Austin’s Collection
Time for some vintage metal! There’s a number of brutish beasts here, work trucks, the stuff we like, all of it big, one over the top BIG, and all of it old. Show us something rugged and non nonsense and we’re in happy land. All but one of the trucks here is in retirement, with plans to resurrect a couple. Of the the one that runs, it’s no show piece, nor parking lot queen, but day to day earns its keep. There’s work to be done, hard and challenging, and it’s on the job! Incredibly, the truck’s forty six and its driver half that. File that under AWESOME! We’ll come back to that incredible angle in a future post.
Seen first is a Pacific P10. This one dates from 1974 and come from Pacific Truck and Trailer out of North Vancouver BC. They were a specialized maker of severe duty trucks, catering to mostly to the off road market, you know logging, mining, oilfield work and things like that. Still, they did make some relative lightweight (by their standards) over-the-road trucks, but it’s their “extreme” vehicles of which they’re best known. They were in business from the 1940s-1990s. Out on west coast logging roads, one can still find some in service. They are that tough.
A P10 was about mid-range in their line at time it was made, the sequence being P9, P10 (plus P5xx highway trucks), P12 and finally P16. The last two were generally too big to be used on public roads. Yes, this monster is by no means the biggest they made. Inside, it’s all business with a simple layout, and few creature comforts.
This truck spent most of it’s working career hauling coal at mines just across the BC border in the Sparwood and Elkford areas. It was one of a large fleet of Pacifics belonging to a contractor there, perhaps forty or so in number, some P9s, most P10s, with some P12s. BTW, there’s a link below to a P12 we found from this same fleet! It’s not said, but this P10 was probably able to haul thirty or so tonnes. This one carried #35 and was called “Coal Fever”. Your author has seen photos of it working hard at the mine and new at the factory.
It’s not clear when the truck was retired but the fleet there was remarkably long lived. Suspect it minimally lasted into the late 1990s, perhaps beyond. For a time after it found work at a sawmill on the Alberta side, hauling woodchips about the property. The current owner picked it up recently (we saw it back when for sale here: Pacific vs Hayes) and while not running, it’s hoped it can be made to live again. And put to work in the bush. The owner here has the ways and means to do just that and I don’t think for a second it’s the blowing of smoke.
The owner makes a living in trucking, moving heavy equipment about, and his day to day ride is a 1973 Kenworth W925. It’s got a twin stick transmission that is sure to challenge all but the most competent of drivers today (remember, he’s 23!). It’s not shiny, but a working truck. Showroom is nice, but one that’s out there getting dirty is so much better. It’s used to haul earth moving or logging machines on back roads in the area. Some of these cow paths are little suited for such a rig and more mountain goat territory. We’ve seen footage of this truck, loaded to the max with a log sorter or something, going places a jeep would fear to tread. That takes some big brass ones. The W925 appears to be a heavy duty off-highway variant of the more common W900 over the road tractor. We found little online about the model.
We’re already planning to pay this truck a revisit, out in the bush, come next season. We have these grand plans and the owner is on board. Stay tuned.
And in the back forty, it’s a couple old International R series trucks, one a 1954 R185 and the other a 1965 R220. These have a family connection – long time truckers are they – and we’re used in hauling stuff up in the bush. One runs, the other not. The R series was in production, in various incarnations and sizes, for the better part of a decade. The ’54 model is an early one, the ’65 from what could be the last year (one report says ’72 but we think that’s in error). Note the different sheet metal on the hoods and fenders, but a similar cab.
One’s Big John, the other Puffy. Ah duct tape, is there nothing it can’t do? Had a few cars of our own, back starting out, so upholstered. And there’s the iconic pine tree air freshener!
Joining us this trip was a friend from Monochrome Guild of Edmonton. You’ve seen us hanging with those crazy weirdos that shoot film. Yeah, those guys.
If you own some interesting old metal you think we should see, please message away. Be it stuff that’s restored or long parked or anything in between. Be cars, trucks, mining or logging machinery, old farm equipment, whatever…we love it all and await your call.
Thanks for joining us on this adventure!
They’re saying…
”I enjoy your posts very much….Please keep on doing your great posts. Thanks!” Katherine Hocking.
A P12 coal truck!
A rugged Pacific Truck.
And another make…
Autocar Coal Hauler.
In the area…
Crowsnest Collection – Round 1.
Crowsnest Collection – Second Helping.
Crowsnest Collection – Finale.
Crowsnest Collection – Reprise.
If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!
Date: June, 2019.
Location: Crowsnest Pass, Alberta
Article references and thanks: Austin Linderman, PacificTruckClub.org, Hank Rabe, Hank’s Truck Forums, Red Power Magazine.
A brutish Pacific P10 from the 1970s.
One heck of a power plant.
They built them on the West Coast.
So much yellow…
Not a common make, these were extreme duty trucks.
Honk! This one worked across the border in BC.
Utilitarian and no nonsense.
One of their “modest-sized” trucks.
it’s a coal hauling monster.
Still on the job, this old Kenworth W925.
Twin sticks of fun!
A blue sky kind of day.
Big John’s a 50s International R185.
And beside, this ’65 R220.
Two old timers.
Little in the way of creature comforts…
Puffy!
Is there nothing duct tape can’t do?
I must have missed this post, my apologies… great as always.
Was that the same Pacific truck that was parked by Burmis a few years back, it almost looks like the same truck!
It’s easy to miss something when there’s so much stuff on this site. Yes, it’s the same one. I knew you’d remember it.
I am glad it went to a good home, thanks! I love those trucks!
Looks like an old Fred Sawchuk truck.Spent many hours riding in them as a kid.Loved them
It is! And here’s another of his we bumped into a few years back…A Rugged Pacific Truck
Beasts!
Exactly…straight and to the point these trucks mean business.
Just found your site and you rock the old metal! You’ve got a new fan.
Glad to hear that. Do come back often as old machinery is a passion here.
That Kenworth is a monster too.
I understand it just got a new engine installed. We’re due back to photograph it out in the wild. It’s still a work truck up in the woods.
Old Fred Sowchuk ran these trucks in the Elk Valley for decades! They ran forever! Anyone driving thru the Michel Creek Valley would have seen the fleet parked at his garage!
Yes, I remember them parked by the tracks there in Natal/Michel. At the peak he must have had the biggest fleet of Pacifics anywhere.
I’d buy that Pacific in a heartbeat.
If we had a dollar for every time we heard that in regards to some old metal we documented. Yup, rich beyond belief. This one’s not for sale, but I suspect you knew that.
Those old Pacifics were built to last.
In spite of looking a bit rough and worn, this one’s in not bad shape overall. Most of it will buff out as they say!
Would love to play ‘pretend’…
We did. Sat in the driver’s seat, played with the wheel, clutch and shifter and went “vroom, vroom” as though a kid. We’re coal mine truckers!
Fred Sawchuk ‘s truck , really tough and dependable trucks , did I mention good looking as well .
Fred has quite the fleet of heavy haulers.
The real definition of a monster truck.
And it’s no show pieces, but worked hard its entire career.
Freeddys old pigsifics! I probably loaded this one a few times
You do get around and have done it all!
(Randy’s a friend that operates heavy earth moving machinery).
Always liked those Pacifics. We used to see one around Anchorage a couple of years ago. I think it was powered by a 2-stroke Jimmy.
Cool! Being essentially custom built, I think you could option almost any engine make you wanted. That’d be a screamer.
Hell yeah those things (Pacifics) are tanks! A good number of them are still in use too for logging
It’s not odd to see forty or fifty year old Pacifics out on the coast hauling trees. That really tells us how overbuilt they are.
These are quite the trucks for sure.
Giants all, and so photogenic.
Whoa – that’s some intimidating rigs! Great photos….
And we’ve seen an even bigger Pacific. Here: https://www.bigdoer.com/9323/old-things/a-rugged-pacific-truck/
The car really shows the massive scale of these things.
Were used at line creek mine also for years (the Pacifics), replaced by a conveyor belt through the canyon
Progress I guess. Fred’s Pacifics got around!
I worked for Fred Sowchuk in the late 1960’s Liked the p10’s so much that bought a 1971 P10 Pacific originally slated to haul logs for Fred Sowchuk.
Yes, I remember you speaking of that when we rode in your Autocar.
This beast: https://www.bigdoer.com/27526/old-things/autocar-coal-hauler/
I remember when I was 9 or so a friend of Dads stopped by with a brand new Pacific that was headed for the coal mine in sparwood. He took us for a short rip and I’ll always remember that.
Cool! These giants always stood out.
A Pacific! We used to drive these in the mine at Kitsault, BC. A VERY tough truck.
One of the toughest ever and with a regular overhaul, seemingly able to run forever.
I love the old look of the open engine bays. I suspect it had something to do with keeping the beast cool when running hard.
Yes, we suspect so. It came from the factory with a full hood – we’ve seen photos of it back then – but at some point lost it. In searching Pacific photos on the Interwebs, we see that modification is common.
Those are mean looking trucks!
They mean business!