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1971 R685LST w/750 Holmes


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That will be a fun weekend, I like that a lot, but then I'm the worlds biggest fool for a wrecker or service truck.

Me too,Dave,don't know why but I've always liked messing around with old wreckers.Maybe when I get it running I should finally put up my sign,as it came from the final estate auction of the guy that put this wrecker together as it is now. Wayne Johnston operated Johnston's Garage i nearby Mediapolis,IA for many years,he specialized in towing and house/building moving,along with repairs.His main big wrecker for many years was an old Hendrickson,gas powered with a homebuilt wrecker body.About 5 or six years before he died,he bought a '72 F785ST with this 750 Holmes unit,but he had bad knees and it was trouble for him to climb in and out of the F model,so later on,the local Mack dealer got this '71 R685LST in on trade,it was a low mile,very clean lowboy tractor.He bought the R,cut it and the F in 2,and attached the R to the wrecker half,and traded the rest back to the dealer for parts.Unfortunately,he never got it quite finished before he died of a heart attack while moving a quonset building. Dick Murphy and his boys bought it on Wayne's 1st estate auction,finished it up and painted it,they only used it very little before Dick died and his business closed up,it sat in his yard until my scrapper friend bought and cleaned out Murphy's old yard.

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I started towing trucks in 68, with a 51 Diamond T, once it gets in your blood, you are hooked for life. Changed a lot over the years, built an 850 Holmes in the 70's, and said to myself, they wont build anything bigger than this.lol

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I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!! Just kidding. I was brought up slinging chains for my old man on weekends and in the summer when he was not trucking, he was operating a Holmes 750 on a GMC chassis for the local guy who had the municipal wreck account. Now you have a wrecker to go with the roll back.....That's horrible, my heart bleeds for you....LOL :thumb:

TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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Nice!!! That's one thing I've never had the chance to play with............a wrecker. Like a pocket knife.........you might not need it everyday, but the time you do you sure are glad you have one.

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Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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It's official,with the sign and the wrecker fleet."Harbison's Towing & Truck Repair,Inc." is now open for business!

IF YOU BOUGHT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT..AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, A TRUCK WILL HAUL IT AWAY!!! Big John Trimble,WRVA

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