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.
1942 Peterbilt 270-DC
Engine Type:
Cummins Model 6 HB, 150 Horsepower
Transmission Type:
Brown-Lipe 4-Speed
Truck Information:
This truck was shipped on November 20, 1942 to Permanente Metals Corporation in San Jose, California. It is one of the only three chain drive Peterbilts known to exist today. Permanente Metals was a division of Kaiser Industries that built 747 Liberty Ships for World War II. This truck was painted the color "Olive Drab" from the factory. Factory options were tow hooks, two rearview mirrors, two windshield wipers, a hand operated turn signal, and a chain oiler. To use the chain oiler, you open a valve and it drips on the chain; it also drips on the ground. Nobody would like that now, but in a shipyard in 1942 it was acceptable. There are three oil bath air cleaners; they were used on early Cummins engines. Later engines had dry filter air cleaners. The vacuum actually pulls air through the oil and filters the dirt out with a screen. The oil catches the dirt and it falls down into the cup at the bottom of the filter. You had to remove the bottom cup and clean out the oil and dirt. With a dry air filter you take the used one out, throw it away, and replace it with a new filter - much simpler and definitely less messy! Due to the low top speed of this truck, it was only used around the shipyard. Top Speed: 18 MPH
Cummins Model 6 HB, 150 Horsepower
Transmission Type:
Brown-Lipe 4-Speed
Truck Information:
This truck was shipped on November 20, 1942 to Permanente Metals Corporation in San Jose, California. It is one of the only three chain drive Peterbilts known to exist today. Permanente Metals was a division of Kaiser Industries that built 747 Liberty Ships for World War II. This truck was painted the color "Olive Drab" from the factory. Factory options were tow hooks, two rearview mirrors, two windshield wipers, a hand operated turn signal, and a chain oiler. To use the chain oiler, you open a valve and it drips on the chain; it also drips on the ground. Nobody would like that now, but in a shipyard in 1942 it was acceptable. There are three oil bath air cleaners; they were used on early Cummins engines. Later engines had dry filter air cleaners. The vacuum actually pulls air through the oil and filters the dirt out with a screen. The oil catches the dirt and it falls down into the cup at the bottom of the filter. You had to remove the bottom cup and clean out the oil and dirt. With a dry air filter you take the used one out, throw it away, and replace it with a new filter - much simpler and definitely less messy! Due to the low top speed of this truck, it was only used around the shipyard. Top Speed: 18 MPH
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