Whether any of the Chevy trucks lasted more than 10 years depends entirely on where they were sent and the area’s policy towards road salt. They could rust like it’s an Olympic sport. The sun-reflective white roofs on several of the otherwise-plain trucks is a good sign (it was probably a cheaper option than air conditioning).
The Dodge vans look like they are likely bound for a conversion van company. I can’t imagine a dealer ordering all of those in the same grey for stock. It it was for a gov’t entity or commercial fleet they would have likely been white.
So yeah maybe one or two survived and some young female has rescued it from the field it spent the last 10 years in and is now living in it down by the river.
“Fleet white” wasn’t quite as universal in the ’70s as it is now. Quite a lot of companies had their own distinct fleet colors. A quick GIS shows Montgomery Ward used a similar blue for its’ fleet trucks, that could be what we’re looking at here.
What I find impressive is that eight B-bodies fit – only one less than a load of Rabbits. That speaks volumes to what has been previously written about the relatively space efficient design of the GM platform.
I wonder how well this trailer worked with a mixed load of vehicles?
Hydraulic decks of these trailers are very versatile. From Lordstown Ohio the volume product was Vega, then Monza and its H body derivatives, but rail link brought in Impalas and vans. Mixed loads were common.
I actually count 9 B-bodies, though the middle one in the rear might possibly be something else.
I used to think the B-bodies as large cars by the 1990’s-early 2000’s, but by today’s standards with the way cars and trucks have bulked up so much they may still be long but otherwise really aren’t that big anymore.
I assume the reference to “middle rear” is the odd looking one over the rear wheels of the trailer. That’s still a Chevy B-body, but it’s the odd duck amongst those 4-door Caprices. Looks like it is an Impala Sport Coupe. You can see the longer front door, and the front end doesn’t have the wrap around turn signals like the Caprices do, but has the separate reflector and the chrome trim surrounding the grille.
I’d go for one of the two tone St. Regis or maybe that New Yorker sitting over the cab. Funny to see this as I’m searching for another turn signal switch for my ’79 St. Regis. The Dorman replacement is trash after five years of relatively light use compared to the previous 36 years from the original part. Searching for NOS this time.
I’m impressed you still have a 79 St. Regis. I always thought these were the best looking of the downsized cars (versus GM and Ford) but they sold in limited numbers and disappeared quickly. Build quality and reliability seemed to be issues.
Absolutely, those places bought them by the train loads.
There used to be a company in Yakima WA that was located near the freeway. They would have row upon row of identical vans waiting for their turn and of course on the other side of the building completed units waiting for their trip to the dealer.
From Dodge vans to a litter of Rabbits, that is quite the contrast!
A few thoughts / observations:
– The Caprice on the upper left has a front fender of a different shade than the rest of the car.
– Those Chevrolet pickups are remarkably basic with their painted bumpers. Likely half of them are still in use somewhere.
– All of those Dodge vans are still in existence.
– One of those Rabbits is in or around Eugene!
– The two-tone St. Regis that is top center is my pick of the litter. None of the four St. Regii on that trailer are police cars, either.
Or if the pickups aren’t in running condition, some of their parts are in trucks that are.
I see the same thing on the Caprice on the lowest level of the trailer. Paint mixup on a Friday at the factory??
Whether any of the Chevy trucks lasted more than 10 years depends entirely on where they were sent and the area’s policy towards road salt. They could rust like it’s an Olympic sport. The sun-reflective white roofs on several of the otherwise-plain trucks is a good sign (it was probably a cheaper option than air conditioning).
The Dodge vans look like they are likely bound for a conversion van company. I can’t imagine a dealer ordering all of those in the same grey for stock. It it was for a gov’t entity or commercial fleet they would have likely been white.
So yeah maybe one or two survived and some young female has rescued it from the field it spent the last 10 years in and is now living in it down by the river.
“Fleet white” wasn’t quite as universal in the ’70s as it is now. Quite a lot of companies had their own distinct fleet colors. A quick GIS shows Montgomery Ward used a similar blue for its’ fleet trucks, that could be what we’re looking at here.
What I find impressive is that eight B-bodies fit – only one less than a load of Rabbits. That speaks volumes to what has been previously written about the relatively space efficient design of the GM platform.
I wonder how well this trailer worked with a mixed load of vehicles?
Hydraulic decks of these trailers are very versatile. From Lordstown Ohio the volume product was Vega, then Monza and its H body derivatives, but rail link brought in Impalas and vans. Mixed loads were common.
I actually count 9 B-bodies, though the middle one in the rear might possibly be something else.
I used to think the B-bodies as large cars by the 1990’s-early 2000’s, but by today’s standards with the way cars and trucks have bulked up so much they may still be long but otherwise really aren’t that big anymore.
I assume the reference to “middle rear” is the odd looking one over the rear wheels of the trailer. That’s still a Chevy B-body, but it’s the odd duck amongst those 4-door Caprices. Looks like it is an Impala Sport Coupe. You can see the longer front door, and the front end doesn’t have the wrap around turn signals like the Caprices do, but has the separate reflector and the chrome trim surrounding the grille.
I’d go for one of the two tone St. Regis or maybe that New Yorker sitting over the cab. Funny to see this as I’m searching for another turn signal switch for my ’79 St. Regis. The Dorman replacement is trash after five years of relatively light use compared to the previous 36 years from the original part. Searching for NOS this time.
I’m impressed you still have a 79 St. Regis. I always thought these were the best looking of the downsized cars (versus GM and Ford) but they sold in limited numbers and disappeared quickly. Build quality and reliability seemed to be issues.
I’m gonna guess the B-vans are part of a fleet order, being all identical.
Being grey I think they were probably headed to a conversion company.
That’s a sort of a fleet order 🙂
Absolutely, those places bought them by the train loads.
There used to be a company in Yakima WA that was located near the freeway. They would have row upon row of identical vans waiting for their turn and of course on the other side of the building completed units waiting for their trip to the dealer.
Ofcourse, when the long journey of the last-pictured truck commenced, they had loaded just two Rabbits.
LOL
This is kind of like The Twelve Days of Christmas, but in reverse.
“Fiiiiiiive Blue Dodge Vaaaaaans”
🙂