT great food with large portions near(on) a bend in the road. When i traveled with dad back then i got to have my own 7-up and did not have to share with my sister. Strange the things a grown man remembers from his youth...as i wipe a tear from my eye. R.I.P "The Gambler" Harvey from Holland Mi....OH and the Marmons, the brockways, the autocars the........
My dad started driving in 1946 when he got home from the service. Them guys had to have iron rearends because the trucks rode so rough. 30-35 was top speed when they were loaded and only 2 lane roads. Them guys were real truckdrivers not some of the steering wheel holders of today.
Can you imagine driving some of old gas pots with a flathead 6? You had 80-100 HP at your disposal. Tons of respect out to the old-timers.
Thanks, this brought back a flood of memories for me. No, I didn't drive truck but my father did. He started back in the late 30's or early 40's while in the CCC. He's told of all the drivers having to maintain their own trucks.
Way back when men were men and the women were glad of it.Great music,awesome photo's of days long gone.Thanks!!!
I would love to hear a lot more from the folks who did the music. Crisp, clean and athentically old timey country bluegrass.
Thanks for posting this. I saw a few things I only heard of previously, like the bunk house. I drove from 1997-2015. I always respected the drivers from the time period shown in the video.
All I can say is that trucking has changed a lot over the 60 years that I have seen those big rigs on the roads. Thank for the history lesson.
Back when Trucking was Trucking... I really wish I lived during that era to see it, I was born in the wrong time period.
Charming music and really would like to go back in those American 60's and 70's. And 80's
1946 federal 25m2 my grandfather drove and my dad following him. I just got it back 32 years later and the old flathead 6 is going to roar to life again!
god bless this video Ive always respected the pioneers of trucking...My dad was a trucker from 1956 till 1977 god bless yall
Wow great pics. The golden years of truck driving. I have 34 years in. Trucking is nothing like it use to be. Truckers were curious and conducted theirselves like a professional driver, not like today. Laziness and NO professionalism at all
My first ride in a truck was sitting on my daddys lap at the age of 5 in a brand new 22 model White. In those days there was no power steering and in many cases no heater or defroster. A big heavy robe to put over your legs and a candle on the dashboard to defrost the windows. Turn signals were an option and when drivers wanted to turn they'd flash the clearance lights so folks would know they were going to do something and stay out of the way. When I started driving in 1964 it was in an R model International Harvester with an inline 6 gas engine and a five speed with a 2 speed differential. At the age of 19 I was hooked up to a pole trailer stretched out to 90 feet with 96,000 pounds of structural steel on it. My first week driving truck I worked 98 hours. I was a wee bit tuckered out.
Dad & brother both short halers & OTR. I remember the old trucks..cold, drafty, steel dash boards, piss poor brakes, small engines, line of cars a mile long behind you, doing 10 mph at the top of a grade, vinyl hard bench seats, long old shifters( grinding gears)...geezer I could go on. You had to be there.
I enjoyed the video. It was before my time. I started driving in 1968 driving a 1958 Chevrolet single axle truck tractor hauling baled cotton and cotton seed from a cotton gin. Those drivers got to enjoy better meals at those truck stops than drivers of today can imagine. Those drivers were professional s and didn't have to go to school to learn how.
As a retired truck driver, it would have been fun to drive one of those old trucks for just one day. It would have been a real experience.
From twin sticks to Automated transmission ......life goes on..
Loved this video! Thanks for taking the time and effort to create such a neat glimpse into the past at men and machine.