I am wondering if any members have access to research material on the streamlined Texaco tankers from the thirties and early forties please? The tanker is a Diamond T and the tank body is manufactured by the Heil Co.

Inside the trunk are upright tall bolts that look like they may have secured wooden slats across the trunk floor. There are other images of the trunk on our blog https://texacotankerproject.com/2018/04/18/diamond-in-the-rough-the-lucky-survivor/ There are small remnants of wood inside the trunk and some of the locker compartments. We are trying to achieve a period correct restoration and there is not a lot of information out there on the finer details.

If anyone has old photos or Texaco documentation on the specification of the streamlined tankers, we would very much like to confirm if wood sat across the trunk floor.

Thanks.

Hello Steve.
I just checked out your website......what a great-looking truck! I always did like the look of the streamliner tankers. I am sorry I don't have any information on those Heil bodied trucks. I just thought I would share a photo of an old Texaco tanker truck I have, and help keep your posting on this site alive.
Mine is a 1937 International tuck. I purchased it in February from a friend in Arizona, where this truck was in service its entire life. It came from Holts Texaco in Gila-Bend, AZ. The body was built by Advance Auto Body Works in Los Angeles. It is amazing to me how Texaco was really into having their trucks as fancy as they could be. It is hard to tell in the photo, but there was a lot of chrome on this truck, and you can still see original pinstriping all over the cab and tank.....and even the wheels. I would say, though, the pinnacle for Texaco was with the streamlined design like your truck and the airflows.
Please keep us in the oldgas community updated on your great restoration project!

Thanks for sharing your truck. What a neat piece of history to own. I agree that Texaco was ahead of their time with the tanker designs. Are you planning on keeping it as it is or restoring it? Thanks, Steve.

I am not sure how much I will do to the truck, as I usually like to leave things all original. I know I won't do a full blown restoration. If I do anything at all, maybe a very light dusting of red paint so it doesn't look so pink.

A follow up to my question posted early last month regarding the uncertainty of wooden slats in the trunk of the Texaco tanker.

Incredibly, someone recognized the tanker on the blog website and sent us photos taken in 2010 in South Carolina. We now have a photo of the trunk with wooden slats so a great end to the mystery.

Thanks,
Steve