42 chevy Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) All; Jeff J. in Minnesota set me these 2 youtube links. I wonder what happened to all these trucks, anyone have a clue. Jeff and I each have one from the collection. Kevin Kronlund told me his father in-law Jaap DeGroot (owner, now deceased, of Army Cars Holland) had 75 Ward LaFrance wreckers at one time. Talk about being a kid in a candy Store....... Enjoy John G Edited April 17, 2015 by 42 chevy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) When we were over there about 8 years ago they told us they had recently cut up a large number of M1A1 wreckers as they had been unable to sell them. I seem to recall they mentioned seventy trucks. It seems unlikely they had that many but there are a lot shown in the clips. Maybe NOS Tony will remember better what they said? As for why they were unable to sell them... Don't get me started! - MG All;Jeff J. in Minnesota set me these 2 youtube links. I wonder what happened to all these trucks, anyone have a clue. Jeff and I each have one from the collection. Kevin Kronlund told me his father in-law Jaap DeGroot (owner, now deceased, of Army Cars Holland) had 75 Ward LaFrance wreckers at one time. Talk about being a kid in a candy Store....... Enjoy John G Edited April 17, 2015 by TooTallMike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 They certainly did have that many, there were three long rows in a shed at Breda as well as lots of Diamond Ts and Rogers trailers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex van de Wetering Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) Thanks John, for posting these. This brings back memories. We visited Armycars with our scale modelling club....judging from the vehicles I see in the movies, our visit must have been in the same year! I am guessing a few months later, as they were still occupied with the Pacifics at the time. When we were there, most of the (Italian?) Diamond T 980 and 981's had gone, as well as the Rogers trailers (and the Italian copies). There was a row of completely restored M1A1 wreckers....I think about 20 or so, with consecutive numbers. One room was completely filled with GMC cabs, or actually crudely cut front halfs of CCKW's, must have been 50 or so. I see some familiar vehicles in the movies that formed the base for the Marshall museum later on. So "one of each"(?) is now on display at the museum in Overloon. Alex Edited April 17, 2015 by Alex van de Wetering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Mike, the figure I recall as 75, with 30 remaining in storage at Breda at the time of our visit? It was these last trucks which I believe were cut up after Mr. DeGroot's death. They used to run adverts in Wheels & tracks, one of which showed long lines of trucks awaiting buyers. John - on the occasion of our visit we were very much kids in a candy store, but for the owner it was even better - he was the kid with the candy store!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
42 chevy Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 Kevin told me that the truck I have was his father in laws "personal" wrecker. Jeff J and I bought the last 2 wreckers that Kevin Kronlund "reimported" from his father in laws place. Kevin did tell that a lot of parts were sold for scrap. Oh, to be a buyer in the 1990's when these were still around!! John G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwiitrucks Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Hi Mike Give us low down, The scoop. What did they want for a truck all done. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 oh for a time machine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Hi MikeGive us low down, The scoop. What did they want for a truck all done. Jeff I don't know I'm afraid. At the time I already had a WLF and had no idea life would present me with so many more of them to play with, otherwise I would have invested more in parts! I'll have to dig out the old W&T magazines but I doubt they mentioned prices. I think it depended on who was asking... - MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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