I don’t normally get into the patina or rat rod scene, but this truck is begging to have its desert-blasted surfaces captured in clear coat and then dropped a bit closer to earth with some widened steel wheels and a custom bed. Did I just give away my secret plans for this 1955 White sleeper cab here on eBay? Perhaps – but really, I’m just hoping someone with deeper pockets makes that vision a reality.
Now, this is definitely a listing where you want to read the fine print. It turns out the tires and wheels aren’t included. That’s a major bummer, because getting something this heavy to roll is going to make a difference (in my opinion) on how easily you get this to your shop or garage. Frankly, I wish the seller would at least include something, since there is no glass, no interior, no engine…you get the idea. Wheels and tires would make life easier for the eventual buyer.
But you are at least getting an Arizona body and chassis, which should provide some decent sheetmetal to work with. I like the lines of this old White cab, and I do agree with the seller that you could turn it into a very cool car hauler. The bidding is only at about $200 right now but there’s a reserve; hopefully, it’s not much higher so you can leave enough room budget-wise for the large amounts of fabrication required to bring this truck to the next level. The seller has also volunteered to dispose of the frame if you don’t want that, but I’m almost inclined to keep it out of spite due to the lack of rolling stock included with the sale.
Again, the fine print is huge with this one. There’s all sorts of restrictions, rules and penalties regarding removal of the vehicle and the timeline it must be done on. I’m also trying to get it straight in my head whether or not the front axle and frame are even included. If they’re not – well, good Lord, this is one cheap seller. Unless I’m just out of the loop that cabs are worth that much on their own, I hope the eventual buyer has a good plan of attack for getting this one home without getting hammered – either with fees or injuries from loading a truck without wheels!
These White 3000 can be made into lots of neat things like this one;
I normally don’t like to put down vehicles featured here but what you have here is the makings for an awesome looking chicken coop/dog house…
The shape of this cab is fantastic
Looked at one like it that was complete
Wanted to mount Spartan camper on back
I would love the look but the amount of work would be ridiculous
+1 that is a superb cab shape
Yep………bout’ as cool as a truck can be.
Ummmm, yeah, okay! Have fun with that. Being different is not cheap and nothing is cheap about the amount of work needed to get this where it would need to be taken in order for it to be roadworthy.
so basically you pay the owner to haul away his shell of a White cab…..somebody will
Non sleeper cab over White 3000….
Read the ad again – as I read it he is selling the cab and throwing in the frame, and the penalties are related to unloading if he delivers, not for pickup. He offers help with that. Wish it was closer – would drop it over an Olds Toronado chassis.
What’s not included isn’t that big a deal for most people. In fact it can save a ton of money. Most builds center on mounting a cab low onto a modern chassis with modern drive train and a custom box.
The seller obviously understands this thus the offer of keeping the frame. That is the logical route to save money on shipping.
Saw this one a few years ago in Prescott, AZ
DSC_0053.jpg
Not sure what that jpeg is supposed to be
This is what would be called a non-intentional “glider kit”. Truck makers would sell new trucks with just the frame, cab and front axle, and the buyer would put what ever engine, trans, and axles they wanted. The White 3000 cabover ( not snub or stub nose)( I know, it continues) was made from 1948 well into the 60’s. It was the 1st cabover to feature an electric cab tilting mechanism. I don’t think the steer axle is original, as I don’t remember them having a 10 bolt pattern ( mostly on newer trucks) These are pretty rare today, even though, at one time, it was one of the most popular trucks, mostly for city delivery work. This one is pretty shot, but very few remain today, and do offer some cool retro styling. Gonna take some imagination with this, for sure.
Hi Howard. The venerable ‘Glider.’ I don’t know if you’ve ever had the sentence of installing one but they were about the most miserable jobs you could ever land in the repair business. It was next to impossible to actually do one without completely reinventing the wheel. I don’t know how they threw those trucks together at the factory but when you attempted to install the rear suspension, as Johnny Cash said: ‘when we tried to put in the bolts all the holes were gone.’ Or something to that effect. Always something that didn’t fit, or something that had to be overhauled before it could be installed, the latter not being in the customer’s budget. But then, I would install my own Glider, but there isn’t enough money available to pay me to install one for a customer.
Hello seems you are very informed about this truck I have one that was in my father’s fleet and i am in the prcess of restoring it will need some metal parts and shop manuals any help would be great thanks Patriot
Growing up in the 1960 s brooklyn ny these were balentine beer delivery trucks I f I r c they were brown with the balentine 3 ring logo
I have a vague recollection of seeing one of these in an issue of Car Craft/Rod & Custom/Hot Rod back in the ’60s with an Allison aircraft engine in it. I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen…
Yup, Google to the rescue:
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2012/01/18/rip-jim-lytle-a-power-crazed-genius/
We called them anteaters here in Australia
Hi Wayne. We called the original Streamliner designs Anteaters up here…
A challenging project for sure. This is one that I think is justified in combining the cab with a modern chassis to make your ultimate car carrier. But then, there is still this voice inside saying: ‘It CAN be fixed…’
There is one sitting around the corner. No ‘for sale’ sign; just sitting in the woods. I’ll probably rust into the ground, where it belongs.
Hello all! This truck was just bought for $800 delivered to AzRvSalvage in Phoenix. It will most likely get a Cummins engine with an Allison Transmission on a Spartan Rv or Freightliner Rv chassis. Not sure what will be behind the cab, we will have to see. Stay tuned and watch AzRvSalvage.com for more information.