The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1956 GMC 660

I have the opportunity to purchase a 1956 GMC 660 tandem axle truck today. What size is a 660 and what the heck is it worth????? :confused:

Here is a shot of the back of the 660 COE. This is the front. I really need and idea what this thing is worth or if it's even worth messing with.

It's really hard to say what it's worth just from those pictures.

What condition is it in over all?
Does it run?

Does it have the 6-71 Detroit, or the 4-71, or?

What is the asking price?

Grigg

OK, I'm not a photographer! The truck is in really great shape. Very, very little rust mostly surface thanks to western South Dakota. Totally complete as best as I can tell. I don't know what engine is in it. I was told it had been rebuilt not to long before it was put out to rest probably 20 years ago. Would it be a diesel or possibly gas? Am I correct thinking it's in the 5 ton range?

I think I can get it for pretty much scrap price.

Why are you still here typing?? LOL

Looks like you can't go wrong with that one.

Better jump on that deal. Looks like lots of good parts if nothing else.

Buy it.
If I had the time and money I sure would for scrap price...

We don't want to hear anything else from you till you have a picture of it in your yard
Don't waist any time...

Grigg

Looks like the heavy duty axles on that thing too, similar to military trucks. Wonder how many gear boxes are in it. Either way I'd bet it pulls like mad.

Nice find tho, good lookin truck!

It looks like it has Mack axles too me. I like it. It probably weighs around 8 ton the radiator would bring around $250 and scrap steel is going for $80 a ton here, just under a grand GO GET IT.

I would not say it has Mack axles without first seeing the rear hubs, other manufacturers used the top loading double reduction design. Or check for a tag on the axles.

Grigg

I know I have been admonished not to be on the site until the truck is in my yard but here I go anyway. I looked at the vin tag on the door jamb and had to pass this info on. This little truck is rated for 42,000 lbs with a combined GVW of 72,000! The owner told me it has the 503 gas engine in it. Still working on getting ahold of a partial interest in the truck. I have no doubt it will be mine.....I hope! What the heck am I going to do with this beast?

That's a "Big Cab" GMC COE. Better known as a, "Cannonball" COE. Very popular, & sought after truck. A 660 would be a 5 1/2 ton. I had a '50 model GMC "Cannonball" 600 series 5 ton. Mine had a 318ci. GMC gas engine. That truck will weigh about 14000lb. Compared to a 2 ton 350, 3 ton 450, & 3 1/2 ton 470 series "Small Cab" COE, this trucks cab is 70"in. wide compared to 58"in. wide, on the small cab COE's. Cab height will be around 82"in., compared to a 350 COE at 74"in., & a 450, & 470, at 77"in. Wheelbase width will be around 73"in., compared to 61"in., for the 350 series , & 67"in., for the 450, & 470 series. Fender to fender width is 91"in., compared to 73"in., for the 350 series, & 80"in., for the 450, & 470 series COE's. Hope this wasn't too confusing. You can see the 600 series COE, I had here. It's the primer brown, & red one. http://www.classiccoe.com/oldcoetrucks/canball.htm

Hey Spanky, How common is the twin screw part of the truck? There appears to be gear boxes from behind the engine to just in front of the front rear axle.

Pretty common. Not as many as the single axle, but there were quite a few. My '50 GMC 600 COE, had started out as a Tandem Tanker, from northern Virginia.

I didn't like the small pictures, so here is a bigger back shot of the truck. Here is a new side picture of the truck also. And here is a bigger front picture. What am I going to do with this beast? Are there any vintage trailers around? And where can I get parts for this size truck?

there are trailers available a beautiful fruehauf on ebay a few weeks ago

Hey, I found out why the cab is so rust free. It's aluminum.....I knew that! :whistle:

You can drive it out this way, then forget were you parked it....

Mike, Your making this too easy for me to get in trouble with my wife.

Go get some urban camo netting and she will never know. But then again don't take advice from me I am divorced.

Hmmmmm, what are you gonna do with this beast? How bout getting a flat bed trailer and using it to haul your other trucks to car shows.

'50- '54 "Cannonballs" had the Bumper Bar grille, as the other GMC trucks used. My '50 "Cannonball" was this way. The '55-'59 "Cannonballs", had a flat grille, like this one does. Also my "Cannonball" was all steel, with a rounded back of cab. The '55-'59's had the flat, back of cab. I found a '56 model "Cannonball" single axle diesel tractor, near work, several years ago.Trying to talk the owner, who is a fellow ATHS member, into selling it to me. Better get this truck. You'll wish you had, if you don't.

I'm still workin' on the deal. I want it but don't want to seem too eager if you know what I mean. I looked a whole bunch closer the other day and did find rust in the front fenders. I can't believe they would be too awful hard to repair. here is a picture of the inside . What is the clock like looking thing? :confused:

That clock looking thing is and either a tack or speedo too its is lockable and fleet owners would put a round paper disc in it and it would record the speed or RPM on a time line drivers called it a tatle-tell

Yes, the clock thing generally has a speedo at the top. The round disc of paper would have graduated circular lines with mph's marked on them. The clock would spin the disc and the speedo would raise and lower a needle against the disc in accordance with your speed so there would be a record of what speed you were traveling at a specific time or if you were stopped when you weren't supposed to be. We used these in all our school buses and the disc's would be turned in each night and filed in case any problems arose.

Very cool!! Do you have a CDL, or will it just be a very large conversation piece?

John

Actually I do have a CDL. I had one many years ago, then when I moved to South Dakota I let it go. About 4 years ago my work required me to get the same one again so I'm good to go. Your also assuming I can even get the thing going again! I'm somewhat concerned about getting the air brakes functioning. Time will tell.