[74 C-30]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

WOW! Thanks for that. I am still amazed there is one lying around that is brand new! I just can’t get over it. I never saw another like ours.

The boom and uprights lasted many years before they needed any reinforcements. Back in the day before DOT got so stringent it was nothing to pick up a truck that was 4 times heaver than the tow truck right in front of a cop. Dad used to tow Coka-Cola beverage trucks, Sante Fe hirail trucks, etc with it with no problems. No kidding! It actually could tow heavier vehicles than our 1991 GMC K3500 with a Eagle Claw wheel lift.

The uprights finally bent and where reinforced with square tube in the late 80’s. The weld shop basically slid the uprights into square stock and welded it all together. Then the main boom got thick plate steel welded on all 4 sides. The lever to shift the winch into neutral broke off years when the cable got bound up under the tool box. That still needs to be fixed but everything else was in working order when it was parked. It actually got parked because the old man ran the 427 out of oil and spun the cam bearings! The other bad thing is the truck frame was broke on the RH rear side near the shock mount. It was fish plated many years ago but looks like crap.

$2800 isn’t too bad for a needle in a haystack but the one on our truck is in very restorable shape. Now you got me all fired up to go grab the truck and drag it home to start playing with it. I texted dad this morning to see if I can come get it. Dad and I don't exactly see eye to eye, which is why I don't already have the truck at my house now.

Thanks for sharing that! Almost brings a tear to my eye

No problem! I love finding this kind of stuff.
Back in the day my dad pulled outrageous loads with the 1ton he drove, and the company also had a junker old Mack with a 750 Holmes, that was so far beyond un-inspectible, yet he made 100 mile trips all the time. Hauled a truck for the state police once, about 40 miles away, and once the way back, a state trooper pulled him over. the truck uninspected, and unregistered (he forgot to grab the dealer plates lol) but the junkyard had so much pull in those days, the cop got chewed out over the radio for harassing my dad, and he let him go. ahh the good ol days...

oh and believe me, that truck you got, makes me want to go out there and get that truck going, I love nostalgic wrecker stuff