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Ultimate Yard Art? 1954 Chevrolet Hauler

When I see photos of vintage cars being hauled by cool vintage trucks, I can’t help but dream of all those factory-fresh cars and wish I could go back in time to check them out in person. Something like this setup may be the closest thing to realizing that dream. You are looking at a 1954 Chevrolet heavy-duty pickup towing a double-decker car trailer with a 1957 Chevrolet inside. Located north of Chicago, they can be seen for sale here on eBay with an asking price of $5,000. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Ikey H. for the tip on this great set-up.

The ad says this truck and trailer were actually restored and unfortunately burned in a fire about eleven years ago. If anyone knows the details or has any pre-fire photos, please leave a comment below.

As you can see, the fire reduced everything to shells. At this point, they are probably only good for yard-art. Even if someone had the time and money to restore them, the heat from the fire probably compromised most of the metal. What do you think? Do you have a yard, garage, man-cave or she-shed big enough for this piece of art?

Comments

  1. Avatar geomechs Member

    Breaks my heart to see something like this. Fire is so final. Some super enthusiasts have gone to great pains to make something like this new again. I had a customer come to me several years ago with a 57 GMC Suburban Carrier that had an engine fire that partially melted the carburetor off. I rebuilt the motor and tried to buy the truck but the customer was far from interested in selling. I guess it belonged to his son who had the fire shortly before he went to Vietnam. He came home but completely lost interest in the truck. Last I heard, the truck was headed down to Miles City…

    Like 12
    • HoA Howard A Member

      I think the fire was more than 11 years ago. Rumor has it, the driver of the truck got into some hanky panky, never made his last delivery,( ’57 Chevy) and they found the truck in a remote area burned to a crisp.

      Like 11
  2. Avatar Too Late

    Send it to a New York art gallery with a $50,000 price tag. Somebody there would love own this form of art.

    Like 7
  3. Avatar Kenneth Carney

    Sorry folks, one fire damaged vehicle is
    enough for me. Went the rebuild route
    with an old Jaguar sedan when I was
    17. Luckily for me, I turned a profit on it
    and didn’t get burned doing it. Thankfully
    for me, that other than the damage done
    to the hood, front fenders, and engine
    bay, the car was complete–down to the picnic basket in the trunk! Someone will
    buy it and hopefully restore it. Just not
    me.

    Like 5
  4. Avatar stillrunners

    Wasn’t this the same rig that was posted many times on the various sites with a load of 55-57 Chevies…..like broke down or something…..like the moss covered 63 split window Vette ?

    Like 1
    • Avatar Mike

      Is this the pic you were thinking of?

      Like 27
      • HoA Howard A Member

        Thanks, MIke, this is the rig where they speculate the driver had “gone missing”. Not the same rigs.

        Like 7
      • Avatar Scott Tait

        I remember this one from a while back this is not a COE rig?

        Like 4
      • Avatar stillrunners

        Yep that’s it….forgot it was a COE….thanks for keeping me straight.

        Like 3
  5. Avatar David Vincent

    I look at all the cars and trucks on here and I always think that at one point in time that was someones baby. It rolled off the factory line and into the show room what happened between then and now?

    Like 13
  6. Avatar John P

    The link doesn’t work in the article
    https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F223275022767

    .. for anyone interested—Union, IL is home to an incredible railroad museum..

    Like 2
  7. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Boy, talk about shipping costs. Interesting story though.

    Like 4
  8. Avatar Mitch Ross Member

    The trailer is probably salvageable. It would look cool behind a modern Dodge chassis can dually.

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Sparkster

    Many years ago I bought a 1984 Toyota Celica GTS , black in color except the hood. Apparently the girlfriend found her boyfriend with another gal and opened the hood poured gasoline over the entire 22RE engine and set it on fire . I purchased it and worked a year on replacing all of the wiring and fuel lines under the hood. What a job it was. But it was very rewarding upon it’s completion .

    Like 6
    • Avatar Carl

      I had the 22R engine in a 1981 Toyota Corona LE actually the best car I have owned. Put 256000 miles on it and sold it.

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Kevin McCabe

    From the “It’s only money” file, the whole rig and the car are “restorable”. Economically so? Maybe not. But guys have brought back far less and turned it into a jewel. Basically, all three pieces are close to being at the “body in white” stage. Clean the rust off, do any necessary body work (or find another suitable period truck to serve as the tractor), prime it, do some cutting in paint work, rewire it and proceed from there. Sounds easy, eh? How big’s your wallet?

    Like 2
    • Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

      Kevin,
      My antique car restoration shop was hit by lightning in 1996 and we lost about 20 cars. Once a vehicle has been in a fire as severe as the one that consumed this truck & trailer, 100% of the metal has lost it’s temper and ability to handle stress & weight.

      To restore this trailer and put cars onto it would likely result in the trailer bending once on the road. Pieces like the truck’s front axle, kingpins, steering and suspension components cannot be used. I had a tie-rod assembly from a Corvair turbo convertible that burned, I bent it around a 4X4 wood post with my own hands, to show someone why they didn’t want to use the parts off the car.

      There are NO PARTS that are safe to use on a totally burned vehicle. This is suitable for scrap metal only. In my area scrap value is about 8 cents a pound. This truck & trailer isn’t even worth the fuel costs to take it to the local recycler!

      Like 14
  11. Avatar James Martin

    Rat rod? And look at that patina.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar BR

    This remark made me want to slap someone:
    “You are looking at a 1954 Chevrolet heavy-duty pickup ………..”.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Karl

    It would be fantastic if it we’re in cherry condition with old classics on the trailer to match the tractor. How awesome would that look at the next car show! Nothing that maybe 400k$ couldn’t take care of! This is the thing dreams that go no where are made of!

    Like 3
  14. Avatar Michael Leonard

    As for the 57 Chevy- there’s a VIN. That’s your 57 Chevy.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Randy Straight

    My Pop use to drive one just like that….drove for Studebaker till they closed. One thing they did back then was use diesel tanks because they were bigger, just filled them up with gas, until one day a flat tire caught fire on the road and turned into a major fire. Fire Dept. showed up and thought it was diesel in the tanks…ran like the wind when Pop spilled the beans. Lost the whole rig cars and all. This rig looks to good for that fire.

    Like 1
  16. Avatar Ken

    Hell no. Way too creepy for me. Absolutely something out of a Stephen Speilberg horror flick. Even has remnants of Dual. Put a burnt out 71 Valiant on the trailer and there ya go. Picture complete. Imagine turning down some dark, deserted road on the middle of nowhere and come up on this thing? Nope. Not for me man, Nothin doin.

    Like 1

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