Wood Powered Caddy

Cool treasure you have there Herb! I had to look it up on Google to see the whole thing. What is behind the cab? If I didn’t know better, it looks like a sleeper. But I don’t think they had those back in the day?
I hope you get ‘the call’ soon. I want to see you and the Caddy in Argos.

When I was 16 I drove my uncles DT half way across Michigan to Benton Harbor to pick up 7 tons of crushed white marble. On the way I had to pass through a small town that was all down hill with one stop light. That big Diamond T barked and cracked all the way down the hill and as I left town I was looking back for the cops. Wheww! Made it. BUT on the way home I had to pull the hill with a load on and I could just hear the store windows shaking as I crawled up the hill in a low gear.

Was there also a Diamond Reo? There was a trucker in my home town I think he had a T and a reo? But that was long ago…what did I do this morning. Herb hope your call comes soon and goes well

The last DT I drove was in the late 60s . 250 Cummings,10 speed , cab over and solid ride ( no springs or air bags ) . Made a trip up through Maine and several of the New England states . After about 4000 miles in the DT and then getting in my pickup truck it felt as smooth as riding a fat mule though a plowed field !

Ha Ha Ha … Still winter here. haven’t driven anywhere. Glad you got something done with your brother Herb. My brother is going through a divorce in Saint Louie right now and isn’t worth a pinch of sh_t right now. Maybe burn this paint off this new one tomorrow. Too crappy weather on this end to travel this week. Have a family wedding in Chicago next weekend … Boiling down maple sap here right now … Not collecting much but it sure tastes good … Mike

Oh, BTW, I like those lights …And of course the the hinged hoods … M

Yeah we knew who Dad had sold the truck to many years ago so we had a place to start looking and found it in his back 40 with a tree grown up though the old frame. The guy pulled a low boy trailer around doing terraces back in the 60’s in our little farm community in Kansas. We made a deal with him and hauled it home. The old 6 cly gaser was in it but weak and we wanted a little more power, ended up with a 6.7 Cumin’s with a 10 speed Eaten Trany. It’s a frame up restoration, we were after that “rat rod look” so left the old body unpainted, if I say so myself it is a very very “bad ass” old truck.
Your right Bill, that is a sleeper but converted to seating area all the way around with “air”, cab and sleeper, we opened up the back of the cab and we enter there, it seats about 6.
And yes there are Diamond Reo trucks, I don’t know much about them, I think in latter years Diamond T and Reo merged and they were called Diamond Reo. Thanks for the interest, can you tell we like old trucks?, latter, herb

More pictures of it would be good if you have some Herb. Pretty neat.
Marvin

love the old DT Herb, s o glad to hear you are not painting it!! you could never get that look back.That truck has many stories to tell, let it tell them.

Howdy Herb,
I sure wouldn’t mind seeing some pics…
Take care we’re all rootin for ya.
TerryL

Neat old truck Herb. I’m glad you kept it sorta “original”. Lot’s of “items” I wish we’d kept. Too late now.

Hi and thanks for the nice comments and encouraging words, took me a while to get these pictures, truck is in Kansas and I’m in Iowa.

Brother Vic found that old Mayflower Van Trailer and we are reworking it making an Antique Car / Street Rod hauler.
We added that back part with the “spread axle”, that’s where the cars will ride, two stacked via car lift.
Original part of trailer will be lounge area, yes we have a long way to go on that part but it will be a nice place to "hang out’ on those hot days and nights at a “Rod Run / Car Show” someplace.
Check out the size of that “stick” with two speed switch in the third one down, that’s what happens when you stuff an overgrown power plant in an old truck, the top of shifter is only about 8 ins. from ceiling of the old cab, that thing is a blast to drive!!!

Got the call today, need to be in Nashville the 7th, this coming Monday for final testing and then “stem cell extraction”, I’m learning new words now days.
Will keep you posted!!! herb




I’m glad you got the call Herb! I hope all goes well. I’ll positive energy your way.
So, what is with that shifter?

That is what happens when you put a monster engine and tranny in one of these old trucks, the shifter sticks up that high, pretty wild!!

Good luck Herb, I have to get back working in the field next week after all this rain and crap goes through. I’m drawing some maps right now. I hiked my whole place today and fixed some fence etc etc etc … It’s all hills and woods back there. I probably did close to 2 miles. I’m about 80% but I believe I can get back at it. All I wanted to eat tonight was a hamburger. I’m building all brand new muscles right now. I had to drive to town to get one (hamburger). I’ve been eating a lot of deer meat but I wanted the hamburger grizzle. Let me know what you want me to bring when you get back home later this summer. It was a nice wedding in Chicago this weekend but all that goofy food made me sick as hell so be careful … Again, best wishes, Mike

Yeah we’ll get together yet and burn some wood. Heck I may still make it to Argos, that’s May 17th right? That is getting towards the end of my recovery time, probably won’t have the caddy but really want to see all the other gasses and finally meet all of you. Mike I’m glad you are getting along so well!!!

Thanks for putting up them pics… That’s just too cool.
Glad to hear ya got the call, I and many others will be rooting for ya!
Take Care
TerryL

Great news Herb, we wish you the best. Great pics of your latest project too.

Herb,
Neat project!
Praying that all goes well on your treatment and recovery.
BTW I did make it out to Goodland, very flat, windy and brown. But it was a fun trip

Hey Herb…remember the old rat fink stickers back when we was still in school. Good luck on your stem cell transplant.
Gary