While you are reading this, Chad and I will be heading to LS Fest in Bowling Green, Kentucky for a couple days of announcing work and that’ll include stuff on the road course, the autocross, and the drag strip. While most of the cars will be driven in, I’m sure that some will come riding in trailer towed behind any manner or rig and a few may come in on ramp trucks or roll backs depending on what terminology you’d like to use.
Ever wonder where all that got started? Of course the practice of towing a car on a trailer has been going forever but when it comes to ramp trucks, we may be looking at the earlier end of the scale in the form of this 1955 Studebaker E38 truck. Powered by the same tough 289i V8 that the 1955 President models were powered by and equipped with a two speed rear axle, this thing had the low end guts to get it and whatever it was hauling on the move. It wouldn’t go much more than 55mph but at least it had the suds to get around with a load on it.
This particular truck is equipped with a hydraulically driven winch that was used to haul the wayward cars onto the ramps so that they could be strapped down. The amount of overhang behind the rear tires is pretty wild. We’re thinking that more than once this thing had the front end in the air when hauling cars, especially if they had been backed onto the ramps.
The truck has undergone a cosmetic restoration and really looks good from the outside. Adding some vintage looking lettering to the doors and an early 1960s stock eliminator car on the ramps would complete a timeless look and parking it next to a toter home would be an excellent illustration of “how it was” versus “how it is”. There was a time that pulling into the races with this truck would have set you apart as a “pro”. Now it would set you apart for being the coolest guy in the joint.
This is a really cool truck and a car hauler than is 100% BangShift approved. The fact that it has the 289 Stude engine in it still makes it all the better.
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If it starts, stops, stays running, doesn’t burn too much oil and there’s mostly metal beneath the paint on the floors, rockers, and fender edges, it’s a decent price for what it would cost to get one running, ask me how I know. I don’t know what the weirdness is with the wood connecting the radiator to the mount, or where the battery is hiding, as it is usually mounted driver’s side on its own mount, but it does have electric wipers. If I could swing it without having to file for divorce after I got it home, I would. If a Bangshifter buys it, I have some extra parts.
The same guy’s also selling a 6V53 Detroit. If you’re made of money, it would sort of fit and the NP tranny/Eaton axle will handle it, as long as you’re not hell-shifting under load. They built the later E-series with 4-53’s. Thanks, Brian – now I’m thinking of selling my ’03 Marauder (Mostly stock with only 58k on the clock) and my ’63 Lark (4 door, 259 2 bbl, 3 speed. Needs a starter and ring gear) in order to make room for it. By far, my favorite truck, along with the M Series trucks, Coupe Express, and the 50’s B-Series Mack.
Change the winch cable…it looks scary.