Can you believe this was a usual sight in Honduras until the late ’70s?
Thanks to the joys of technology, I’ve come across a load of pictures of old Honduras. I’ve already posted one, but of course nothing comes without its problems. You see, it seems most of them have hopelessly inaccurate information. How hopelessly inaccurate? This 1966 Ford F-350 (or so) was tagged as a 1930 model. That sound you just heard was me, facepalming.
Anyway, what you see there is one of the last “Baronesas”. Basically crude buses made from trucks by replacing everything behind the windshield with a wooden structure and benches. Around the time the picture was taken (that Ford doesn’t look at all fresh so I’m guessing mid-’70s) the powers that be started to realize that pavement might be a good idea on places that didn’t just connect the borders of the country together and the Baronesas slowly gave way to normal buses.
Very interesting. That second one is a Studebaker Transtar. That front end makes it no older than a 1957 model, but it could be as late as a 1964. The heavy duty versions of the Transtar were offered alongside the smaller Champ right up until the end.
I see that the Ford packs a V8 – I wonder which one? My guess would be one of the big FE engines, but I’m not sure which ones Ford was offering. The Stude would likely have been running a Stude 289 V8, or possibly the big old flathead Commander six that powered the Commander and Land Cruiser prior to the V8 coming along in 1951.
352 FE was the only V8 that year, along with the 240 and 300 six. Ask me how I know. 🙂
Ford used the old Y-blocks in South America long after they discontinued them in the US.
True, in Argentina. But a good number of cars and trucks were imported from the US to Central America. I don’t know that Argentina built these trucks, especially with the ’66-only grille like this one. I’m guessing it’s a US-built truck.
Studebaker built some tough trucks, and good looking ones too. I’m reading a book about the company, and some of the 1967-70 car models they had planned were stunning. Too little, too late.
How resourceful are folks in less-industrialized countries; Filipino Jeepneys come to mind as well.
At first blush the top one reminds me of what I did to most of my trucks back when I was still supporting my first wife. Couldn’t afford air conditioners on my old wrecks so I installed a parasol. When you enclose it and splash on some paint it doesn’t look too bad. Makes you look like a handyman.
The one item that made it to every truck was the side windows that allowed access to the front of the bed without climbing in. That story is subtitled: “how to survive the Houston summer without AC”. But not all that well.
Is that a grader BEHIND the Ford??
Yep. A grader is a pretty good recovery vehicle.
That hillside must be pretty steep and the track pretty rough for the bus to have gotten stuck there!
Pretty neat photos ! I hope you’ll share more .
Reminds me of my time in Guatemala , Centro America .
-Nate
Love these arcane corners of automobiledom. Thanks Gerardo