Tow truck Tragedy

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Wow! What a relic! That classic should have been restored and put in a museum or in front of a towing company as a show piece!👌😎👍

[@ChainsawFPV]

There is a plan to repair this truck. The frame is straight, and tow unit is still usable. Even had a 3 speed shifter on the PTO for increased speed. While its truck #2, truck #1 was a very big truck that was not used much. This was the work horse that helped start his business. A replacement cab has been acquired, and within the next couple years, it will come back to life.

[@corvairjim1]

​@@ChainsawFPVThanks for the info. It's good to hear that sometimes something once relegated to the junkyard gets a second chance. I agree; this truck looks like a decent candidate for restoration for use as a rolling advertisement for a towing company.

[@sporty196071]

The hand crank on the side is not for pulling on the sides, it was hooked up to raise the boom up or down. The cable hooked around a few small pulleys and to the far end of the boom.

[@paulshea2560]

OK thanks, that makes more sense.

[@mackandchezz]

and the main winch is not electric

[@oregonfordguy9812]

yup. my Holmes 420 has one.

[@tedd.630]

Likely a PTO powers the winch

[@jameschryst3960]

That one ain't dead. It can be restored. It wold make a great project. Jim BCC AZ

[@mastercylinder5225]

You bring a smile to our faces!

[@danielkingery2894]

Steve, you're correct about finding Cobra Jets in odd places. When I was in HS in the 80's, the neighbor ran a body shop out of his giant garage and naturally I ended up working for him. On occasion we would go pick up customer's cars instead of them dropping them off. There was a pretty steep, long, straight hill on the way to our Rural location and as Car Guys do....it was a perfect place to 'test things out'. I'd been tasked with driving the customer's really nice 1970 F250 back to the shop. It was in great shape, except that the pea green paint was deteriorating. It had big Slotted Mags and big BFG All Terrain tires. Of course...a 17yo guy is gonna drop the throttle at the bottom of the hill...and I was SHOCKED at the gross power it had. I walked away from the boss in his wife's Monte Carlo. 60mph was a good run up that hill and I had to back out of this truck at 80, cuz I figured I couldn't afford to fix it if I crashed it. When we got to the shop the boss's ass-chewing was completely derailed when I blamed the truck and we popped the hood and found a 428 CJ in front of the C-6. Later conversations revealed that the client's father had supposedly special ordered the truck and had had to wait months for approval of the order to get it built. I admitted my lil speed racer episode when we delivered the truck to him, and all I got was a sly smile and an understated "that happens" from the owner. 😎

[@scoobyroorogers]

Very, very Cool🙂

[@straightener2001]

My dad built a tow truck back in the early 50's. I remember going on calls with him. He had a 2 speed gearbox on the winch. He would use it to pull water lines out of buildings, pull the old out with the new attached. He also did bodywork, lead and beeswax, painted with a camel hair brush. Really old school stuff

[@sweetassugar2076]

The good old days when men were men ..

[@markbraun4712]

Sorry Steve, I drove one for years. The hand winch on the side was for raising the boom. And the winches were driven off of a pto on the side of the tranny. Love your vids. Drove tow truck and worked at a wrecker in my early twenties . Were getting paid was a bonus. Loved those jobs. That was 35 years ago.

[@russellmooneyham3334]

EXACTLY correct

[@SevenFortyOne]

I remember seeing that truck on the road when I was a kid. My older sister lived on the lake in Wales so we'd see it in town from time to time when I went to visit her.

[@mikewasfaret9563]

We had a 65 f260, yes 260. They came from the factory set up for towing. PTO winch, tough old truck.

[@WildBillFlysRC]

F-26 indicated a 4x4 unit 3/4 ton, mine 65 f-26 has a 300 six ✌️

[@QuanticChaos1000]

F260 on the warranty tag means it's an F250 4X4, all the badges will say F250.

[@ricklangevin1642]

I really liked this video old wreckers are so cool very good job ❤

[@GeorgesMiniatureCars]

Would be great to use this truck as a reference for a model build. Even in bad shape this is pretty cool!😎👍👍

[@wreckerjonny6144]

Hey George!

[@GeorgesMiniatureCars]

@@wreckerjonny6144 Hey Jonny!

[@wildbill5670]

2:48. Steve you should have turned that key. She might have started. Ha!! Thanks, love your videos. I was born and raised in beautiful CT!!

[@petem6291]

Steve I believe that little hand crank winch on the side of the tow truck raises the boom up or down you could only put about 10 feet of cable on it… I really enjoy all of your videos it’s amazing the amount of detail and information on these old cars that you have a mast over the years

[@wreckerjonny6144]

I have an old 70 f350 wrecker. It's been a tow truck since 78 . Has a 390 and 4 speed

[@Narrowgaugefilms]

When I was growing up there was a huge body shop up on the main road that had a fleet of tow trucks. There was an older Ford tow truck outside for a while where the customers' cars usually sat. The front bumper was facing the winch end of the bed and both halves were sitting on a pair of wheels on one end and the ground on the other. It seems years and years of lifting up heavy vehicles had fatigued the frame and the day finally came when enough was enough and the thing split in two just astern of the cab!

[@hankgs]

LOVE the old commercial trucks....Keep'em coming!

[@SplitSecondTowing]

THAT truck deserves to be saved.......nice Vid Steve.

[@billwood2914]

Another great video.

[@scottinWV]

Good video! Love those old trucks!

[@toddbob55]

Ford Trucks have always had better Chassis that were stronger than the rest they were just built better. Thats why so many companys use Ford as Tow trucks fleets

[@garyskowbo3564]

Hey Steve that worm drive spool on the side is for the cable that raises/ lowers the main boom. Thanks for sharing another great video with us.👍😎

[@shelbylancer454]

Great video Steve, I think the smaller winch on the side is to raise and lower the top boom, to adjust the angle if needed. Still a great video!

[@PNWSV]

You and I are one in the same... I can't help but feel sorry for stuff like this just rotting away

[@Mistertudball]

I find you mesmerizing, Steve. You know a LOT about a LOT of car stuff.

[@mauser2134]

61-63 non unibodies had that shape in the door.

[@brandonbaker7607]

Beat me to it. Good man. Also, the only real way to tell the difference between the cabs themselves, is the roof lines. 61-63 cabs had different roof skins than 64-66 cabs. Also because of the twin I beam change, 65-66 F100s & F250s had different floor pans, but factory 4x4 trucks had the older style floors with the step. As far as I know, all F350s 61-66 had the step style floor pans.

[@SonnyGTA]

This is such a great junkyard! They have everything!!!!

[@Nonerequired]

That hand winch on the side would have had a cable that went to the little pulley at the top of the boom. It was used to adjust the height of the boom.

[@67L-88]

I was going to say the same. you are correct sir!

[@FozzyZ28]

First watched the 3rd gen Camaro video, I did enjoy how everyone felt compelled to tweak your infinite knowledge. Camaro guys are now quiet, towtruck guys have something to share.......

[@ricksaint2000]

Thank you Steve Get well soon

[@chilee6994]

You are awesome ,,,, Steve

[@bennetfox]

That truck should have a PTO winch. I had a 82 Ford F-350 tow truck with a Holmes 450 bed on the back and it had a PTO drive winch. There was a handle on the transmission pump to disengage and engage the PTO drive.

[@RustyZipper]

440?

[@markrunyon5524]

Alot of those wreckers also worked dirt tracks on Saturday nights,hence the big push bumpers.Appreciate your knowledge and video"s.

[@terrydaubenspeck5976]

I can't keep my eyes off of that cowl hood🤩

[@GreyRockOne]

Very nice Steve! Thank You!

[@rodneybrand8521]

Too bad no one would save this truck..i remember those well..

[@randykroells8049]

Our local tow truck always carried dolly wheels before flatbeds were made.

[@rcnelson]

What an excellent series hosted by one who seems to be an extraordinarily informed commenter. It's a crying shame that this truck and so many others like got scrapped. I guess even St. Jude would be overwhelmed by trying to save all these lost causes, but I just can't see why owners wouldn't at least park these pieces under a tarp, turn the engine over from time to time, or at least cheaply sell them to someone who would preserve them minimally, if nothing else. "Yet there are soulless men whose hand and brain/Tear down what time will never give again." Anderson Scruggs.

[@ricklundin1154]

Once again Steve manages to make an interesting and entertaining piece out of the totally mundane. Very well done - as usual.

[@caferacer2828]

I am really glad I found your channel because I loved J Gold and would search for new episodes that never came. Keep them coming cause I like to binge watch and looking forward to the R.E.M Charger!

[@FreakOlds]

I learned to drive at my first job. We had a 67 F250 pickup, a 73 F350 dump truck and a 74 or 75 F150 with the 3 on the column. When you shared this tow truck with us. First thing that came to mind was smoking cigarettes while driving - with a gas tank behind the seat and the fuel filler next to my shoulder out the window. I still wonder how I never burned the truck down to the ground…

[@albertgaspar627]

oh yeah, vent windows and a rag in the fuel filler neck b/c the gas cap was sitting on the top of a lead pump somewhere. amazing there weren't more cab fires :)

[@joecox6922]

Man I’ve followed this guys knowledge since the early days when I was in high school👍🏻great at what you do sir!

[@oldrustycars]

I towed many cars with old school sling wreckers. Manual transmissions to run a PTO. When towing Corvettes and such we had a bunch of wood blocks to take some of the stress off the bumpers on the car.

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

Someone should restore that. What a cool truck

[@briandungan515]

My dad started out his tow/recovery business with a then new 64 Ford f350. All his trucks were outfitted by Holmes out of Chattanooga Tenn. In the early days all trucks were manuals with a pto to power the boom winch.

[@brucegordon4924]

64 was the last year for the Y block 292, only in trucks. My guess is the Y block was swapped out by the owner. Great Video Thank You!

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Thanks for the video Steve 👍

[@michaelangelo8001]

That hand winch is not for "pulling cars out of the woods". It's to raise and lower the boom. I don't think that's "homemade" wrecker either. I don't recognize the brand, but it looks manufactured to me. There's probably a data plate on it somewhere. If you look for it, you'll probably find it.

[@oregonfordguy9812]

looks like a Holmes 440

[@michaelangelo8001]

@@oregonfordguy9812 A 440 is quite different from this one.

[@edge2sword186]

Something for everybody on this channel and he keeps things interesting and moving.You have to like it.

[@coolbreeze5561]

Straight axle I'll bet those kingpins will be fun to drive out

[@paulshea2560]

👍👍👍Great video Steve 👍

[@ericcoffedgp40]

How cool is that! A good friend of mine has a 64' F350 wrecker. He still uses it on occasion but he prefers his roll back instead. The wrecker gets a good workout on the farm, you just can't beat these old rigs. Good stuff!

[@paulshea2560]

agreed 👍It's a beast 💪

[@vettekid3326]

I've seen a lot of those old wreckers end up as advertising displays for modern wrecking yards or towing companies. Bumper type tows aren't used as a rule anymore almost all passenger vehicle tows use flat bed roll on and or wheel lift to minimize any damage from the actual tow. That being said I worked part time at a small town gas station back in the late 1970's and would get sent out on tows when people would slide off the road when it snowed with a wrecker similar to that one but was a Holmes 440.

[@tonychavez2083]

love those old Ford's...more Blue Oval stuff please.

[@davidreimers6358]

Steve, You mentioned in one of your videos that the mid 60' corvettes were the first cars to have 4 wheel disc brakes. Not so fast. I had a 1951Crosley with four wheel disc brakes. They were called spot brakes at the time. The brakes were horrible and I eventually changed them to drums. I included a video address on these brakes. It goes into great detail about the brakes and more. I really enjoy your videos. Keep it up! Dave Reimers

[@davidreimers6358]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqfKmIOsf5d5bK8

[@spamanator666]

0:38 That sculpted drop body line was there on various trim levels of that generation of Ford truck since the introduction of the model in 1961. Google up the 1961 brochure, it is there.

[@suzi_mai]

Only one with straight line was unibody 150s, where cab and box are all one piece. This truck is a 65 or 66, tell by where turn lights are.

[@darensamuels5208]

Yup, only the F-100 “unibodies” had the straight-line doors. Steve is an authority on Mopars but not so much on Fords…Love the vids!

[@moparone7962]

Up here in PA, I've seen worse frames on 15 year old trucks. Also, hey Steve -- grab that mint dodge truck grille in the background!

[@RonBetsyCrawford]

Get well soon. Need to see that new content.

[@alexkuteron5775]

My first wrecker was a 74 Chevy 4x4 with a 4ton electric A&W tow lift and a Western snow ❄️ plow

[@googleusergp]

Holmes was started by Ernest W. Holmes Sr. around 1916. Today the Holmes name is owned by Miller Industries (who owns Century, Chevron, and Vulcan among other names). I would have to liked to have seen the VIN tag/trim tag for this truck. A world of information can be found from that.

[@WildBillFlysRC]

No mention of the large opening front fenders only found on large trucks or 4x4 units…. Or when ordered with the optional 17.5 inch or 19.5 inch rims. 👍👋

[@R-Lmaxan]

That side winch may have been used to raise and lower the boom, it looks like there's another sheave above the main cable sheave on the frame behind the cab.

[@BSKustomz]

Monster can rolling around on the floor checks out... it's definitely a tow truck

[@rctopfueler2841]

i drove a 70 f350 sling 429 4v we called it lord ford cause you prayed to gods of detroit you made it to the call and back

[@gaborkorthy8355]

In the early ,70s I worked in "service station" LOL remember those ? My boss had a very similar wrecker. It was a big day when he let me tow my first car. The winch was run by a PTO off transmission.

[@daynadiggle8169]

Ah , you make me laugh Steve ! Bar closes at 2 and everybody heads off into the trees ! Been there , did that . But where I live the culprit is lakes . People have been lost for years until the water level goes down . A few years ago near Orlando a guy was in the middle of a lake trimming a Christmas tree on a floating platform and climbing up the ladder to put the star on top , looked down and could make out a car on the bottom . It was someone that had been missing for awhile .

[@quintonsherritt4889]

Really love your videos .

[@tornadoalleystudios2283]

I love your videos, but you always make me feel out of breath.. haha. Wicked truck.

[@clintstephens7287]

The winch behind the cab looks like a Tulsa 18G which fits the WW2 Half-track. Worth a few hundred bucks.

[@davidbaldwin1591]

A '52 old Shell station badged Ford version sitting at our shop now, complete with 2 waterpump flathead V8. Very much hand made.

[@spencerforhireauto]

Buckets look like 70's Camaro.

[@TheCowboy1973]

I need the cowl hood off that red Chevy in the background!

[@brianm2129]

The classic Sling truck . :)

[@christopherprince3250]

From the home of wreckers "Chattanooga, TN." love seeing this one. Just an fyi... Holmes is now Century Wrecker. They have been turning them out in Chattanooga for 100 years.

[@mschiffel1]

A "live axle" is a drive axle. This tow truck has a beam axle up front, and a drive axle out back.

[@obywatelcane6775]

The crane reminds me of those mounted in Poland on shortened Jelcz 043 bus chassis. Their design was derived from technical support vehicles of the US Army, which we received from UNRRA after the war.

[@paulypooper2]

I learned to drive tow truck in the mid 90s from a old school driver on a F-450 and was able to get very proficient using the sling over the wheel lift

[@conqueringlion420]

I know when I click a Steve video, I instantly feel like I’m back in college class and the teacher won’t let up and if you daydream for 1 sec you will fall back a complete semester

[@RC-cc4rv]

Get well Steve!!

[@marioncobaretti2280]

Stevey was a sparkle in his dads eye when this truck came about

[@russellnussbaumsgarage9124]

That is a 65. The body line on the door did not come out in 64 it came out in 61 non unibody pickups and trucks. As for the twin I beam suspension it came out in 65 and was offered on the f100 and f250 only. Otherwise great video enjoyed it. I know you are a dodge guy but you still had a lot right.

[@alexkuteron5775]

I worked and ran 3 different towing companies and worked for ARCA and flatrock speedway lifting wrecked race cars on Saturday night for 5 years

[@fordman4287]

That body style started in 61 not 64, but 64 was the first year for the styleside bedsides

[@marksklizovic5816]

That’s a cool 😎 old truck hopefully someone will come save it

[@Damone7653]

I always enjoy a good tow.

[@timtinsley9887]

This guy has great videos if your a car guy. Keep em coming!

[@albertgaspar627]

Just gotta toss in...Brimfield MA has a KILLER antique show 3 times a summer. skip the july one, its hot and humid as heck to walk thru. One vendor loves to cut up old cars to make dry bars out of them, benches, etc.

[@QuanticChaos1000]

The hand winch on the side is for lowering and raising the boom, not for car recovery, my god that would be impossible to use...

[@thecollectoronthecorner7061]

We have a 65 in our collection. Good rust free body. Good title . It was originally a 6 cyl. I swapped in a 330 FE engine and trans from a school bus. ours has a Flat bed dump. The hyd pump is driven by a PTO. I dont like the 6 lug wheels. hard to find 17.5 tires. and the 16 inch 6 lug wheels are all split rims.Those valve covers on the truck featured came out in 67. bet that engine isnt the original. the hand crank was for lowering and raising the boom. the pulley sheave on the boom rotates you can pull from the side with it. Problem is those are low geared and use excessive fuel if you drive fast. They have drum brakes originally equipped with asbestos linings. Todays replacement linings are organic and will fade out. The master cyl is a single unit. blow any line and you have zero brakes. The only viable option would be to swap the antique cab on a newer modern chassis.

[@denohall9863]

I have been towing since 1969 , I have used every tow truck you can think of that old wrecker looks like an old Manley Autocrane or an old Canfield they both used a 10 ton braden or a Tulsa winch one handle. Runs the clutch and the other puts the the winch up and down the side winch picks up the boom in 1963 Ford went to twin I beam that truck is a 61 or 62 could not see the grill all 61 through 66 had 6 lugs 67 they went to 8 lugs he does not know his Fords 1979 was the last year Ford built a truck that you could get that would go 250,000 miles before rebuild I have towing for my self since 1977 started with a Holmes 500 on a Ford F 600 and still have several hydraulic wreckers and flatbeds still in use is my 1978 International 1850 Loadstar twin screw baby diesel quad Plex transmission 20 cowards and 4 reverses 39000 original miles government surplus well maintained with a 750 Holmes a pulling momma she's gone through the mill in fields recovering farm equipment she never failed you can't beat an old Holmes if they say it is a 25 ton unit you can believe it is more than that Holmes tested every tow truck they built and stressed it to the breaking points when they say 25 tons safely it will do more I broke the transmission PTO slap off a mack in a heavy recovery in the 70s

[@shoominati23]

Remember the Holmes built Chevy wreckers from the 70s. They built duallys but on a shortbed platform during the fuel crunch I guess to save weight, but anyone will tell you they didnt stay in service long. In wet conditions they were downright dangerous with a car hooked, and I heard from one guy who came off an on ramp too fast and the wrecker just wanted to keep going straight due to hardly any weight being on the front wheels.

[@biglakewheeler]

PTO/hydraulic not electric winches and the hand crank is to run the boom cable to lift the boom to different heights. Lots of time running and rigging those set ups. love doing recoveries

[@gurneyforpresident2836]

I sure would grab this one if I could.

[@Bbbuddy]

I recall a collision between a wrecker and a Cadillac in front of a service station I worked at in Dallas in 1977. Several folks came in after seeing the scene and asked where the “other car” was.

[@brentbell9543]

I had a similar truck. Mine was a 66 mercury m350. Had 352 4 speed 4:88 gear. This one in the vid has the 65 grille.

[@markhoffman9674]

Looks like 1965 from the grill? You would think they would have used it for advertising after taking out of service? I guess just selling parts off of it? My father had 1965 Ford F100 custom cab turquoise and white with factory 352 FE 2bbl/208 horsepower, 3 speed on the column! It would really go in 2nd gear, 1st gear was so low. It was fun to drive and had good torque! Thanks for sharing!

[@todddenio3200]

While it's not a really old town truck, provided the frame and non body parts of this truck are not damaged I think this truck would make for a really cool project.. Rebuild it repair all mechanical, drivetrain, and suspension components, upgrade the brakes to a dual circuit brake system, put on a good cab and body panels, and put it back in service even if only at shows or parades and such. It's just too cool to be scrapped. Back in the 80's and 90's there was a tow service here who had bought a 2 ton or larger 49 or 50 GMC Wrecker that had been owned by the Buick, Pontiac, GMC dealership when the dealership closed (the original owner of that dealership opened as a Buick dealership in 1919, and he ran it until he retired after more than 70 years selling Buicks. He had kept that tow truck as well as an even larger one until he closed the doors in the 90's at age 96. Well back to the story... The guy who had bought the smaller of those wreckers repainted it named it Bertha and put it back in service, 2 of the more memorable tows he used Bertha for were a large tandem rear axled MCI bus that slid full length off the road into waist deep snow one winter and his 1 ton Chevy wrecker was called to go out as well and was placed between Bertha and the huge pine trees to be used as a connection between Bertha and those huge trees to anchor Bertha to the trees so the winch could pull the bus out instead of just getting drug across the road to that huge bus. After that day the Chevy 1 ton was known as "The Anchor" anchor. The next memorable tow was the next winter when a fully loaded propane delivery truck went off the road in the same area as the bus and dropped both of it's rear duals into a water filled ditch when the ice covering it gave way under the weight of the full tank of propane when it left the road. (A water filled ditch with the ice covering it in sub zero temperatures will start refreezing pretty fast making it harder to pull such a heavy vehicle out of it.. Bertha was able to do the pull but had to have The Anchor, as well as a competitor with his tow truck assist by connecting to Bertha and the trees and a huge boulder and having taken an axe to start breaking up the ice in the ditch again. Bertha was later sold to a guy who was said to have a smaller auto and truck museum in Minnesota

[@MrTheHillfolk]

Around 89-90 a buddy got a nice 65 ford f250 with a 390. First week he had it the thing drank 175$ in gas because us kids gotta cruise!

[@CR7659]

I think the tow rig on that is a little newer than the truck. The body itself I'd say they bought, the rig itself who knows. My friend Mark had a '64 tow truck that was a little longer wheelbase and had a 300 six under the hood. He traded it to another buddy who for some ungodly reason scrapped it. It ran.

[@rustyhook6723]

Somebody did an excellent job building that wrecker. But it's a pto driven winch and it's not a side puller. It should have a cable that goes up to a sheave and out to the boon head and back to the mast for raising and lowering the boom. Yeah if only that F-350 could talk. Oh and the "sling" on the back is very rare today. Even more rare is finding someone who knows how to use it lol

[@markhale8084]

Steve, that sculpted line occurs on all the 61 to 66 F-Series trucks except for the unibeds.

[@michaelzang9739]

If I’m not mistaken, the one levers in the left rear corner of the truck operates the clutch from outside and the other one engages the PTO