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Available Truck

September 23, 2006 our Museum was donated an extremely rare truck.
The new in 1991 California Title says 1932

Among the documents we received with the truck are these three pictures -- below. We assume the two black and white are how this Available looked before it was restored. The picture beneath them as the truck looks today, except the name and phone number have been sanded off.

Sunday 9-24-2006 I took these pictures then created a new thread on Smokstak.com forum -- where a Montana member pointed me at Antique Truck Historical Society.org -- where I created a new thread and included these pictures early morning 9-25. I have these replies:

"Greg, I have a book that says they were built from 1910 until 1957, and only built a total of about 2500 trucks. Most were sold to Chicago area customers, and the company was taken over by Crane Carriers Corporation Tulsa Oklahoma. Nice truck in your pictures. Should really be an asset to your program." Shifty

"Availables were pretty much custom built at the factory in Chicago, Illinois. Extremely rare, they were powered by everything from small Continental gas engines up to Hall-Scott gas engines, and likely even some diesels toward the end of their production years. Several of the "coffee table" truck pictorial books (those by Neils Janssen come to mind) have photos and small historical sketches of the Available Truck." John McLellan

"Greg, what a beautifully preserved truck. I love it. If I had to guess I'd say it's closer to a '31-'32 than a '28. Here's a little info on Available trucks. I couldn't find any photos of any similar to yours." Jeff Lakaszcyck
Jeff provides the two images below the bottom message. Click on the second to see a larger version.

"The only thing I've got that lists Availables in the 28-32 period is a fan belt catalog. It doesn't show anything for 28 or 29 (I would assume because of low production?) but shows 28 different models for 30, 31 and 32, all starting with a "T" , a "W" or an "X"(T10 thru T50, somtimes with letters after number, W200 and 300 and X300) About half have the engine used listed; if more definite info doesn't show up, and it's a 30 to 32 with a model number, ping me at and I'll see if I can ID engine. Good luck." clueless

"Don't know if this info has been posted before, but that that Available of earlier posts probably has a 6BM   3-5/8 x 4-1/4   263 ci   5.7 comp   86 hp @ 2800   210 T @ 1000. Interesting that both Waukesha & Hercules engines of that pre-war period have displacement breaks that are almost identical." Park Olson

RE: Two questions
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 11:49:48 -0500
From: "Think Tank"
To: agsem_ignitor@yahoo.com
CC: "Lindsey MacAllister"
Dear Mr. Hayden,
Thank you for your request to the Museum of Science and Industry concerning the Available truck. I checked our Trade Catalog files and auto files, but find no information about the company or the trucks. The newly reopened Chicago History Society and the Harold Washington branch of the Chicago Public Library have some information about older Chicago companies. They may be able to give you some additional information. Thank you again for your interest in the Museum. If we can be of further help, please contact us again.
Sincerely,
Ron Ritzler, Volunteer
Think Tank