In the not-so-distant past, over-the-road trucking was very, very different.  Interstate highways were still snaking their way across our great nation, and multi-day trips were fairly rare.  The trucks back then were thus very different than what we see today.  Take, for example, this 1966 GMC DLR/DFR-8000 cabover for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Monroe, Wisconsin.  This unusually designed cabover truck was once a popular choice for trucking companies maximizing profits, but was despised by the brave souls tasked with driving them.  Do you have a soft enough spot in your heart to fork over $1,500 to add an example of the famous “crackerjack” to your collection?  Thanks to Hans H. for tipping us off on this neat old truck.

General Motors had a significant presence in nearly every transportation market following World War II.  The giant of a company manufactured locomotives, buses, over-the-road trucks, and a dizzying array of engines for other manufacturers in addition to its bread-and-butter car and light truck lines.  The company gained market share in each of those marketplaces by relentlessly innovating and using the company’s financial power to offer vehicles at a lower price.

In the heavy truck market, General Motors introduced a very unconventional product in 1959.  The GMC DLR 8000 and DFR 8000 were cabover trucks that were designed to take advantage of laws restricting the length of a truck and trailer in commercial service.  The cabs on these highly customizable trucks measured a scant 48 inches in length.  Later, sleeper cab versions added a place for the driver to bed down in the rear.  These versions provided a driver with a miserly 24-inch-wide platform to bed down on.  To save weight, the cabs were made primarily of aluminum.  This weight savings allowed roughly another ton of payload to be carried legally.  Buyers could also opt for single or dual axle configurations, and the engine options were plenty.

To a company wanting to maximize the amount of freight hauled, these cabovers were a godsend.  Drivers, however, took a very dim view of them.  These trucks were derisively nicknamed “crackerboxes” due to their upright metal box shape, much like the packaging saltine crackers were sold in at the time.  Driver complaints about the lack of room in the cab, the rough ride they had with the cab directly over the front axle, and the obvious safety concerns.  To their benefit, these trucks did come with innovations such as an independent front end, power steering, and air ride.

Production of these trucks soldiered on until 1968.  The model seen here is a 1966 model that has sat in the seller’s yard for fifteen long years.  There is no mention of the drivetrain combination in the ad.  The seller had plans for the truck, but has reached a point where having the space is more important than keeping the truck.  It is advertised as needing restoration.  It is also suggested that it could be sold for parts as well.

With a $1,500 asking price, this one may be worth a phone call if you fancy such vehicles.  Hopefully, someone will find a way to restore this crackerbox and display it occasionally.  Compared to the behemoths we see on the highways today, this truck is an interesting look back at just how tough truckers had to be back in the day.

Do you have memories of these distinctive trucks?  If so, please share them in the comments.