Wow!
http://tinyurl.com/7o2crmk ( dead link 06-22-21 )
That's incredible! The auction description says it's a complete Bell Service Truck, untouched since 1975.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Nilsog/KGrHqRooE8dDg5BCjBPm6dD5Fw60_58.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Nilsog/KGrHqNn0E9cvcZrbVBPm6-1Gu60_58.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Nilsog/KGrHqJlYE9H7Ed7dEBPm6tVIow60_58-1.jpg)
I'm guessing somewhere on the truck is "Bell system property, Not for resale".... :D
It probably says that EVERYWHERE on the truck - no Bell System anymore though!
Yes, isn't it incredible. There has been a lot of talk about it on other lists also. Now, I am a tool guy, but couldn't even come close to affording this!
It is a sight to behold!
Love that '57 F-100! Remember the old Janis Joplin song, "Oh Lord, Won't you buy me a 57 Telephone Truck (Mercedes Benz) "!
Dave
That would be one HECK of a shipping charge. ;D
This thing really belongs in a museum.
Quote from: JorgeAmely on March 16, 2012, 05:16:00 PM
This thing really belongs in a museum.
I absolutely agree. Hopefully whoever buys it doesn't part it all out.
This really is an awesome collection.
The display case with all the individual dial parts is very nice and has it's own carrying case. I doubt you will find many of these around.
He was obviously a collector of phones and phone company related items and threw in some phones to go with the sale. Based on his buying feedback, the hard hat, pressure gauge, ashtray and many of the tools were bought within the past year and added to the collection. It's very possible none of the equipment in the sale was ever in use with this actual truck when it was in service, but it would be nice to know if any were. Either way this is an outstanding collection and the service truck itself would be a great restoration project
Ken.
Holycrap. That is exactly what my uncle's been looking for...
What on earth would a telephone installer do with a hatchet? ???
Good, old-fashioned Customer Service. The stuff the Bell System was known for!
Quote from: Brinybay on March 18, 2012, 11:49:57 PM
What on earth would a telephone installer do with a hatchet? ???
For cutting up wood to use for a woodgas powered car or truck? :D
Or more likely, trimming trees to clear the lines of arborial interference, or cut notches in things to pass wires around, or to chase after kids telling them to
"git off the darn lines!!!"... :D
Quote from: Brinybay on March 18, 2012, 11:49:57 PM
What on earth would a telephone installer do with a hatchet? ???
Used for various purposes as suggested above and for cleaving those tough meat sandwiches and biscuits your wife packed for your lunch.
Designed for pole line maintenance, chopping and leveling the area where cross-arms mount, and Bell issued hatchets contain a sport a fashionable square cut-out to allow the hatchet to be used to loosen/tighten pole hardware.
Dave
Quote from: JorgeAmely on March 16, 2012, 05:16:00 PM
This thing really belongs in a museum.
That thing IS a museum.
Quote from: Witty on March 18, 2012, 08:11:05 PMIt's very possible none of the equipment in the sale was ever in use with this actual truck when it was in service, but it would be nice to know if any were.
The wording of the ad seems to be constructed to avoid saying the items have been in the truck since 1975. It says the auction is for a collection of tools and a truck. It's a clever way of avoiding saying all the stuff was on the truck when it was parked, while leaving the impression that it was.
Even so, the truck is a great piece for the collector who has everything, and the parts are just icing on the cake.
Hi All:
I noticed this morning (Mar 21st), someone has made the first bid on the truck and tools!
Dave
I hope it is someone we know. I would love to see the hidden treasures inside.
It's someone I know. :) I really hope he gets it. This is the truck we've been looking for. The same model my grand father was operating in Northern NB in the 60s
Quote from: Brinybay on March 18, 2012, 11:49:57 PM
What on earth would a telephone installer do with a hatchet? ???
I was going to say (as Dave did) for chopping the flat spot for all the cross arms. There is a name for them but I can't recall what it is now. The similar flat spot cut into the pole usually about 5 or 6 feet up from the ground (which also usually has the pole size and maybe a pole number in it) is called a "Butt gain mark". That is because it is 12 feet from the "butt" of the pole so one can easily determine how much of the pole is burried in the ground. Pole detail numbers are usually something like 6 and 45 for example. That is a #6 pole which is a rating of the diameter of the pole with a low number such as 3 or 4 being a skinny pole and 10 to 1 being a BIG pole. The second number is the toal pole height including the 12 feet from butt to gain mark.
Way more than anyone wanted to know!
Terry
Well...this went much higher than I expected. It certainly went to the right place. The new owner has a Museum of his own....Doug
I suggested to show it at the San Jose show in November. Maybe, who knows...
I don't think John LaRue of California (Stockton?) would mind being ID'd as the buyer. Selling price $6299.99 PLUS USPS Priority Shipping!
Does anyone know if any of the other bidders were phone collectors vs vehicle collectors? I can't ID any of the other bidders.
Terry
One of the other bidder's was my Uncle. While neither specifically a phone nor a car collector. He has restored a number of cars and has a collection of many things. He is an historian and avid restorer, He worked as a curator for this place http://www.villagehistoriqueacadien.com/index_en.cfm early in his carrer.
The may interest in the truck is family history as that was the specific model of truck my Grand Father was driving in the 60's including all the tool the would have played with.
If anyone spot an old ford utility truck with/without the tools. If anything we had fun trying. :)
That's one amazing collection! Never seen the like. Seems like the price was right too, though way too high for my blood.
One wonders exactly how this truck got free of the Bell System? Did they sell their old vehicles off? And would they have left equipment on them? Did some angry employee get fired and drive off with it?
A hundred and three years ago, when I was a kid, we found a Bell System truck parked in a field out in the middle of nowhere, it was parked with some junk old farm equipment. Keys in the ignition, still ran, it was a late 60's early 70's rig. It was there for many months before it vanished one day, no idea what happened to it. It seemed to have bins full of equipment as well, at least the unlocked ones were.
I am sure that the vehicles were sold or auctioned off then as now. Proceedure would have been to remove all equipment and likely ladder racks etc but some probably were disposed of including racks and other items. I think this vehicle did not likely come with all of this equipment but rather it was all just grouped together into one auction.
Terry