Vintage Car Carrier Photos: The Iconic 1957 Cars, Arriving Fresh From The Factory

Text by Patrick Bell.

Today we have another selection of vehicles in transit.  I have always enjoyed viewing truckloads of new cars rolling down the road, and unloading when I could catch one.  Of course, I caught them quite often during my time in dealership employment.  So let’s take a look at some new ’57s in transit.

We will begin at Chrysler’s Newark, Delaware plant where a load of Plymouths were heading out.  On the upper deck was a six cylinder Belvedere Club Sedan followed by either a Plaza or Savoy 4 door sedan with V8 power and Sportone Trim.  The lower deck is hard to see; the first one was another Plymouth (you can see the grille and headlights through the truck), and the second one looks like a Belvedere 4 door sedan.  The tractor was a ’57 Dodge with V8 power, either a 600 or 700 series.

A ’56 Ford F-series Big Job Custom Cab with an extended frame and working for the Convoy Company was hauling new Ford Fairlane 500s to their next destination.  On the upper deck from the left, a Club Sedan, Country Sedan, and a Sunliner.  Down below were another Country Sedan, a Del Rio Ranch Wagon, and a Town Sedan.

Six cylinder equipped Chevrolets are what we see on this Canadian National Car-Go-Rail.  The featured one was a Two-Ten 4 door sedan.  There was something covering the wheel hubs that I am not familiar with.  They remind me of wire wheel cover lock retainers, but they did not come around for another two decades.

Here were DeSotos leaving the Jefferson Avenue plant in Detroit.  The upper two were Firedomes with a four eyed 4 door sedan on the left and to the right a two eyed 4 door Sportsman.  On the lower deck were 2 door Sportsmans with a Firesweep on the left, and the one on the right could have been any of the three series.  The tractor was a ’56 Dodge R model with a V8 and the optional wraparound rear window.

And four more Plymouths, this time all 4 door sedans.  The upper left was a Savoy, and the one with the Sportone Trim could have been either a Plaza or Savoy.  The two on the lower deck were both Belvedere’s.  The tractor was hauling for the Eastern Auto Forwarding Company out of Buffalo, New York.  It was a ’55 or ’56 Dodge J model COE with a six cylinder.

Lincolns were the load on this ’57 Ford F-series Big Job with the Custom Cab and hood mounted Fresh Air Intake options, and hauling for Automobile Transport, Inc. (ATI) out of Wayne, Michigan.  The first one on the upper deck was a Premiere Landau 4 door hardtop, and the first one on the lower deck a Capri 4 door sedan.  The details of the other two are too blurred to ID.  It may have been parked at a truck stop as there was a Standard Oil tanker on the other side.

Here is an interesting one.  The Willys Jeep M38A1’s were definitely in the Army, so it is easy to presume the Chevrolet 3805 Panels were as well.  But what were they?  Ambulance service?  They had snow tires on all four wheels and what appears to be an auxiliary light attached to the side panel at the end.  They were 3/4 ton long wheelbase models, but no four wheel drive is visible.  The hauler was a ’54 or ’55 first series GMC Custom Cab with an extended wheelbase, and performed its duties for Insured Transporters, Inc.

How embarrassing, Cadillacs transported by a Ford.  The Ford was a C-series Big Job Custom Cab Tilt Cab driving for the Convoy Company, and the Cadillacs were all Sixty-Two or Sixty-Two deVille models with one sedan and four coupes.  They looked made ready for the showroom.

Another ATI rig, this one a Mack B model.  His load consisted of three Mercury Monterey 4 door sedans, with two four eyed units on the upper deck, and one two eyed on the rear of the lower deck.  Up front was a Lincoln Premier Landau 4 door hardtop.

A ’56 Dodge Job-Rated Model V working for Insured Transporters with a load of Dodge trucks.  There were four D-100 pickups and one probably a D-300 cab and chassis, on the tail end.  The one on the upper truck deck looks like a long wheelbase model, and it also has the optional wraparound rear window.  The two tone model also had the wraparound rear window, while the three on the trailer had the standard rear window.

This truck looks like it did some traveling on dirt roads.  It was a ’55 or ’56 Dodge, and was hauling at least three Imperials.  The upper two were two eyed 4 door sedans that could have been either the basic Imperial or the Crown model.  The first one on the lower deck was a four eyed 4 door, while the second one I can’t ID at all.  And that may have been an International R series to the left.

A load of expensive Fords was on this rig.  One Country Squire wagon and three Fairlane 500 Skyliner retractable hardtops.  The hauling honors went to E & L Transport Company and their ’56 Ford C-model Big Job “Snub-Nose”.  The tractor and trailer look like they just left the detail shop.

The hood was open, so maybe this ’56 Ford F-series Big Job Custom Cab wouldn’t run with a load of Dodges….  Western Auto Transporters were the owners of this rig.  On the upper deck above the cab was a Custom Royal 4 door sedan with the standard Super Red Ram V8 with dual exhaust.  The other two were 4 door sedans, but I can’t narrow them down any further.

Our final image today was an unusual setup, a Commer tractor hauling a load of Ramblers for Kenosha Auto Transport.  The lower deck cars were both De Luxe sedans, while the other three were Super models, including the two Cross Country wagons.  The Commer was not officially imported to the US, so it is a bit of a mystery.  Internet discussion notes that there wasn’t any signage on it, and the air lines were not connected, so perhaps it was a yard rig that migrated from Canada. For an in-depth look at the Commer’s unique powerplant, you can find more HERE. 

Thanks for joining us and to all good day!

More Vintage Photos Here