In 1934, the Los Angeles-based Gilmore Oil company decided to outfit one of the fuel delivery trucks with neon as a promotional gimmick. For some reason, they were able to enlist the head of Twentieth Century-Fox’s special effects department who installed yellow for the front, and blue and red for the body. Four on-board generators were needed to keep it all lit, but that was only allowed when the tank was empty! Because, yeah, your promo truck blowing up doesn’t make for good PR.
Can anyone ID the year and make of the truck?
Bob, The grill almost looks like a Hudson, but I am not sure if Hudson made a truck at all? It is definitely a 1934
My guess is that the chassis is from White Motor Company. Hudson built light weight trucks at that time under the name of Terraplane. John is right, the front end does have the look of a Terraplane in the grill and bumper. However the side hood vents look like a White truck of that year. The split windshield is a puzzle. Hudson was still using a split windshield, White was not. It is possible that Hudson in their Terraplane division built the body for a White chassis, a common practice at the time. Gilmore Oil had other trucks built on White Chassis.
The only thing I could find was this site that said it was built on a Mack chassis
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/07/gilmores-1934-traveling-neon-sign-fuel.html
Just noticed the headlamps in the fenders which Pierce Arrow had at that time? Perhaps Pierce had something to do with the body.
I sure would love to know it’s fate (I think). What a magnificent motor vehicle. Just beautiful!!!!!!
From the Pierce Arrow Society website:
In late 1932, all truck production at Pierce-Arrow was ceased. The Studebaker Corporation, who owned controlling interest in Pierce-Arrow, shifted all truck production to the White Motor Corporation. Trucks with the Pierce-Arrow name continued to be available from White until 1935.
The were a lot of custom coachbuilders in LA. The Gilmore truck(s) may have been done by one of them.
Martin,
I’ll bet our friend Leslie K would know… This is right up his alley.
He’s the first person I approached about this. He’s the one who sent me the other pics.
I really think this was a coachbuilt body. It’s way more stylized than stock heavy duty trucks were in 1934. The V-shaped radiator shell and front bumper, reverse opening doors on the cab (note exterior hinges on rear of doors w/door handles near the windshield), headlights integrated into the front fenders, and the streamlined tank storage area (sides and rear). Also, the wheels aren’t the older hub/spoke design found on heavy duty trucks from that period.