Back lot Pete
The back lot documented here is home to a small handful of old vehicles, but two are real gems and include a vintage International heavy duty hauler and the star of the show, a classic Peterbilt. Located in a small town in central Alberta, these forgotten relics languish away in the grass in behind a trucking firm. In retirement, never to turn a wheel again, the slowly rot and rust, as nature does it best to take over this, their final resting place. A storm rolls in and dark clouds boil above us as we explore this graveyard of sorts. How fitting.
The first truck we”ll look at is that “Pete”, as the Peterbilt make is affectionately known and based on its configuration it’s believed to be a type 351. This model along was one the firm’s most popular designs and was made all the way from the mid-fifties to the mid-seventies. Certain specific features and details seen on this one, however, tell us it’s from the late 1960s or after.
A look inside the cab shows a fairly complete interior except for all the missing glass. Compared to big rigs of today, everything seems rather crude in nature. It’s a no nonsense type of truck with few creature comforts. Some drive line parts have been stripped off, but a peek under the hood shows the engine still intact.
A hand painted sign on the doors tell us this rig once belonged to a trucking firm based out of the area. A huge winch behind the cab seems suggest it was used for construction or oilfield hauling. It has no sleeper, which means it probably worked local only and did not do long haul work.
Peterbilts, then and today, are “trucker’s” trucks, premium offerings designed to work hard, last long and do it all with a bit more style than other makes.
Nearby is an International Harvester 220 (some reports refer to them as “V220s”), one of the bigger offerings from that firm of the era. This example is from the early to mid-1960s based on our rudimentary truck IDing skills. This beast is also mostly complete inside and out, save for the glass, all of which gone. This truck, oddly, has a rather long wheelbase. Like the Pete, it’s all business with little fluff.
Also seen here is a late 1940s or early 1950s Chevrolet pickup, known as an “Advance Design (seems like a cumbersome moniker). This model, and the GMC counterpart, were very popular at one time, based on how many retired or restored versions of these we stumble across in our travels. We’ve seen huge numbers. A massive brush guard and an old commercial plate, reminds us this one worked for a living, unlike most pickups today which rarely leave the pavement and whose heaviest load is a week’s worth of groceries.
The yellow license plate seen is from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, meaning it was hard at work decades after it was built. Looking around the truck, it appears for the most part complete.
The last vehicle is a 66 or 67 Chevrolet. This model is a Chevy II, more often referred to a Nova. It was base line model car, simple and rather small for the era. Once someone’s pride and joy (we can assume), today it keeps company with all of its back lot mates, which like it, have been put out to pasture.
If you have a collection of old trucks and vehicles like those seen in this report, that you’d like us to show off to the world, on BIGDoer.com and other media outlets we write for, just drop us a line. We’d love to see what you have and document it all.
More old trucks we’ve documented…
Hayes.
Old trucks and vehicles – August and September.
Big and orange Dodge Bighorn.
If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!
Date: May, 2015.
Location: Innisfail Alberta.
This site is on private property with no public access. BIGDoer.com visited with permission.
Think you should get them all indoors somewhere, before its too late.
We’ll get right on that…
the love the 351 needle nose 1960 peterbilt in bushes top photo shame be left to rot inbushes
It is and we see our fair share of old vehicles left behind like this.
The trucks have been there since at least the 90’s.
I knew they’ve been there for a while. Thanks for commenting.
(via Facebook)
Nice old Peterbilt!
It is!
do u know if 2 axled types had brakes on front axle as 3 axled ones did not
Hopefully Joe is listening. We have no idea ourselves.
Wow some really nice photos,Well done.
While it is a bit sad that there left to rust away,they do make great models for the Art of Photography.
There just something about old rusted Cars and Trucks that make for good Art.
You are right, decay is so photogenic.
Can the peterbilt be brought
No that we know of.