My pics from the Watt's show

[Green Dash]

I made it home to bed at 5:15 this morning so I was able to take a nap and get to the show around 11:45, introduced myself to Barry at the gate, and managed to miss the noon photo shoot. It was however, for a good reason. One of the first trucks I saw was one the most pristine B models you'll find at any show, restored by our very own "220 Cummins". Pat was there with his Dad so I introduced myself and figured we'd chat for a few minutes and I'd move on. A few minutes later, a gentlemen about the same age as Pat's Dad came over began a conversation that lasted the better part of an hour, touching on subjects such as coal hauling, steel hauling, threats, shutdowns, F.A.S.H., Macks, "mixing the sticks", Mexican overdrive, brake failures, lack of amenities and how they survived it all. I remember that era well because of the coverage in newspapers and in Overdrive magazine, but these guys were there. I was already pleased that I was able to make the show and to listen in on a couple of "old timers" swapping stories was the icing on the cake.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Ben and Tim Jumper and Farmer52 but was only able to talk for a few minutes to them since the leisurely pace I was enjoying was now a mad rush to take some photos, get my wife's car to the dealer, and make it back to town to watch some competition between local fire departments. It was a good day.

Because of the time constraints, I only took pictures of Macks and the Jumper's awesome sounding Detroit powered IH 4200. I would imagine that complete coverage will be posted here soon.

Kudo's to Barry and the folks at Watt's Mack for hosting another great show that continues to outdo itself every year.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v240/Ragman517/Watts%20Mack%20Show%202012/?start=all

[umodelnut]

Is that black and gray IH Bens secret project?

[Green Dash]

I had forgotten about that. It's not easy to keep a 6V92 a secret once you turn the key.

[Maddog13407]

that B70 with the extended shell was at the Syracuse National show in 2003 the Eidemiler trucks are pristine and i kinda like the dark bluemetallic on that one b model.

[JumperAndSon]

Heyyyyyyyy!!!! You weren't sopposed to tell them! Now everybody knows. Jeeze. Anyway, I'm making a slideshow of the whole project in the next couple of days and I'll be sure to post it.

Ben

[Green Dash]

Heyyyyyyyy!!!! You weren't sopposed to tell them! Now everybody knows. Jeeze. Anyway, I'm making a slideshow of the whole project in the next couple of days and I'll be sure to post it.

Ben

oopsi-doodle

[umodelnut]

oopsi-doodle

Uh oh Green Dash. Cousin Ben is a little, well, pissed maybe?

[other dog]

Heyyyyyyyy!!!! You weren't sopposed to tell them! Now everybody knows. Jeeze. Anyway, I'm making a slideshow of the whole project in the next couple of days and I'll be sure to post it.

Ben

you can't keep a secret here- there's secret spy cameras everywhere!

for example- remember Rowdy saying he didn't have AC, even when the temp. was 100+?..well, he didn't, but the secret spy camera shows what he did have...

and thanks for the pictures Jim.

[umodelnut]

you can't keep a secret here- there's secret spy cameras everywhere!

for example- remember Rowdy saying he didn't have AC, even when the temp. was 100+?..well, he didn't, but the secret spy camera shows what he did have...

and thanks for the pictures Jim.

Couldnt you get a picture of his B model with that?

[220cummins]

I made it home to bed at 5:15 this morning so I was able to take a nap and get to the show around 11:45, introduced myself to Barry at the gate, and managed to miss the noon photo shoot. It was however, for a good reason. One of the first trucks I saw was one the most pristine B models you'll find at any show, restored by our very own "220 Cummins". Pat was there with his Dad so I introduced myself and figured we'd chat for a few minutes and I'd move on. A few minutes later, a gentlemen about the same age as Pat's Dad came over began a conversation that lasted the better part of an hour, touching on subjects such as coal hauling, steel hauling, threats, shutdowns, F.A.S.H., Macks, "mixing the sticks", Mexican overdrive, brake failures, lack of amenities and how they survived it all. I remember that era well because of the coverage in newspapers and in Overdrive magazine, but these guys were there. I was already pleased that I was able to make the show and to listen in on a couple of "old timers" swapping stories was the icing on the cake.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Ben and Tim Jumper and Farmer52 but was only able to talk for a few minutes to them since the leisurely pace I was enjoying was now a mad rush to take some photos, get my wife's car to the dealer, and make it back to town to watch some competition between local fire departments. It was a good day.

Because of the time constraints, I only took pictures of Macks and the Jumper's awesome sounding Detroit powered IH 4200. I would imagine that complete coverage will be posted here soon.

Kudo's to Barry and the folks at Watt's Mack for hosting another great show that continues to outdo itself every year.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v240/Ragman517/Watts%20Mack%20Show%202012/?start=all

It was pleasure to meet you! Maybe one day you'll get a R-model and bring it to the watts show. It was enjoyable to hear some stories and events that took place during the heyday of trucking. I've been told guys like my dad and that fellow old timer who were "shooting the breeze" are the last of a dying breed. I would have to agree with that fact. There are not too many guys left out there today that drive, maintain, and rebuilt their trucks like that anymore. And if they are left they should be considered the "real truck drivers" because they can drive transmission or engine, blink marker lights, and help out fellow guys on shoulder with thor hood open. They also know to drive safe so the don't have to "have the door open getting ready to jump when going down Munster on rt.22". When they retire they can tell the joke "how is the fastest way to make a million dollars trucking??...start with 2 million". Hahah we both had a great time at the show. It was nice talking and seeing to Barry, Tom, and Jim watt. More and more trucks keep showing up year after year. Like I told Barry sooner or later the watts show will be referred to macgunie west lol

On another note F.A.S.H is pretty interesting subject and shows what guys were up against in the 60s and 70s who were hauling steel in the Midwest and east coast.

[Green Dash]

In doing an archive search on Google news, I've found newspaper articles on FASH as well as the Teamsters from that era. There was plenty of news coverage of both the progress (or lack of) and the resulting violence. Scary stuff to have to deal with on top of the dangers that come with the job.

Uh oh Green Dash. Cousin Ben is a little, well, pissed maybe?

As Mrs Dash says, you can't take me anywhere.

My punishment will be a variation of Chinese Water Torture. It's called "Detroit Oil Torture" and involves being strapped to a gurney and placed under a running 2 stroke. You'll hear my cries for mercy way up there in the Empire state.

[mowerman]

I made it home to bed at 5:15 this morning so I was able to take a nap and get to the show around 11:45, introduced myself to Barry at the gate, and managed to miss the noon photo shoot. It was however, for a good reason. One of the first trucks I saw was one the most pristine B models you'll find at any show, restored by our very own "220 Cummins". Pat was there with his Dad so I introduced myself and figured we'd chat for a few minutes and I'd move on. A few minutes later, a gentlemen about the same age as Pat's Dad came over began a conversation that lasted the better part of an hour, touching on subjects such as coal hauling, steel hauling, threats, shutdowns, F.A.S.H., Macks, "mixing the sticks", Mexican overdrive, brake failures, lack of amenities and how they survived it all. I remember that era well because of the coverage in newspapers and in Overdrive magazine, but these guys were there. I was already pleased that I was able to make the show and to listen in on a couple of "old timers" swapping stories was the icing on the cake.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Ben and Tim Jumper and Farmer52 but was only able to talk for a few minutes to them since the leisurely pace I was enjoying was now a mad rush to take some photos, get my wife's car to the dealer, and make it back to town to watch some competition between local fire departments. It was a good day.

Because of the time constraints, I only took pictures of Macks and the Jumper's awesome sounding Detroit powered IH 4200. I would imagine that complete coverage will be posted here soon.

Kudo's to Barry and the folks at Watt's Mack for hosting another great show that continues to outdo itself every year.

http://smg.photobuck...2012/?start=all

lucky you,,,was too far from here,,,like all the other cool mack stuff,,,,boohoo....glad you had fun sometime ill make it,,,have to use vacation,,,and book airflight lol.bob

[220cummins]

In doing an archive search on Google news, I've found newspaper articles on FASH as well as the Teamsters from that era. There was plenty of news coverage of both the progress (or lack of) and the resulting violence. Scary stuff to have to deal with on top of the dangers that come with the job.

As Mrs Dash says, you can't take me anywhere.

My punishment will be a variation of Chinese Water Torture. It's called "Detroit Oil Torture" and involves being strapped to a gurney and placed under a running 2 stroke. You'll hear my cries for mercy way up there in the Empire state.

Yes an interesting article I believe was titled "how 8 men stood up to U.S. Steel" was about how F.A.S.H started in Gary,in. There was a lot of stuff that was not printed in the press as well. There was a story I was told of Point Transfer out of canton, oh trying to run coils out of U.S. Steel Irvin Works during the strike. 3 trucks made it out of the plant, two were stopped on rt 51 and their drivers pulled out and trucks destroyed and one made it as far as Carnegie. The local police chased the truck out of its hiding spot behind a local grocery store because they didn't want problems in their town but informed my dad and a few others who got the word out to other local steel haulers. The cabover white made it as far as Bridgeville pa before the local guys put it out of commission and stripped the truck of everything from tarps and binders to light bulbs and batteries. The local police looked the other way. They knew what was going on and didn't agree with running during a strike.