DIOCCUSA: #strangetruckposting mystery edition UPDATED

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 03/19/2020 at 20:20 • Filed to: DIOCCUSA, Old Car City USA, #strangetruckposting

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Finally a chance to use this! I really don’t have good enough photos to make a real DIOCCUSA, but this strange truck rusting away !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!   just had to be included.

Asymmetrical trucks have never been very popular outside of usage on docks and airports, so I would surmise this had a similar usage.

The engine is still in the middle for some reason, even though that makes the cab quite unnecessarily narrow. In the middle of the grille lies a “chassis by Ford” placard, which means that this strange contraption could have been built by just about anyone. I wonder if the engine is Ford too?

Yup, the interior is pretty spartan. Not much of note here.

This is our best clue to the job this truck performed. It seems a long, wide flat deck was essential. What might require that I have no idea.

So Oppo, what was this truck used for? Can you guess who made it? If anyone can solve this mystery, it is you guys.

UPDATE:

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! pointed out a barnfinds.com post , which can be found !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . It contained an Ebay ad for a similar machine using a Chevy chassis. All the glass, lighting, grille, interior bits seemed to be a close match/ The barnfinds truck was a double cab (2 x 1/2 = ?) and had a flip down railing instead of a solid one, but I think we are on to something here.

I think the brand name on my truck says ELDA or ESDA or somthing like that, based on the faded sticker. Someone want to help research? It seems these things are called pipe trucks, which may give a clue as to its strange layout.

facw > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 03/19/2020 at 20:48

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No idea. Not even sure what these things are called (half cab maybe, but I’m unconvinced).

In any event, maybe it can do this:

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > facw 03/19/2020 at 21:04

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Woah! I don’t know what they are called either, but they aren’t very common to see on regular roads. Every once and a while I will notice one of those Macks with the cab mounted offcenter, but other than that, they are totally strange to me. I don’t believe that this one can tilt like that because of the integrated cab, but good find. What was your google search to find that?

facw > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 03/19/2020 at 21:08

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I searched for: half cab truck

Gone > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 03/19/2020 at 21:09

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A lot of these are called steel or pipe trucks. Barn finds had one. Oddly enough, looks like the same commercial body manufacturer, but C hevy chass is . The white looking script under the windshield is possibly the manufacturer.

https://barnfinds.com/offset-oddball-1965-chevrolet-pipe-truck/

Kinda reminds me of the weird looking sideloader/lifts.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 03/19/2020 at 21:35

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Oh, that's a cool old thing! Guessing some sort of specialized use? I have no idea for what though...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Gone 03/19/2020 at 21:57

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That barnfinds link seems to be the same company. The lighting set up and the grille bisected by the crossbar seems to be identical, as well as the strangely shaped quarter window. Even the interior seems to be pretty close. Now only if we knew the company name! That faded script might hold the key. Zooming in on my uncompressed image seems to imply four letters. Possibly ELDA, maybe ESD A?

As to its purpose, I guess hauling pipes is the only reason you would ever seat 1+1 like that. The sides of my truck are fixed with a raised railing , not flip down, so maybe it held ladders or something?