P Ruggiero

Paul, Yes the DM 800s all had 5 speed mains with direct, lo and reverse on the second stick. It was always a blast shifting in reverse when we did re-paving projects at NY airports and had to back up a half mile to meet the paving machine. I rarely got out of direct. It had to be really steep or really muddy with a giant load to use low and shift it as a 6 speed. We ran 12.00x24 but did not have triple frames on all of them. They were rock solid. Combined with good chauffers and good maintenance we rarely had any serious down time. On top of that for fleet trucks working hard conditions they were spotless. I believe Tony Rizzo passed away in 1988 or so.

In response to many of the AJ rizzo inquiries i will try and clarify as much as I can. I worked for AJR for many years and pretty much knew all the DM 600s and 800s that passed through the gates in Franklin Square. The ones in the photos are 1972/73/74 versions with Cresci heavy excavation bodies. The the ones with the side boards where just over 16 yards (waterline) capacity and the newer ones without side boards where just under 18 yards capacity. All of these had inside the rails/center mounted dual lift pistons connected to the roller cam scissor arrangement which was a marvel in mechanical advantage and compactness. The later trucks that Milkman refers to had either Gallion or Steco bodies and were 22 yard capacity with dual telescoping side mounted pistons. These where deceiving to look at because while lower than the Cresci bodies (top of the side board was about eye level with the top of the cab) they where longer and much wider (9'-0"). I am not sure where they went after Horan but I did see an identical truck for sale on a Latin American web site a few years ago. Many of the AJR DM 600s went to Castillo in Staten Island and owner operators on LI. I think the DM 800s went to NY DIRT (among their first trucks) and Horan. They were pretty much standard issue in the early/mid 1970s for the contract/hire trucking companies. The Cresci bodies were indestructable and offered the best flexibility to meet the neeeds of a truck that one day could be on hire in Manhattan loaded with blasted rock, the next day at a Whilestone asphalt plant, the following day working on LI carrying broken concrete slabs and the day after making three round trips running materials into Manhattan from Long Island. 65K# rears, 5 speeds on main with 675 Maxidynes and lots of range when it came to good old pull up through 60 mph.....these were great fleet trucks. I haven't been in the seat since 1985 but when I look around I don't see much on the street that compares.