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Trucks on Display

 

Below is a sampling of the many trucks on display in our Trucking Hall of Fame® Exhibit Hall. Check out our app for more information, photos, and an audio recording for each truck.  Click here to download.

1927 Diamond T GX


Engine Type:
Buda 4-Cylinder

Transmission Type:
Brown-Lipe 4-Speed (Hi & Lo)

Truck Information:
This 1927 Diamond T GX was a really big truck for its year, very heavy duty with big, solid rubber tires. It has a gross weight capacity of 22,500 pounds. In the late 1950s, the Diamond T Truck Company was sold to White Motor Company and operations were moved from Chicago, Illinois to Lansing, Michigan. The last Diamond T, of 250,000 trucks, was produced in 1966. This 1927 Diamond T has two-wheel mechanical brakes, so it was a good thing that it didn’t go very fast because stopping surely was an issue. It also has two transmissions - a main and an auxiliary - for more forward speeds. That was unusual for the time. The engine is a large four-cylinder with an alternator. It has a 10-pin worm drive rear axle made by Brown-Lipe. At the time truckers called those Brownies. It has suicide doors, which made it easier to get in and out. The truck also has an on and off switch, an amp meter, and an oil pressure gauge. Along with the choke, gear levers, emergency brake, and spark and throttle advancement, those were the only controls. The cab is actually floored with wood boards. So when people talked about the floorboard, they meant it literally. The cab itself is made of metal, but it does have a wood roof. When we bought this truck, it was just a cab and frame; we put the period-appropriate fifth wheel on it because we believe it was originally a semi. Top Speed: 15 MPH



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