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Telephone bus.


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5 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

Pretty cool, would take some deep pockets to restore that thing.

And a huge shop - that Greenbrier beside it really gives some perspective on the size of it but still intriguing

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22 minutes ago, CarlLaFong said:

We wore them in boot camp in the 60s but never saw another pair of them after graduation

I suppose the guys in the pic could have been phoning home from boot camp.

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 My dad went through Great Lakes in 1942, leggings were issued and worn on specific occasions. For some reason a pair found their way into his seabag and they came home but were never used. I wonder if Uncle Sam missed them?

 I sailed (civilian) with many WW2 era ex-sailors in the 60s and they all agreed leggings were never used after basic training.

 Another imponderable to ponder.

 

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 When in the Navy in 63, when we were at general quarters in the damage control section, we tucked our bell bottom pants in our socks and tied them with cloth strips.

 That way they couldn't get caught on any sharp objects in battle conditions.

Edited by Roger Walling (see edit history)
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1 hour ago, JimKB1MCV said:

 My dad went through Great Lakes in 1942, leggings were issued and worn on specific occasions. For some reason a pair found their way into his seabag and they came home but were never used. I wonder if Uncle Sam missed them?

 I sailed (civilian) with many WW2 era ex-sailors in the 60s and they all agreed leggings were never used after basic training.

 Another imponderable to ponder.

 

Just a wild .... guess, Maybe to keep their whites white instead of picking up the dirt while on base?  

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It ought to be saved and restored by a WW2 or Bell Companies-themed museum, but doubtful either could afford a restoration. Ad says bus is rusty, but a lot of it looks sun-baked? No telling what's under it.

 

What drivetrain you reckon such a vehicle would use? Flathead? Was Ford even doing Diesels at that time?

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   In the picture of the engine, if thats the gearshift lever in the foreground and it is conventionally configured on top of the transmission at the rear of the engine, does that indicate the bus may be  a four-wheel drive with an offset transfer case driving the front wheels and a driveshaft to the rear wheels?

  The WW 2 era Marmon-Herrington four wheel drive system was not uncommon  on the used (surplus) truck market in rural Maine in the 1950s.

  My Farther-in -law had a 1944 3/4 ton M-H FWD with a large tool carry-all on the back used in his heating oil burner service and installation business for many years. 50mph tops but unstoppable in the mud and snow.

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12 minutes ago, JimKB1MCV said:

   In the picture of the engine, if thats the gearshift lever in the foreground and it is conventionally configured on top of the transmission at the rear of the engine, does that indicate the bus may be  a four-wheel drive with an offset transfer case driving the front wheels and a driveshaft to the rear wheels?

  The WW 2 era Marmon-Herrington four wheel drive system was not uncommon  on the used (surplus) truck market in rural Maine in the 1950s.

  My Farther-in -law had a 1944 3/4 ton M-H FWD with a large tool carry-all on the back used in his heating oil burner service and installation business for many years. 50mph tops but unstoppable in the mud and snow.

 

The ad and all the articles state that the vehicle is front wheel drive, based on the MH four wheel drive system. I'm guessing that there's some sort of transfer case behind the trans with a driveshaft running to the front axle and nothing to the back.

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The engine is mostly in the passenger compartment - the edge of the driver's seat can be seen on the left side of the pic:

 

1941-Ford-Marmon-Herrington-3-e156571317

 

I'd guess the engine originally had a cover like a COE.  The shift lever is behind the driver - although it curves forward, bet it still was awkward to shift.  Looks like there is a trigger under the shift knob with a rod or cable running down to the transmission - anyone know what it's for?

 

Wonder if AT&T would be interested in financing a restoration and donating it to the national WW2 museum?

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1 hour ago, CHuDWah said:

Wonder if AT&T would be interested in financing a restoration and donating it to the national WW2 museum?

Would depend on two things: 1) tax write off 2) PR.

 

Between phone and TV service, they make enough off me to start preserving this marvelous piece of history!😏

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4 hours ago, CHuDWah said:

The engine is mostly in the passenger compartment - the edge of the driver's seat can be seen on the left side of the pic:

 

1941-Ford-Marmon-Herrington-3-e156571317

 

I'd guess the engine originally had a cover like a COE.  The shift lever is behind the driver - although it curves forward, bet it still was awkward to shift.  Looks like there is a trigger under the shift knob with a rod or cable running down to the transmission - anyone know what it's for?

 

Wonder if AT&T would be interested in financing a restoration and donating it to the national WW2 museum?

First 'big' truck I ever drove was a 67 Dodge, if I remember right it had a wonky shifter somewhat like you describe here. Following the shift pattern I dont think it was any more difficult shifting than anything else. Double clutching of coarse.

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