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Been looking for a couple of years for a tandem axle air brakes tractor unit up to the late 50's and haven't found a single thing apart from the odd truck at a show. Are these really that rare in comparison their GMC brothers. I have a spare cab for panel work required for a conversion but they just don't seem to be turning up at farm auctions or local sales anywhere. Fallback is a 358 or 359 pete if I need to but a big bolt and drop deck transporter would look mighty nice. Were they making a lot more big GMC's during the period? Did short wheelbase tandems not end up as grain trucks so not so many survived? I am a bit confused as there are more D*dge and F*rd tandem tractor units turning up, last Chevy was at an auction in 2002.

Chevrolet didn't have a production line Tandem axle available until 1956. Before that every Chevy that was a Tandem had to be sent, when new to an outside jobber such as, Trucktor, Truckstell, Fabco,Grico, etc., for a conversion setup. My '54 Chevrolet Tandem pictured in the below link, had a Trucktor Chaindrive Tandem Conversion, http://www.classiccoe.com/friends/spanky/1954%20Chevrolet5400-1a.jpg

Spanky, that's what I thought and what the Chev Truck book says and by '56 they were selling a few of them. F*rd also went inhouse with the T series at the same time and the sales numbers were pretty close. Doesn't explain why the Chev tandems aren't turning up as I've been looking pretty hard, can you recall the last time you came across one? I'll keep looking until the end of the year and hopefully something rot free that's been kept in a shed in North Dakota will turn up

Outside of my '54 Tandem conversion, this '56 Chevrolet 10500 series Tandem, is the only one I've seen in person. I've seen this truck at several ATHS Truck Shows, across the U.S.It's owned by, Ron R.D. Hairell, of Winslow, Arizona.This truck was also a Factory Automatic, with, aux. trans, hooked to that. http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/road_trip_may2004/day05/dsc_1913.jpg What year, are you looking for. I'll keep a lookout for you.

Of yeah, Does it have to be a Chevrolet. GMC's are alittle easier to find, although, still scarce themselves.

WOW!! Spanky ,Hanks truck is fabulous I would love to have one like that. If you’ve got any more pictures like that one please post them.

I hate to sound ignorant but is the second axle on the early tandems a tag or live axle ?..thanks,Rick

There where some of both. But the ones of interest here are live.

The Chevrolet factory installed Tandon Axle made from 1956 thru 59 used a Power Divider Auxiliary transmission made by Truckstell and their own Corporate 15000# rears. The Power Divider allowed the operator to select from front axle only or both axles. It is a three speed unit with Low-Low (2.22:1), Low (1.22:1) and Direct Drive (1:1). If you put that behind a 5-speed transmission you end up with a 15 speed truck!

Truck could still be retrofitted by outside jobbers so anything is possible!

1957 was the first year Chevrolet offered "Full Air Brakes" as an option.

I don't have any knowledge or literature on trucks made after 1959, but they might have the same set-up available...

Mike B

Spanky, I need to pull an ancient 25ft dropdeck transporter with a few vintage tractors so it needs to be a repower from before '56 or a 322 or 348 powered truck from later. Much rather have an original truck from later, it's almost a crying shame that Ron's truck is the only one that seems to turn up in photo's at most shows. It seems like the tandem drive really got popular in the mid 50's when Chev started doing their own so something should turn up eventually.

do you need the tandem for for wieght distribution. or would a single axle do and you just like the look. if so you could do as they did back then. add to the frame and put a tag axle back there. with an air suspension you can drop the air on tag axle for more traction with the live axle. good luck with your search.

Hey guys, Glad to see the interest in the old tandems...I think they are pretty cool also. I'll try to add some photo's I have saved over the years...I think I have more in other files if I can find them...enjoy.

GM Tandems

jd49 maybe I did some thing wrong no picture just photobucket homepage came up

I don't need the extra axle for weight but I like the early tandems, they were the first "big" trucks and there was quite a variety of tandem drive designs out there like Spanky's Chain drive.

kb3csw...I did something wrong ? It will not go to Tandem album...will try one pic instead of seven. Don't know and now I'm getting tired....

That's a nice looking 54 Jim, always good to see an old truck still working!

I must take exception to Mike B's comment that a power divider is an auxiliary transmission. A power divider is the unit on the front live tandem that allows power to the rear axle by engaging another short driveshaft. It is engaged by a switch in the cab. An auxiliary transmission is just that; another tranny behind the main transmission. Also this Truckstell name keeps popping up and it was only a name used to get around the name Ruckstell who made truck gear(s) and tandems going back to the 30's. The company was purchased by Eaton which was small and almost unheard of at the time (40-50's) and the changed the name to Truckstell to get around some dealer/distributor issues. So it was only a name and not a brand which was a genuine Ruckstell product. At some point, perhaps 1956, Eaton started selling directly to the OE builders and the Truckstell name was dropped by them but not entirely by their former dealers. The dates are still a little fuzzy but I hope this allows for some of the misunderstanding to clear away. And yes, I have one.

Albatross;
I just ran across a decent 1947 Diamond T. It's air brake equipped and has a tag axle,Daytons,not sure what boxes-the owner says a 5 speed and he thinks a 2 speed axle,and I thought I saw a Brownie in it. Needs some work but is all there and was driven to where it's parked about 5 years ago. No 5th wheel. It's only $2,500.00;I wanted it but it's too big for what I'm doing.
Located in Elko Nevada,so very little rust.
Speed

Moneypit53,

The Chevrolet Tandon axle "Power Divider" used from 1956 thru 1959 incorporates an Auxiliary Transmission. The unit is mounted to the rear of the Main Transmission and ahead of the rears. One lever in the cab allows the operator to select one rear axle or both (Power Divider). The built in Aux trans is shifted with a second stick providing 3 ranges to select from (Low-Low, Low & Direct). My Chevrolet literature has it listed as a "Combined Power Divider & Auxiliary Transmission".

My literature also list the make/model as Truckstell Model 500. I don't know when the name was dropped but it's still used in my 1959 literature.

Sorry if there was any confusion.

Mike B

Mike B. Thank you for your further explanation of the power divider in your literature. If I understand you correctly the "power divider" is manually engaged in the cab as opposed to an air shift such as one would see in a later truck. Then the auxiliary transmission is such as I described in my post. I have not seen the literature you referred to but it would still not be inaccurate for the Truckstell name to appear after the Eaton purchase of the Ruckstell product. What is a surprise to me is that it was still being used as late as 1959. I expected that by that time Chevrolet had dropped references to it and were selling it as an OE option. FWIW Chevrolet continues the practice of allowing their name to be used with authorized aftermarket upfit products. As I am in the business of heavy truck related equipment I find the history of these things interesting while most would find it incidental or even boring. Thanks again and if you can shoot me a copy of that brochure I'd like to see it.

speed 6351,

I an going to hold out for a Chev until the end of the year then I might go for an early Pete if I have to go for something non GM. There are a couple of nice Diamond T's on the ATHS website for sale, I can't see how a truck could be too big for what you want :-)

David

Dave,

I am sending you 3 pages via email. One is taken from the 1959 Specifications Book, it has Truckstell Model 500 printed near the bottom. The other two are from a spec sheet.

Mike B

Dave,

I am sending you 3 pages via email. One is taken from the 1959 Specifications Book, it has Truckstell Model 500 printed near the bottom. The other two are from a spec sheet.

Mike B

Albatross, Did you get the email I sent you, about the Tandem axle GMC For Sale.

a couple of things weren't mentioned here. in the 40's and 50's some tandems implemented a system of belt, or chain drives linking a forward "drive axle" to a "dead axle" or "tag axle". even today a person can buy the wheel separator that goes between the dual wheels of a semi, and has the slots cut in it for the belt.

companies like the now gone p.i.e., riss, and mc lean trucklines who purchased the "r" series cabover and conventional tractors often used the belt drive system. the belt did help, but not totally solve the problems of getting stuck when the dead axle would cross an object and lift the drive axle off the ground, or on icy roads. the system was only used for a few years, as far as belts went. even today, it's easy to get stuck in some places with a tandem, so, a system called a power divider lock is used to effectivly lock in all 8 tires on the rear to get out a certain situation. it is to be used very short term, as many a driver who forgot to unlock it has discovered when they burned up a power divider by forgetting to unlock it and return to regular driving. these days, tag axles are fewer, and most are air lift, or air adjustable to add or decrease weight distribution. most air actuated axles are seen these days on dump trucks.

Pretty cool huh Dave you where thinking more in the lines of the modern power divider in the front rear end with a through shaft. back then it was more like a transfer case and the shaft for the back rear end was routed around the front one. I found this very intriguing the first time I saw it too.

kool, I mentioned my '54 Chevy COE Trucktor Chain Drive Tandem, in the second reply.

Good Luck on your search for a factory Chevy tandem! We have been looking all across the U.S. for 14+ years and have found exactly "none". They appear to be the most "rare" of all the big Chevrolet trucks. I'm not sure why they are none to be found???

Yes it is pretty cool Grant. I must admit it is different than what I thought it was. What I really found interesting is the dealer name (Sleeper Equipment Co) stamped on the brochure. I knew old lady Sleeper who ran it and have been to the place in St Louis. The original building was an old livery and the horses were kept on the second floor. Very unique place. The company is long gone now. I used to buy PTO's from her son Ted but for the life of me I cannot remember the name of that part of the business. Strange too because I can usually remember things from 30-40 years ago a lot better than last week.

The 1956 tandem in the picture was found in the western US and was pretty much intact. The truck has the 322/6-speed automatic combo with a 3 speed aux. tranny and power divider( similar to a transfer case)to engage the 2nd drive axle. The dual drive shaft system is a sight to behold!!! I am not sure why there are no survivors left. It appears the factory tandems are the rarest of the big Chevrolets.

Hello BHMOTOMACH,I'm a fellow North Carolina resident, who collects antique trucks. What year tandem Chevy, are you looking for. Too bad, I didn't find you, when I was selling my '54 COE chaindrive Tandem. I would have liked to have seen it stay local.

Hi Spanky,

Looking for any 56-59 Task-Force tandem. We have been throughout the US and have never found one. I heard of a chassis somewhere in Georgia but I have not confirmed. 14+ years of searching has come up empty so far. The question is "Where did they all go?" You and I know they do exist, but I can't find them.

There was a ATHS member, in Raleigh, that had a '58 Chevrolet Tandem. I'll see if I still have his number.

The 5th wheel on the 1956 10500 tandem came from a wrecked 1958 Chevrolet single axle truck.

Thanks for checking on the phone number, maybe I can go over to Raleigh and look at the truck if it is still there.

Do you now have a '56 Tandem. I noticed you have one listed in your profile. The truck in Raleigh, was a 90 series '58 model Spartan LCF Tandem Tractor. I sent you a Private Message, with the owners Ph. No., Catch ya Later, Spanky

I've seen a couple of 55-57 tandems for sale on the net and usually save the pictures on my computer. I don't have the info on them but I can send some photos to whoever wants them. email me at [email protected].

The 1956 10500 tandem is owned by my family. My Dad and I restored the tandem after he found it. We have hunted for years to find more tandems like this with no real luck. Our truck was found in good shape and great mechanical order. The truck was believed to have less than 30,000 miles on it when we got it. We were lucky to find a truck that had not been worked to death in its prior life.

Got any pictures of it.

Hi Spanky,
The only "internet friendly" pic I have is the one you posted earlier in this topic. (Fontana ATHS show I think). I have some regular pics of the truck as well as some taken on the Route 66 fun run. Currently, I have no way to convert the pics to digital format. I will try to figure something out. Any sugtgestions. I also have two other pics taken at that same show. One is our 1966 Chevrolet D-60 (Diesel) and our 1970 Titan 90. How do I post those here?

I think I have some pics from the Route 66 fun run that I took while driving the 56 tandem on old US 66 in Western AZ. Some of the "in cab" shots are neat. I'll try to round up the pics and look into getting them put on a cd so I can post them,email them,etc,etc. I would like other folks to be able to enjoy them as well.