Unless you have been fortunate enough to avoid exposure to the cult of Disney, the chances are good you know about the Cars movie franchise. I will admit: despite having now seen the film far more than any one person needs to watch it, it’s well done and the thinly-veiled references that only car enthusiasts could ever understand are appreciated by yours truly. The storyline drops off a bit with each subsequent version, but it’s safe to say the movie and its characters will be with us for quite some time. That’s why this 1955 Chevrolet 3600 tow truck here on Copart likely has more than one dad and/or Disney movie buff weighing a purchase to create a life-size Mater replica.
Bidding is at an even $1,000 at the moment, which is actually higher than I would have expected given this seems like a fairly significant undertaking, and I’m not sure how much of that rust is surface-level corrosion or more worrisome rot. Regardless of its movie connections, there’s no denying that old workhorses like this are immediately charming regardless of the rust situation, especially when still equipped with the original tow boom and light beacon on the roof. The Chevrolet does not run (big surprise) and the hoisting equipment is likely all in need of replacement – so this tow truck makes far more sense as a replica than a vehicle that will ever return to service.
Inside, the floor shift is a nice feature versus a column-style arrangement, and I would assume this means it was converted later in life. The floors actually look pretty solid in this picture and the bench seat isn’t even all torn up. Both of these details are rather shocking given the condition of the exterior, but perhaps it was parked with its windows up and doors shut while it was off the road for however many years before it was hauled to a Copart yard. The truck has a good windshield and it looks like the limited trim it has is all present. The paint chipping on the inside of the door would indicate it was originally white before getting a red paint job, but that’s purely speculation.
The engine appears complete, but like all Copart listings, it doesn’t tell us whether it still turns freely by hand. Even if it doesn’t, these engines seem to be incredibly durable and able to be sewn back together with bubble gum and baling wire if need be; they are the definition of a workhorse. So, even if it’s presently stuck, I’d still wager there’s a better than 50 percent chance of it coming back to life with some encouragement. Whether you want to make your kid’s Cars fantasy come true or simply bring an old working girl back to life, this Chevy tow truck is charming in all the right ways.
Of course, the first thing I thought of when I saw this was MATER. A V8 was kind of a rare powerplant for this vintage, but I saw lots of trucks in my home 40 with something similar. A 265 is going to be something to hang onto. And the four-speed is going to keep things rolling for a long time. Lots of colors you could pick from. According to the firewall it was originally green but the interior has been gone through as well because for a spell ALL GM trucks had a pewter-colored interior regardless of exterior color. If this were to come my way I don’t think I’d keep the towing apparataus; I’d restore the truck and maybe convert the deck into something more conducive to the things I would do with a tonner truck. But a Mater display wouldn’t be far from my mind…
Sorry don’t insult the real ‘Mater. I can see where everyone would confuse any rusty 1950’s wrecker as being him. He is not a Chevy. He IS a Job Rated Dodge. Why he was still on the road,,,,,, and so loveable.
Cars was a fantastic movie. Didn’t care for the Cars II movie though.
Ol’ grump here,,If I see one more corny reference of our beloved classics that some Hollywood producer thought looked like a slack jawed yokel, ( I thought Mater was a composite of many trucks) I’m going to barf, and at this time of day, just coffee and some crackers. Now EVERY rusted mid-50’s tow truck that comes down the pike, has that silly moniker, associated with “hillbilly’s( who I think prefer to be called “Mountain Williams today) from down south with poor grammar and bad teeth. I’d have to think the great folks from the south are getting sick of that stereotype.
The movie was enjoyed by many, kids the most, not having small children( or grandchildren), I never saw the movie. For a computer generated cartoon, it’s fine, generates millions for the already wealthy folks at Pixar, but I wish they’d leave our classics out of them. Remember, personal attacks not allowed( but some still make it)
The truck itself is a nice find, with a plausible price, for once. Going to take a few bottles of oxy/acetylene, if allowed in your area. Many areas outlawed acetylene, like N. Wis., the farm I lived on had a torch, I said, where’s the acetylene? Can’t get it, he said, and substitute propane, I think, and works terrible. Make a nice little contractors dump, or the ubiquitous flatbed, but get rid of the hardware( save the winch) and start over.
Hey there, my good friend, Time Out. You should actually see CARS. They picked on/glorified EVERYONE. While Lightning McQueen was supposed to be the star of the show, Mater kind of stole the spotlight. Incidentally, seven of my eight grandkids saw CARS, CARS II, and PLANES. Mikenzie and I went to the theater to see CARS when it first came out and we had no grandkids in tow. Anyway, Mater portrayed a much more favorable image of a rusty tow truck and hillbillies in general than the tow truck and banjos in Deliverance. “Where ya goin’ city boy?” Close quote. I sell a lot of truck parts into the Deep South and the Ozarks and sometimes Mater comes up in the conversation.Most don’t regard him any differently than I do. And I look upon the Maters of the world as a good friend…
I’m sure this will get peoples blood angried up, not intended, no time out needed. I’m not saying the movie wasn’t all clever, I don’t go for movies, generally, I never liked sitting that long. I’m sure the movie is entertaining, I just don’t care for anything Hollywood puts out, and with relation in that field, I’m justified in saying that. Coming from a state that adores cheese and beer, I’m tired of everyone saying we’re ” a bunch of drunken cheeseheads”, I’m sure there are folks in the south that still feel offended, especially today. Don’t forget Easy Rider,,”why don’t you get a haircut,,,BLAM”. That was portrayed as down south too.( Louisiana)
MY beef is, a cool truck like this immediately gets labeled as a character in a movie, and not for what a nice find it is. A “double nickel” Task Force dually, is incredibly rare, NONE were saved. It was state of the art then, reduced to a likeness of some movie prop, sorry, we’re in different gears here, my friend. Peace,,
By the way, I realize the irony of someone who sat for a living, can’t sit and watch a movie, so don’t bother pointing that out,, :)
That’s fine, my friend, I don’t expect everyone to agree with everything. We all have a different view…
Geez people, don’t get your panties in a bunch over
an old tow truck !!!
I belonged to a hearse owners club that was based out of Kenosha. We had a monthly meeting in the summer (would that be “meating”?) at the Keno Drive in movie theater. One time we all met, and the main feature was Cars.
We were sitting around, drinking beer, hanging out with the other hearse-o-philes, and joking around. My now ex-wife decided to crawl into the back of the hearse & to drag me with her. Needless to say, we didn’t see much of the movie lol, but I sure like the movie.
Cars is a GREAT movie! My kids were still young when it came out and my wife and I just watched it again with our grands last weekend. There isn’t anyone that could’ve done the character of ‘Mater better than Larry but my favorite character in the movie will always be Frank (the combine).
I liked MACK and the Sheriff/Mercury. But I enjoyed all of them; they all contributed greatly to the story. Now I really enjoy talking about CARS with the grandkids…
Made me think of my father in laws 48 Ford.Flathead V8,4spd.2spd.axle.Steering by Armstrong,double clutch every shift.Could tow anything at 45mph. top speed:-)
Here I go again, every Mopar is not a muscle car,every tri 5 Chevy is not a Bel-air, everything with a straight axle is not a gasser,and now every old wrecker is not Mater!!!
One warning on this one . . . . check with your insurance company and the State DMV before you take on a working wrecker. I knew a guy in Indiana who had an old one ton Dodge truck and happened to find a used wrecker body for it. It seemed like a good idea.
Then the DMV wouldn’t let him license it as a one ton truck, he had to spend a fair amount more money for a Repair/Towing plate. And his insurance company found out what it had become and charged him like he was going to run a towing business.
He ended up selling the wrecker body because it cost too much money to license and insure it.
Excellent point on insurance. Classic car insurance companies generally will not touch a policy on a wrecker. Trying to insure it through a regular policy where I live is a non-starter too. Only one or two companies will insure a tow truck, and it would be several thousand dollars a month. Hagerty even balked at the winch on the front bumper of one of my classic 4 x 4 pickups.
Some people have lied, and insured similar vehicles as “pickups”. That will get you the insurance card to show the cops, but if there is ever a claim…..there is no coverage. Police may also get involved as there was a “false statement” made. BTW, same thing goes for any other misrepresentation about vehicle use or modifications. Even without a claim, if they get wind of it, insurers often cancel All policies (home, auto, and business). This can happen if police decide to call and verify insurance (typically when a teen is driving a modified car registered to a little old lady who maybe hasn’t driven since the 80s). Most insurance companies now share claim and status data, so if you get dumped by one, others won’t insure you, or want at least double $.
theres one of these at the junk yard where im at, has the ol’ straight six
Would make a nice advertising piece in front of a auto/truck repair shop or at the front of a junkyard.
Look at the Oil Filter Canister! This is an original ’55 265 V-8! By 1956 chevrolet put the oil filter into the driver’s side part of the lower block.
The top of the oil bath air cleaner was from a 1956 model.
Any 1955 chevrolet truck with a V-8 is rare because it was the first year for the V-8’s and the old stovebolt sizes were extemely reliable and excellent cold morning starts at well under -40 below zero! Plus in a truck application, the six was a much better “Puller” at low RPM’s. The V-8 Emblem is barely visiable on the side of the fenders, which means the truck was an Original
V-8 Equiped Truck.
Located in Springfield, MO