Rockland Steel

10 hours ago, Rob said:

You can still find cabs but not ebay for sure. I have three I've purchased from trucking outfits when phasing out the R model. Mine aren't for sale but if you start calling around you'll probably strike wealth with a little patience. 

If you've never swapped a cab in the past and work alone, you have quite a project for yourself ahead. 

Everything turns to dust here. It might not look like much, but here it's repairable, take off the doors, and remove anything else in the way and start at the bottom and a couple sheets of steel. I still haven't got the okay to buy it. And the title is probably still in the last owners name lost to time. He's in his 80s now.

On 5/27/2019 at 7:59 AM, Jeff M said:

Looks to me to be a 73 that may have an older hood and breather.  I believe the 6-speed wasn't available until '73 (I could be wrong) and of course it has the plus 3 cab, also not available until 73.  The Bostrom Levelair II was quite the seat in its day.  It rode like a marshmallow until you bottomed out and then the shock would kick in.  You pressed the little pedal on the front of it to kick the shock back out.  That truck looks pretty rough to me, but it's clear that you like it, so why not?

The cab is rough, the rest is nice.  Body work isn't a problem for me. I want a project, not something ready to go. Buying a car would be more practical. But less fun.

11 hours ago, JoeH said:

It's 6 speeds forward (low on the right stick sets every gear to the equivalent of the gear below it, i.e. 2nd acts like 1st, 3rd like 2nd, etc.) And 5 speeds reverse. 

Nothing pops a grease monkey's eyes open like shifting from 1st through fourth in reverse. And on a straight truck there is no better transmission for offroading. (3rd gear reverse has gotten me through some soft mud many times in our volumetric concrete trucks. Your momentum and continued power application is invaluable.). Only downside is these trucks tend to hit the governor around 62mph.

Most Canadian trucks at 62-65 anyway lol

1 hour ago, j hancock said:

I have no trouble spending your money so I vote for Buy It.  A 685 would have been born with a 237 Maxidyne and turbo (no cooling). 

Also a big fan of the X107 6 speed trans.  Very versatile unit.

Yes sir. I imagine it's what I'll do. What else am I saving money for. I have another 35 years before retirement lol

8 minutes ago, JoeH said:

Best thing you can do for your back if you're going to drive this truck every day is convert the cab to air ride.

This'll involve a new fuel tank support cross member, deleting the current radiator support arms from the cab (replace with a couple diagonals from the frame) and the hood bumpers on the  top of the firewall need to be converting to a roller style instead of the rigid type. Might be more, but those are some important things to watch for.

Nah, its just a toy to tool around in. It does have a really cushy thick foam seat in it. No rips in it. But I don;t think its going to have the same bounce and sway as a Volvo 780 xD

1 minute ago, 41chevy said:

Most all panels are available.  BUY IT !!

Hes looking for the paperwork for it. He couldnt find the paperwork for the tanker trailer either and I got it out of the tube on the frame.  Maybe i should have looked for it. lol

1 minute ago, Rob said:

I have a few of em so vaguely familiar.....

Right, airbags, tires, im a little slow, forgive me.

1 minute ago, Rob said:

Looks like it's got 10 air bags to me so ought to ride like a cloud.....

Yea, a thunder cloud lmao

1 minute ago, Freightrain said:

Barn fresh!!!!  Little crusty here/there, but doesn't look too bad.  Hows the rain gutter area?  The roofs tend to rot off those trucks.

The gutter itself is mostly rot off, but no holes that i can find on the inside, headliner is still in it. Its full of dust and ancient cow shit so I didn't do a whole lot of digging. Just wanted to see if the frame was alright, I could find a cab if I wanted but it wouldn't take much to make some patch panels and fix it the right way.  I say this now, but the pressure washer might reveal who knows what.  I was just surprised at the shiny gold paint under all of that dust on the engine.

41 minutes ago, Freightrain said:

285 with tip turbine?

With camelback suspension...it will beat you to pieces driving it bobtail.  But it will be fun!!!!  LOL!!

Not a single air bag to be found on it.  Straight from pothole to spine.  And i'd love every second. I'll see if I can upload some pictures.

Looking at the picture now its just a 237 Maxi with a turbo, only one pipe to the air cleaner.

10 minutes ago, eddeere said:

Buy it . If you do not you may regret later .

I think you're right. It's got a turbo on it and the after cooler. My 2015 Volvo has more crust on it than this thing running in Canada.  And a cab is no big deal on these. Well, it might have an after cooler, I don't know exactly what's what.  I just like it.

A friend of mine got a R model with a farm he bought.  He's been trying to sell it for 6k, I offered 3k.  I've been driving for 6 years and would like to have a toy to work on.  The frame/tanks/springs/break Chambers/engine still have paint (gold valve cover, fancy), no cracks in the double frame, and the cab has some crusty spots, hood is perfect.  Was just used at a cement plant hauling gravel then the farm and shows 345397 miles and the hour meter has 7409 hours (has a pto).  With a battery and a can of starting fluid it should fire up, last ran 2 years ago has been kept in the barn since 1985(last sticker on it).  Twin stick with Lo-Direct+reverse on the 2nd stick (6-speed?).  I want it, am I crazy? Or crazy if I don't buy it.