Jrhaelig

Hello -

Apgar Brothers was started by my grandfather (and his brothers) in the late 1920's.  He had sold his portion by the late '60's early 70's.

He registered the first tractor trailer combo in NJ.  He went to the Somerville DMV to get it registered and they couldn't get past something called a tractor not coming from John Deere or the like.  He had to drive it to Trenton to get the process figured out.

His brother Irving held a patent on a jack knife prevention hitch plate (you can tell I'm not a driver) 

They started with just one chain-drive Mack.  His father was very critical of such a large purchase by a young man, but it worked out.  A restored chain-drive Mack in Apgar livery is in the Mahan Heritage truck museum in Basking Ridge, NJ.  Thankfully he bought it when Apgar Bros dissolved several years ago.

Bob Haas was the manager for decades, and probably worked with your father.

You're right about the cleanliness of the trucks - it was legendary.  Those green & cream B-61's were all over the place when I was a kid, but that museum piece is the only one left in those colors.

John Haelig          jrhaelig@yahoo.com