MADISON, Wisconsin—From a century-old Diamond-T to the Ford AeroMax of the '90s, countless restored trucks outlined the industry’s rich history at the American Truck Historical Society’s National Convention and Truck Show here.
The event brought restorations from nearly every decade of the last 100 years, bringing to life the iconic looks of model lines past. ATHS, in its mission to preserve and share trucking’s history, has coordinated its iconic truck shows for over 40 years.
See also: History of the seven major heavy-duty truck manufacturers in the U.S.
Below, read the background of some of the event’s historic, beautifully restored models. Click through the media gallery above to see 65 more photos from the show.
1959 GMC 860
This GMC 860 with a Heil milk tank hauled livestock and milk for Mc-Mor-Han Trucking. It has a 6-71 diesel engine and a 5-speed transmission with overdrive, according to the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum. Jim Francis, a trucker and farmer in Warren, Illinois, bought the truck in 1982 and takes care of it today.
1991 Ford AeroMax
Ford produced the AeroMax heavy-duty trucks as part of its aerodynamic line of L-series models from 1988 until 1998. The AeroMax line became Sterling Trucks after being acquired by Daimler, until Daimler discontinued it in 2009.
Mike Middleton, a professional driver for Old Dominion Freight Line, fell in love with the AeroMax when he first saw it at 14 years old. And 27 years later, he was able to buy an AeroMax that had logged 1.3 million miles. Middleton brings the truck to shows a few times a year.
1963 Kenworth 921
This 1963 Kenworth hauled lumber in the Pacific Northwest. In 2014, Craig Vogel bought the 921 from its original owner and retrofitted it with a new engine and transmission.
