Showing posts with label Diamond T. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diamond T. Show all posts

Diamond T, known for their tractor trucks (semi) but they once made roadsters, touring cars, pick ups and fuel tankers


The cowboy icon, Gene Autry



 Below, a prototype woodie found on  http://blog.hemmings.com/

all the other photos are from http://www.diamondtclassics.com

the 1935 Diamond T Doodlebug, 26 feet long, 1500 gallons, designed by H W Kizer




the above and below images are from the same time and place, check out the VIP limo, a 1940Cadillac V16



It was stylistically important for several reasons. First, it departed from all common car and truck-body conventions. There were no fenders on the Doodlebug, certainly not in any normal sense. The conventional hood was gone, as were the running boards, cowl,and setback windshield. The "little house on wheels" that made up the passenger compartment of most vehicles of the day was visually absent. The Doodlebug's bread-Ioaf shape was all of one piece and, except for the applied headlights, could have been designed today. Second, the Doodlebug used curved side glass and a compound curved windshield. This last innovation didn't see mass production until the '57 Chrysler Imperial. The "through" body sides were at least 13 years ahead of their time--Kaiser and Frazer put the idea into production for 1946. The eyebrows over the full wheel cutouts reappeared as a focal point on the '66 Olds Toronado. Third, the Doodlebug tapered toward the rear and had considerable uninterrupted tumblehome curve, which were unusual features in that day of boxy bodies.

Most surprising was the overall height. At 72 inches, the Doodlebug stood a mere 4 inches higher than a '34 Ford sedan. No one was building trucks that low in those days, nor do many manufacturers do so even today. Bel Geddes' inspired Texaco fleet, helped prompt other oil companies to produce similarly streamlined commercial vehicles.

I saved these photos yesterday and now I can't find the webpage I got them from

1949 Diamond T pickup, Cliff was able to persuade all of his family that he would give granddad's Diamond T truck a great home

I'm astonished... I have never heard of a Diamond T pickup til now... it's great to still discover new vehicles I've never heard of






Cool crank front windows, only one gauge replaced, and they all work. I've never seen Diamond T gauges before, the Diamond T semi's I've come across all had Stewart Warner gauges I think

Cliff's granddad owned a lumber mill, and had these running boards helped out, plus the wood on the bed of the truck
Nice black stripe across the doors, makes the truck look great

The spare matches the tires on the truck, and they may be originals, or they may be a 1960's replacement set... pure speculation... but notice the spare still has the inventory paint mark on the top



These hub caps, I've never seen them before... and they are so rare, that when traveling cross country a cousin of Cliffs spotted one on a wall decorating a roadside restaurant, and called the granddad who told him to buy it at all costs!


If anyone knows where Cliff can find a fule tank for this truck, please send me an email jbohjkl@yahoo.com and I'll pass the info along to Cliff