'54 GMC Cannonball Part 2

This was shot north of Toronto,Ont. about 11 years ago for my series on ATHS Members.

[@ktmcandog]

DON ROGERS the owner of this truck has now passed In 2018. I am the mechanic who did most of the mechanical restoration and rebuilding of the drivetrain and am a close personal friend of his and he will be dearly missed. Don a sign painter by trade who fell in love with the trucks he lettered found this truck in its original form in Chicago (a General Motors plant winch truck for moving presses and other heavy machinery in plant) and brought it back in the late eighties and started the restoration even before he had a licence to drive one. I went with him to bring back the old Great Dane reefer found in Pennsylvania for restoration as he still couldn't drive with a trailer but later learned to handle a rig like a seasoned driver. He will missed dearly. A keen business man with a wicked sense of humour and a love of trucks. Just hearing that 238 Detroit I rebuilt and pulling gears with him brings back memories and tears. Truck on Don and I will see you at the top of the grade. ---Jim Tamblyn aka KTMcandog!

[@Jschwanger89]

Dave Schwanger is my grandfather and was a very close friend to Don. I have so many memories of going up to Canada to visit Don and playing around this truck. Also remember Don coming down and we all would pull out my grandpa's 65 peterbilt 351 needle nose. Any chance you know what ever happened with the old gmc after he passed?

[@ktmcandog]

@@Jschwanger89 Yes I had the pleasure of meeting Dave and staying overnight in his home with Don the weekend we went to retreive and bring back the trailer. Got to see his massive die cast model truck collection and visited his fuel company. I believe it was Dave that originally found Dons trailer in that area of PA.

[@Falkkonstag]

Good to see someone double clutching, driving properly and taking care of their truck, too. I want one!

[@saludahead]

Nothing better than watching a master of double clutching walking through the gears!

[@bradjames6748]

Like the one in the 1958 Canadian TV series, back when men were men and truckers were completely deaf.....

[@MetroLinerXLZ]

I enjoyed listening to that truck and watching him shift the gears. That's one awesome Cannonball.

[@brianholland2916]

I absolutely love that truck

[@davidnazario6646]

I love old Trucks ❤️

[@nickjaxe]

Beautiful rig...you must be very proud of it...love to see it in he flesh but unfortunately I'm to far away in the UK, Used to love the Cannonball TV prog on TV over here in the early 60s, Fantastic that there are guys like you to keep these lovely pieces of equipment alive, Keep up the good work. Nick.

[@BigLisaFan]

I watched that as a kid. Never in my dreams would I have thought I'd end up doing it as a second career.

[@Peachezz131]

This has to be the best video I have seen on youtube in a long time. An absolutely beautiful truck with a beautiful trailer that is done perfectly. I love the look of the truck, the motor, the exhaust, everything. It is exactly the way I would want it. And it is even better that it is owned and driven by someone who drives it properly and takes great care of it. Watching this video made my day. Thank you!

[@msengineeringdavid3702]

Peachezz131 pretty sure this video was done a loooong time ago. Seeing early 90s Corolla’s looking new shows proof of that.

[@tedplusch1382]

Awesome Jim my COE! My Dad owned a 56. He took me on trips in the summer when I was 12. I really miss those days!#!

[@jonsexton17]

The OG big rig videos!!! Lol I love both series.

[@thomasshaw4371]

Beautifull old truck and trailer!??thank you for posting it!'

[@louieenos3091]

tractor-trailer

[@glennso47]

As a kid I had the opportunity to ride in a Chevy with a cattle trailer. The Chevy was a diesel that looked almost like this one. I think the heavy duty Chevy and heavy duty GMCs must have been built on the same assembly line.

[@thomasshaw4371]

Beautifull old truck and trailer!

[@Unlimited3406]

man thats a nice cannonball i love those old gmcs great camera work by the way

[@damienodonohue1327]

Excellent old jigger, absolute credit to the owner, and to the mechanic who we heard from,KTM ,And the owner patiently explained during the 1st video he was a sign writer, and not an operator, full credit to himfor not Flogging the living PISS out of it,👍👌

[@abikerinpa]

I love them old trucks and cars keep the videos comin my new friend

[@1954malberts]

THE best truck video on youtube!

[@arkanissa5333]

Detroit engine sound is something special .

[@GooglFascists]

Thoroughly enjoyed this video. Reminded me of my childhood when I used to ride with my uncle in these old trucks. It took more strength to drive 'em than the newer models, (he claimed). But they were sweet. Old iron & steel technology.

[@andrewnorris1514]

Guys had Pipes back then. Armstrong steering

[@hammered0184]

Cannonball; We called 'em "Bull Nose" GMC's down South.

[@nickaxe771]

So Cool....I still remember the song....."Rollin Down The Hi-way...........

[@dougslittlediesel]

Old Bull Nose GMC.Really beautiful truck. 4-53-T Detroit or 6-71-238 Detriot. Love the sound of those old two stroke Diesel Engines.

[@georgehledik7481]

I have a 1951 Bull Nose White Freighliner. Could be for sale.. Only 10 of these are in existance.

[@Metal4Life572]

thats a beautiful truck/trailor combo,,i love the sound of that ol detroit!

[@andrewnorris1514]

Me too. To bad the speedometer doesn't move as fast as the tachometer. This would be better with a loaded trailer

[@bonzeroo]

Cool video! Reminds me of the TV show "Cannonball" from the late 1950's, which was filmed in the Toronto area. Keep on truckin" !

[@andrewnorris1514]

If it wasnt for Cannon Ball I could a had a normal life. But NO I had to drive the big rigs. Wouldn't change a thing. ROLL ON!

[@jerryg3565]

You could always hear a jimmy coming down the road.

[@melwilliams8734]

My brother in law had 8v92 DD he would start out around3 AM it seems you could still here him banging gear' s to the intrestate she was sweet

[@chrisharrison6532]

Fabulous truck my heroes in the 50s i was proper into American cars and trucks as a youngster

[@48alfaone]

Beautiful...just beautiful!!

[@ronaldarndt7314]

Really nice old truck

[@9005067]

howdy ,i really enjoyed that video truck in excellent shape boy there was a lot of shifting going on that old Jimmy was just a screaming .thanks

[@kendokunti]

WoW ! Great vid, and a beautiful truck.,

[@marioncobaretti2280]

beautiful !

[@nicholasgladwell99]

Lovely truck

[@SpaceGhost999]

Three simple words. I'm. In. Love!

[@LiberatorYourself]

Beautiful maroon paint

[@CameronKillian15]

Nice truck, like the double clutching.

[@longroadpro]

@donnactrc I've always felt with my own trucks is the best way is what ever style of shifting is going to be easiest on things like the center of the clutch and the splines in the drive shaft and so on. Alot of times I find going up through the gears without the clutch is actually easier on the driveline. Downshifting, I have always used the clutch.

[@70dapete]

THAT IS SURE A NICE UNIT AND GREAT VIDEO

[@longroadpro]

I remember the first time I heard the term "steering wheel holder". Made me laugh.

[@buixrule]

The sound of that engine is music to my ears.

[@willibill1]

The last truck i drove was in 86, we ran freightliners, with Detroits, and ten speed roadrangers in them, that is still music to my ears.

[@andrewnorris1514]

That was Sweet music to mine also till I heard a four stroke THUMP

[@jbailor13]

It is so refreshing to see a cab over restored to its original glory. Lately in southern California degenerates like to get the old cab-overs and turn them into nauseous low riders with garish paint schemes.

[@maverickdallas100]

Trucks of this vintage harken back to the days when trucking was still fun. Somewhat primitive, but a lot more enjoyable than what it is today.

[@MikeMuk1]

The most beautiful, sexy looking truck ever built... ...a work of art compared to today's 'boxes'!

[@larrymiller4]

A thing o' beauty.

[@shnimmuc]

Great truck. What fun.

[@mikereynolds9747]

Love those old trucks back when trucking was trucking

[@BCSchmerker]

@MetroLinerXLZ Spicer Gear built simple gearboxes, and their first air-shift auxiliaries were directly based on the manual-shift, close-ratio versions already in use as the secondaries of many heavy-duty trucks in the 1940's through 1970's. Fuller Gear used the crawlerbox approach to allow consistent-drop gear ratios on the main shifter.

[@altecman21]

Really nice RIG I enjoyed your vid!!! ...Jimmy...

[@Unlimited3406]

hey by any chance if u have the interview video can u post it up? id love too here the history on the old truck

[@bruno640]

Perfect-reply! Everyone does as they feel best, with their OWN TRUCKS. Now, if it's a company-owned, or a rental? Then go ahead, and explain the shattered-parts later. But if it's on YOUR-dime, and having invested this much time/expense in a restoration? And, you're in it for the fun of such, and not on a paying-schedule? Do just like the man here says---whatever feels the best to YOU, and YOUR-collectable...! :)

[@junkdeal]

I could be wrong now, but you could set the tractor brakes independent of the trailer in any truck without a setup like a blue knob. As I remember in an antique Marmon I had, the blue knob went to a small reserve tank of air, and if you were in a situation where you'd run all out of air but just absolutely had to move the truck a short distance, you could hold this button in and release the spring brakes for a short while so you could move it off the road or something. I think, anyway!

[@ziggymorris8760]

Father had a ‘71 and it seems very much the same as this.

[@longroadpro]

@cpd659 There's a show on Speed Channel called American Trucker. They were working on the old BJ and the bear KW cab-over which pulled a reefer in the show. It's great to see more truck stuff on TV. Seventeen years ago I was one of very few doing anything on video involving heavy trucks.

[@longroadpro]

It's a 671 Detroit, which is indeed a two stroke.

[@pnotuner1]

Thats a lot of work, double clutching and feathering in the splines. Thank God for syncromesh.

[@andrewnorris1514]

Where What Who syncromesh ?

[@MrDavidstroud]

This old gal is 1 year younger than me, but she sure looks a lot better than I do. Of course she has had an overhaul, unfortunately I can't. I sure miss the old trucks and the drivers. Not a lot of good trucks or drivers out there anymore. The whole business has gone to hell every since CDL and deregulation.

[@k.r.v.4219]

MrDavidstroud actually it was deregulation, then CDL! The industry was deregulated twenty or more years before the CDL went into effect.

[@BCSchmerker]

@MetroLinerXLZ Actually, Spicer Gear didn't get into crawlerboxes until the late 1960's; their air-shifts drove the secondary gear selectors for low-low/split/direct/overdrive. This setup is more consistent with a Fuller RT-nn610/nn710, one of the first integrated-crawlerbox transmissions.

[@TheTexasViper]

Great camera work, reminds me of the movie Dual!

[@916fanatic1]

Duel dummy.

[@juans6639]

TheTexasViper I think you mean the movie "Duel" with Dennis Hopper. Dual means TWO.

[@josipmaly8391]

Weaver, not Hopper

[@junkdeal]

A Detroit! Boy, I've owned a lot-lot of those. From the sound, I'say an inline 6-71. Another possible is a 6V-53. They tac'd out higher than a 71-series would. The sound isn't quite right for that though, but I'm pretty sure by the sound it's not an 8v-71. The engine noise for that is not as resonating due to the position of the blower and the construction of the V8 block. These engines were good, and for me easy to work on. Started easy in the cold, and could run on straight transformer oil!

[@pugworth1]

Awesome!!!!!! (I want to drive it!!!)

[@gfemg]

Cool Truck!

[@DOSputin]

Screamin' Jimmy!

[@longroadpro]

@TurbinePower69 This truck belongs to a fellow in Ontario Canada. I just did the filming for a series on members of the American Truck Historical Society.

[@andrewking4885]

Great truck seems to be a very hard notchy gearbox to change gears.

[@longroadpro]

Yes, it is a 10 speed. I have footage up on here of a '54 Kenworth with the original 10 speed that still has the cable range shifter.

[@longroadpro]

This one was a 900. Really nice truck.

[@joea1433]

Was it upgraded to a diesel/road ranger transmission? Or did it originally have separate gearboxes/sticks and a gasoline engine? Absolutely love this video and truck! Wish I could drive it! Too bad the engine shifting noise is muted.

[@ckelley63]

Love the sound of that sceeaming ole DETROIT!!!!

[@creeker6422]

Enjoyed that

[@Royalhighlander]

man i remember watching that programme as a kid and my dad later said he wasnt surprised that i became a trucker..

[@andrewnorris1514]

Yep me too . Could wait to get on the road

[@thetickfarm160]

Very nice Sir!

[@ChevelleSSLS6]

Did anyone else notice the fan on the dash? No "stupid proofing"? I love it!

[@buixrule]

@longroadpro My parents had a summer house upstate NY in 60' thru 80's. It was right next to Rt17 West in Sullivan County. You could here the trucks in the distance in the middle of the night approaching from a couple miles away. You could hear all the double shifting and RPM variations for the whole way until they passed the house screaming for all it was worth, and nothing can ever compare to those musical sounds. I used to fall asleep to screaming Detroit diesels every weekend!

[@55dpc]

Great! Double clutch an all!

[@longroadpro]

Thanks! If you type in '54 GMC Cannonball part 1 it should come up. It's definitely on here.

[@steelbeltsdrumming]

I thought older trucks had that third blue brake knob (to apply brake pressure to trailer for parking brakes) For older trailers that didn't have the spring brakes. Was this converted to a newer system?

[@phill903]

Beautiful 1954 GMC cabover great video !! were is part 1 video ?

[@charoys]

Wonder if it was a 750 or 900 series. My dad had a new 750 in 1953. He hauled explosives over the rockies. Tough men in a tough business. Love this truck.

[@andrewnorris1514]

Love the Truth! Tough Dudes

[@tubilar111]

Respect!

[@Hardcorediver44]

My uncle drove a truck like that back in the day, He said it took two men and a boy to steer it. For a 60 year old he had big arms.

[@andrewnorris1514]

Yeh and Nobody Messed with him

[@MetroLinerXLZ]

@bcschmerker That's something new...I didn't know Spicer didn't make transmissions for trucks until the 60s. I just assume that because the driver had difficulty shifting gears, the transmission was a Spicer (mainly because Spicers were known for difficult shifting).

[@phill903]

Back in the day when driving a truck was fun :)

[@andrewnorris1514]

Yeh Before you found out what a Corrupt world it is and ya better make some serious cash

[@gregbell5975]

Nice foot work ole timer

[@longroadpro]

You probably mean the range selector switch. You go through the first five gears in low range, pull that air switch up and go through the same five positions again in high range.

[@johnj3360]

Love the loafers.

[@joegarcia54]

Kick ass design

[@abrahamjackson6019]

You are a bad ass, classic....

[@truckindadd]

Truckin of yester year i lov it

[@ronaldlegree285]

Sounds like a Detroit 238 , I Remember driving them in the 70s.

[@user-cg7mg2gy1g]

Awsome.

[@SteveCarras]

2:55-3:02 that one gearshift with the knobs is obviously not a Roadranger but a splitter, and there's probal another shifter too like so many of that vintage.

[@longroadpro]

This was an early 10 speed Road Ranger. The hi-low switches were cable operated until the air switch was introduced. It wasn't until the mid to late 80's that the hi-low switch was integrated into the shift knob itself on Road Ranger transmissions.

[@mickmartin9310]

lindsey crawford the 1st road ranger was introduced in 1955,....R-95, a 3 pce gear box....the 2nd,,,,R-96...a 2pce....1957 till 1961....then RT-9-10, 9-13, 9-15 till present.....RT=twin counter shaft

[@energystarguy]

Yes, Probably a 12 speed Spicer..........................

[@paulhardy9755]

looks like a9 speed is it RTO 09

[@sabrinacordell6290]

12 speed Spicer had a splitter handle that twisted left and right . Twist to left and start in 1st then turn it right for second then split up to third like a 13 speed,

[@carlosmcnulty5884]

Suena hermoso ese GM

[@scottwilkins]

Gotta love double clutching!

[@longroadpro]

@buixrule I think I might have been about 12 years old when I heard a Peterbilt with what might have been an 8V71 going up through the gears and shortly after that heard my first Porsche 911 accelerating. There was something about the "music" from both those engines that always stuck with me.

[@andrewnorris1514]

Yeh the 238 had kinda of a slow rhythm where the 3408 made ya kinda want to boogie. No what I mean?

[@JeanRoy-xp5ln]

Super belle machine

[@longroadpro]

@MrBrombomb Yes, that's a 671.

[@BRKONTHRU2]

WOW VERY NICE RIG,,WHO MADE THE TRAILER???DOES THAT SIDE EMBLEM SAY 50? THANKS FOR POSTING

[@310sj]

Awsome I have a model of that truck i hope to buy one when i grow up could you make anymore videos like this??

[@longroadpro]

I can probably post that segment today.Stay tuned!

[@419Tpm]

I'm thinking that lever next to the gear shift is the old parking brake, maybe a transmission brake. And the air brake parking brake on the dash was added later. Anyone know for sure?

[@haywiremechanic]

+Tom M The large horizontal lever by the gearshift is for a disc type parking/emergency brake on the drive shaft.