When this truck was built in 1920 it was one of the most modern trucks being produced.   Its unique engine design sported removable sleeves, a pressure oiling system, and a two-range transmission that provided 8 forward speeds.  The valves were also located in the block, which allowed for easy engine repair and maintenance which was almost unheard of for the time period.  The ignition was a magneto system and had an electric starter.

This truck has solid rubber tires with hollow spoke cast wheels.  The truck was available in two wheelbases; 163″ or 187″,  putting the weight of the truck between 7,900 pounds and 8,100 pounds depending on customization.  The truck was a 7,000-load capacity.  Standard equipment included electric head lamps, one tail light, generator, storage battery, horn, tool kit and a jack.  This truck was purchased by our founder, Bill moon, in 1991 at the renowned Earl Marhanka auction.  At this auction over 350 pre-1930 trucks and tractors were sold; the largest collection at that time.

In 1920 , William W. MacDonald founded the MacDonald Truck & Tractor Company in San Francisco.  During this first year, He created this Model AB 7.5 Ton Low-bed.  Due to its ability to transport heavy loads and equipment,  it became an extremely popular truck.  This truck weighs 16,000 pounds and was sold new for $8,000.  To allow for higher payloads, this truck features a set-back front axle design.  In order to accommodate the large amount of weight on the front wheels, MacDonald was one the first truck manufacturers to patent and use hydraulic powered steering and brakes.  Hydraulic powered steering in vehicles did not become widespread until WWII.  This model had one of the lowest beds at the time, at 16.5 inches above the ground.  Primarily used to transport goods and equipment between docks and warehouses, the low bed, the low bed allowed cargo to be loaded and unloaded with ease.  Due to this low clearance, the Model AB could not run a drive train or brake connection to the back wheels.  On the driver’s side o the cab is a compact capstan winch.  Powered by the truck engine, this winch could help haul extremely heavy equipment into the bed.  This heavy-duty truck and its components helped move cargo more efficiently, saving workers time and energy.  MacDonald Truck & Tractor Company was later renamed Union Construction Co.  And MacDonald Truck and Manufacturing Co. before being bought by Peterbilt in the late 1940s.  The last MacDonald truck was produced in 1952.

                       ⇒ Packard 4-cylinder flathead engine 
                         ⇒ 4-speed Packard sliding gear transmission
                       ⇒ Top speed – 28 MPH

Made in Detroit, Michigan, this truck was sold new in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Packard started making trucks in 1903.  In 1911, a Packard made the trip from New York to San Francisco in 46 days. It was the first truck to haul freight cross-country. This particular model was made in July of 1922, just one year before Packard stopped producing trucks.  Packard made all the parts for their trucks.  This workhorse has a gravity-operated dump bed.

White Motor Company, which got its start with steam-powered cars, became on of the leading truck manufacturers in America.  The company did not start by producing automobiles, but instead sewing machines.  White Sewing Machine was founded by Thomas White in Templeton, Massachusetts who moved operations to Cleveland, Ohio in 1876.  The first White truck was built by White Motor Company in 1911 under the direction of White’s sons.

This 1923 International is a Six-Speed Special model which was purchased new by the Ellerbrock family in Sac City, Iowa and was donated to us.  On the steering column of this truck is a spark and a throttle control.  Timing must be adjusted when the engine speeds up and back in the day it was adjusted by ear.  The gas tank was located under the seat and was filled from inside the cab.  There are gas primer cups on the engine to help start the it during winter.  Gas could be added directly into the primer cups which would then directly go to the cylinders so the engine would fire easily.

The Mack AB model was Mack’s first standardized, high volume model series, introduced in 1914, replacing the Mack Jr. line.  The first AB models had a chain drive or worm drive.  In 1920, a dual reduction drive replaced worm drive as an option.  This medium duty truck’s simple, classic styling made it very popular.  The Mack AB was produced through 1937.  Over 55,000 units were manufactured.

Originally a dump truck, this Sterling was later bought by Frank Oulicky in 1931.  He and His wife used it to haul equipment and their belongings to California to mine for gold.  With a top speed of 22 MPH, it took them 16 days to reach California.  Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Sternberg Motor Truck Company was founded by William Sternberg in 1907.  During WWI, the name was changed to Sterling Motor Truck Company.   One of Sterling’s most well-known features were the solid oak boards laid into the frames to reduce road shock.  This feature was patented in 1922.  Showcasing how proud Sterling was of their brand, you will find “Sterling” stamped into the rear frame and cast into various parts on the truck.  In 1951, Sterling was sold to White Motor Company.  Then, in 1953 White Motor Company bought Autocar, and the Sterling brand was discontinued.

Of the 15,500 trucks that International made in 1925, 2,972 of them were this model.  Th Lycoming design engine uses ball bearings on the crankshaft, which is very unusual.  The City of Menominee, Wisconsin used this truck for treet cleaning until 1957.

The 20-ton connected to this truck was made by Rogers Brothers Corporation in 1926.  The Pennsylvania-based company got its start in 1905; it is the oldest family-owned business in the heavy-duty low-bed trailer industry.  Rogers has also made tractors, snowplows, road planes, and vans over the years.  Still in business today, the company has established a reputation of quality and excellence.  Rogers was even contracted by the United States government to create trailers and troop carriers in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. 

This trailer would have cost $2,800 brand new.  With a 10-foot width it would be oversized today, but wide trailers were common in the early 20th century because there were no restrictions on trailer width at the time.  There is a wheel at the front of the trailer that controls its brakes.  The truck brakes were not strong enough to hold the trailer back.  So, if one was going down the a hill, some brave soul had to stand on the trailer and apply the trailer brakes when the driver asked for them.  The arch connecting the trailer to the truck was a feature developed by Rogers in 1923.  Because of its resemblance to a goose’s neck it became known as a “gooseneck” — a term that is still used today.

         Caterpillar Sixty
On the trailer is a caterpillar Model Sixty crawler tractor.  It’s famous for its overhanging radiator, individually mounted cylinders, lever controls, and open clutch.  The model was first introduced in 1919 by the C. L. Best Tractor Company as the Best 60 Tracklayer and was produced in Peoria, IL (the ‘PA’ series) as well as San Leandro, CA (‘A’ series); it was the company’s most successful tractor.  When C.L. Best Tractor merged with the Holt Manufacturing to form the Caterpillar Tractor Company in April 1925, the name of this model changed from Best 60 to Caterpillar Sixty.  The company stopped production of the tractor in 1931; by that point, they had made nearly 19,000 of this model.

It weighs approximately 21,000 pounds and has 4-cylinder, 60 horsepower engine. The Caterpillar Sixty was a marvel of engineering, a legend in its own time.  It is known as an innovation where power, suspension, and design come together in a machine that performs far in excess of those envisioned by the designers.  There is no blade on the Caterpillar Sixty; though you could buy a bade attachment to push dirt, they weren’t as commonly used for that purpose as they are today.  Judging from the wear on the hitch, this  one was used extensively.

This truck was built for strength and durability, not speed. 
The Big Brute boasted a two-range transmission permitting a wider range of gear reductions for pulling power. The truck was also known for its sharp 17-foot turning radius, touting it could do a U-turn on a city street, even with the trailer attached!  The A unique feature of the cab is the sliding glass which folds up into three sections behind the driver and the passenger.  The door also slides back into the cab, like a pocket door in older homes.  This truck was originally used at a grain elevator in Minnesota.  The truck was used so much that the hard rubber tires were worn off.  The wheel spokes were then cut and rims were welded to the spokes to accommodate pneumatic tires.

The first Mack AC was built in 1915 and this 1929 Mack AC looks the same.  it has the same four-cylinder engine, radiator in the back, flip hood, crank start, water pump and is a chain drive.  Simplicity and accessibility are the outstanding characteristics of both the Mack model AB and model AC engines.  This is the quintessential model; it is what many people thought of when they heard the words Mack truck.  The hard tired, chain driven brute became a legend in its own time and 40,299 were manufactured continuously through 1939 – a remarkable 24 years.

1929 RELAY

             ⇒ Engine:  6-cylinder
             ⇒ Transmission:  4 speed
             ⇒ Top Speed:  30 MPH
This 1920 Relay became famous for its patented relay drive system on the rear axle. Relay claimed superior traction and this truck was able to go where others wouldn’t. This is a shaft driven truck and the weight is carried by a separate tube and axle. there were many reasons to why truck brands failed; Relay was more expensive than the average truck and the owner would have to find a dealer, since parts were not available anywhere else. There were no financing options available during that time, which caused many truck companies to fail. There is no indication that truck buyers really worried about appearance of a truck back then, it was all about performance and getting the work done.

Ransom Eli Olds founded the REO Motor company in 1904 after leaving the Olds Motor Works Company (Oldsmobile) which he had also founded.  When he left Oldsmobile, He precluded from using His name (Olds) for another auto company so He chose to use His initials (REO).  By the fall of 1904, the new company began producing its first trucks. REO trucks were made from 1904 to 1967.  Now you know where the brand name came from.