Let’s take a look at some Volkswagens on the roll, in what looks to be 1966. Here’s another one of those 105′ long rigs operating under a special permit in Washington. Undoubtedly they arrived in the port of Seattle and are on their way to eager owners. One Porsche found its way into the mix, but then Porsche was always tied to VW in varying degrees.
The truck is an “Emeryville” International, as this cab was made there in IH’s Emeryville, CA plant. It’s an adaptation of their earlier COE cab, now mounted higher and above the axle, in more typical West Coast style. That same cab also eventually sprouted a hood and was turned into a conventional truck, the Transtar 400.
Here’s a few more:
This looks to be from about 1962 or 1963, the last year pickups were imported due to the “chicken tax”.
This type of rig was used only for very short distance hauling, as it was very quick to load and unload, but did not carry as many cars.
Here’s some pickups and a Transporter from the ’50s, when they were quite popular as commercial vehicles. There was nothing on the market like them, and were very cheap to buy and operate.
The final picture is a bit unusual, as it’s a mixed load, obviously. The Rabbits were from VW’s Westmoreland, PA factory, presumably.
In the 1st photo, I see 2 Porsche’s and 1 Karmann Ghia. I’m no expert, but would guess around ‘64-‘65.
Yep, agreed. I wonder if they’re 911s or 912s? Maybe some expert can weigh in…
Porsches with Volkswagen steel rims = 912.
Actually not so. 911s back then only came with steel rims. Starting in 1966, the Fuchs alloys were optional on the new 911S.
1966. First year for Fastback/Squareback in US, and the Beetles still had narrow rear track.
Great photos. The last pic appears from 1979. Interesting, to compare the efficient cabin space utilization of the Rabbits with the Aspens, and Newport, in a much smaller overall package. Leading automotive engineering of the 70s, and repackaged traditionally engineered cars here.
Also compare the proportions of the Dodge Diplomat (?) and the Newport. The Diplomat offered nearly as much interior space as the Chrysler. And the F body-based Diplomat also had a deeper trunk than the Newport, in a smaller package. As the 225 or 318 could adequately power the Diplomat. Of course, the Newport was based on the intermediate B body platform, so though it looked like a traditional full-sized car, it was scaled towards an intermediate. As the Rabbits and Aspens look unusually large compared to the Chrysler.
Not that common to see base Aspens have the optional bumper guards, but no whitewalls.
The trailers with the VWs look heavily laden, but still relatively lightweight.
I remember at the time, there was a quick way to distinguish between an Aspen and Volare, when viewing them in profile, and not having trim or wheel covers that readily identified them by their division. If you looked at their badges on the front fender, the capitalized ‘A’ or ‘V’ (pointing up or down) was easy to see from a long way.
The College of Curbside Knowledge continues to teach me things I never knew about my hometown environs. I knew that IH had a plant for many years just a few miles away in San Leandro, which closed in the seventies, but never knew that before that (or perhaps overlapping) they built trucks in Emeryville which was right next door to where I grew up. And that Emeryville unofficially loaned its name to those models and they’re still known by that name to truck fans today. And in a generally more positive light, I suspect, than “Westmoreland Rabbits”.
on a transporter with other Mopar products, I wonder if those “Rabbits” are actually Horizons?
The Horizons all were four doors, and looked decidedly different in certain respects.
I’m guessing that the last pic was of a dealer-to-dealer transfer.
The Emeryville cab on that International DCO is indeed interesting. As you correctly pointed out, it was a modified version of the International CO medium duty tilt cab mounted higher to clear various Cummins and Detroit diesels with a set forward front axle. But, that cab didn’t originate with International. It was actually designed by Diamond T before they were bought out by White. International and Diamond T were both located in Chicago, and there was quite a degree of cooperation between the 2 truck manufacturers. International provided Diamond T with their ‘Comfo-Vision’ conventional cab and Red Diamond 6 cylinder gasoline engines. Diamond T shared their then-new tilt cab design with International, and assembled some Cummins powered heavy duty R series trucks for International. Of course when White bought Diamond T this all went out the window. International evidentally had their own set of tooling for this tilt cab as both IH and Diamond T continued to use it up into the 70’s. In addition, Diamond T had a fiberglass version of this cab as well.
Interesting looking at some of your transporter posts, Paul. For most of my years, I’ve associated auto carriers with large trucks and large trailers, carrying usually 9 cars at the most, soemetines more. Working at a dealership the last 8 years has surprised me with some of the carrier rigs dropping off loads. I still see a fair number of the large trucks, but I also see a pretty equal number of 2 and 3 car haulers being pulled by one-ton dually set ups. Perhaps it’s being in Jacksonville, with several car carrier operations here, or because we have brisk import business at our port (along with nearby Brunswick), I don’t know. It just seems inefficient to only truck a few cars at a time into a dealership. I’m aware the smaller rigs have less overhead, but it can’t be that much. One driver said he could haul more, but he’d have to pay for more ”tag” (weight) capacity, it wasn’t worth it to him. We do receive medium duty 4500/5500/6500 trucks rebranded from the International plant in Indiana; that seems like a long haul for just a few trucks.
Just my observations.
In the first picture the tractor is set up for winter time Duty, with the radiator mostly buttoned up.