If anyone in the central New York state region (or thereabouts,) knows of or has a Brockway or 2, or 3 or 4 or more that run, and would be willing to let me and my wife and son come visit to admire them, and without any further adue, let me DRIVE one around the farm or property, please let me know. I haven't driven a Brockway in over 25 years, and I truly miss those old irons. I love a 361 model especially. I've been through Cortland, NY (the former Brockway factory town,) recently, but unfortunately didn't have any spare time to stop and investigate my desires. My neighbor has a collection of old ones that are pretty much junked, but is restoring a 1971 361 dump truck with a 12V71 Detroit with a 13 speed main and a 4 speed auxiliary trans. It has 50K lb. Timken drop-in rears, and is a beast to say the least. I have first dibs on the test drive when he finishes his restoration on it.:thumbsup I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks.
I sure hate to be the one that had to put fuel into a truck with 12v71s they are good for 1-2 mpg. The log haulers that run offroad trucks with the 12v71 have been yanking them out and replacing them with more fuel efficient power. Its not cost effective to run green driptroits anymore especially when your paying 4.25 a US gallon for offroad fuel.
Lowboy, I'm from endicott, ny, about an hour south of Cortland. A redi-mix company in Vestal, one town over from me called Barney and Dickenson ran Brockways and Diamond Reo trucks. All I remember from when I was a kid was hearing those trucks coming a mile away, it sounded so awesome. They started running front discharge mixers a couple of years ago. Unfortunatly the trucks with some style got left outside. I was just in town last week and they have brought quite a few of them up to the maintainence garage. I don't know what they plan on doing with them, some of them are pretty rough. I was able to talk to a woman in the scale house over the summer and she ok'd it for me to ride around and take pictures of the trucks. I don't know about driving any I didn't ask. I'm sure they have trucks that they kept up. I want to say they had 30 trucks between the Brockways and Reos back in the day. Sorry for the rambling, let me know and I'll get the address if your interested. Matt
The construction outfit I worked for had a couple Brockways with 318 Detroits and 13 speeds. I hated those things, low on power, shift all day long and then it would take several hours at the end of the day for your head to stop buzzing, even with earmufs on!! They used them to move equipment and haul gravel trailers. Nothing like today's trucks at all!!
The old 2 strokes are horrible truck engines the 92 series wasn't too bad but a 71 series powered truck way under powered. With the price of oil and fuel running a green screamer isn't worth it the only benefit of them is they are cheap to rebuild. Brockway were not used out here I guess its like our trucks out here like Pacific and Hayes both not too common on the east coast. Also Mack is more commonly used on the east coast.
I'm one of the few left... that know about twin stick 5X2, 5X3, and the through the steering wheel hang on Snoopy 5X4! This was before air lift (pusher) axles and way before steerable! As for the double breasted Yamaha, been there done that too! Think about all the women that did you WRONG, slam your 3rd member in the door and take it out on the accelerator pedal! The only drive train you HAD to be mad to drive correctly! Never thought the 2 stroke Detroit was a good highway engine! In a crane, grader, pan, generator, welder, compressor, they were OK. Not for the highway! As for Brocks, as far as I'm concerned they were a dressed Mack R model! They looked stouter than the Mack, but shared many parts! Don't see too many Brocks here in Ohio! The ones we do see are at rest in a field, or have been stripped of all their parts! Haven't seen one on the road in a month of Sundays! However there is a guy who restored a 1952 B 62 Mack with a 238 Mack diesel engine and 5X3 trans. Tandem dump and looking proud! I wish I had pics. :wink2 :Banghead :spaz
The big Allison automatics work good behind 2 stroke detroits one of the reasons why most old firetrucks run them you could jump in stone cold engine the truck would go. Many boats in my area are still running detroit power you can hear them a mile away they scream so bad. You can hear the boat before you see the boat. Old wood boats with leaker power never rotted out on the inside the oil dripping from the engine preserved the wood. Now old Kenworth A models are rare to see in the area they used to be a common truck. Old Macks are really rare if you see a Pacific highway truck it is even rarer and Hayes trucks were mainly HDX off highway trucks. The forestry industry mainly used Kenworth so its a common brand running around. Macks were redimix and dump trucks same with old Louis Fords. This is a good site www.hankstruckpictures.com I imagine most of you know the site its a good place to look at the once was used iron :bouncegri
You gotta realize that Mack bought Brockway in 1975 (I believe..or '76...) and started using the R model cab, but retrofitted them with Brockway interior parts. Prior to that, there wasn't a sign of a Mack in a Brockway truck.They were unique in their style, appearance and driveability. I just like the '70's vintage style the 361's had.
Thanks for the reply Matt, and YES, DEFINITELY I'd like that address so I could take a Saturday ride over there for sure. I gotta chuckle whenever I post something trivial about TRUCKS, seventeen different opinions will come out of all races, colors & creeds. I'm not going to rip an N-14 or a 3406E out of a newer Peterbilt and replace it with a 318 or a Double O 92, and cut the OEM exhaust off and replace them with 4" peashooters; I simply would like to step back in time for a few hours and admire some old Huskies... If I said I wish I could run a 1970 vintage Hop-To excavator, or a Poclain, or a Hine-Warner, I would be in agreement that I'm NUTS...but to browse around some old nostalgic dumptrucks or lowbed tractors, I think is a cool way to spend a day, especially with my 17 year old son that doesn't know what a throttle linkage, a front brake eliminator valve, or a cable-driven tach & speedometer looks like.It's OLD SCHOOL, and STILL COOL...:thumbsup Thanks again, Matt.
Restoring an old semi truck, and bringing it to car shows is something I'd like to do when I have more time, and can afford it. Maybe at retirement time. You just don't see them around very often. I bet it would get alot of interest/attention at a car show. Those people really appreciate older stuff.:yup
I didn't find any Brocks for sale, but I did find ... and the 360 shown here in Michigan State was powered by a 12V71 Detroit Diesel. Martin Phippard Collection of photo's. All kinds of truck photo's Company Photo's. Its a great sight for the trucker past present and future! Here is the link www.hankstruckpictures.com :thumbsup
Now tell me that Brockway triaxle with the pup trailer isn't a cool looking piece!!! In it's day, with all new chrome and good paint, MAN, what a good looking rig they were. They also had really tasteful interiors compared to the other trucks of the age. They had pleated leather door panels & headliners if you ordered it that way, and wood grain dash panels. The Brockway dash was a cool layout as well. If you were a big 'ol corn-fed cuss, the cabs were a bit stuffy for you. Even though they had a crude style of a tilt-wheel column, it still wasn't enough to get comfy in if you were very wide. Still in all, it was a nice ride compared to a B-Model or some of the other iron that was around back in the day...:wink2
Thanks for the photos. The tractor is kind of cobbed up, with the custom grill & headlights, but still is cool though. That triaxle over top of that is dynamite in my eyes!:thumbsup
The fenders on that tractor look fabricated too. The corners are too sharp to be stock.
One place I worked for in the 80's had an older tandem Brock dump. Don't remember the model or year. IIRC - Detriot power - straight pipes (headache at the end of the day), Diamond plate fenders/butterfly hood, looked like it was welded up out of scrap. Interior didn't resemble anything like what you are describing. I guess it was a lower end or purpose built model? But, it would go anywhere and carry anything you could pile on it. :yup
You're right Steve, those are home-brew fenders. To me, once they start hacking a Brockway up, it becomes less valuable and pleasing to the eye. Orchard Ex, I know what you're saying. There were a lot of companies that ordered trucks totally stripped for cost savings, but really cut their nose off to spite their faces. Ruins the resale value. Then when they start building front fenders out of steel, diamondplate, etc. and stick square headlights in them, it's all over. I know of a contractor in my area that has 3 International (manurespreaders,)10 wheelers, in the late 90's. The owner bought them, and PAID EXTRA to have the dealer remove the upholstered interior door panels, the am/fm radios and whatever creature comforts they came from the factory with. This guy sounds like the kind of character that I'd RUN to for a job...NOT!:spaz
Is that the guy on Higley Hill in Wilmington? Elliot I think is his last name?
Yup.
I am pretty sure where i park my equipment the owner has a Brockway dump will have to take a closer look and take a pic for you.
Thanks Nac. Maybe being down in Joyzee, it'll be in a lot better shape than some of the ones that ran in the salt all those years in upstate New Yawk. (Pardon the accent, I'm trying to lose it.)
Well here are 2 shot of the one in my yard I do not know much about them but will ask.
How is he coming along with it? I looked at it probably a year and a half or so ago, but haven't seen it since then.
There is a construction company around here that has a Brockway tractor. Theyve had it forever and just keep restoring and repainting it and its still in regular service. Its an awesome truck to hear going down the road. Loud sucker. Ill try to grab some pics. Pelican, you probably know it.... Green one, the company across from the old A&P on 52.
That's my friend's Uncle who owns that company. I know the truck you're talking about, last time I saw it they were hauling fill with it.
I know Jim. I do some linestriping work for him. I used to live up in dutchess park behind the A&P there. I remember as a little kid hearing that truck pull out and I would hear it climb the hill on 52, it used to blow enough smoke to look like the whole plaza was on fire, and still hear it when it pulled onto RT 9. To this day, I still think that truck is cool. Now thats a guy that has some old iron. It does show that you can run a business with older equipment if you keep up on the maintenance and can do the repairs inhouse. His only worry I think is having enough jobs to scatter the equipment, cause his yard is always full but he still has dozens of pieces out on jobsites. That probably explains why he'll have 15 pieces of equipment on a job to replace a water line or something...haha
'Ol Bob really isn't breaking any speed records on restoring the old V-12...as I see it, there's a good chance it won't ever be. We rent a bay from him and spend a little time there, when he's around, and just kidded about me being the first to test drive it when it's done.
That's pretty cool Nac. If you could, see what it has for power, would you? Some bondo and paint will make 'er what she ain't... Squizzy would scoop this old gal right up if I don't get it first, with the Roo Bars.:bouncegri Thanks for taking the time to shoot the pics.:thumbsup
We could of used those trucks in Mad Max!
Clarence Ritchie now owns all of his Brockways, and currently has about 30 of them! He is in Granville NY.
I know this is from 2007........
i know this is an old thread .but if your still looking for a brockway googel george tackaberry from athens ontario.he has the biggest truck collection in canada.9 buldings at his shop & home e mail him he gives tours in the summer.just killing time reading old post's tks tb
He does have a pretty sweet collection, but he only has 2 Brockways. a heavy 361 and a heavy 260.....
I have driven a few 761s, and never cared for them. Can't understand why anyone would want to bring one back to life.
my grandfather had many brockways and still has a gas job 146 i think is what he said it is but we aint sellin we are guna replace the motor and make her nice lookin again