Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Charlie's Bread Truck?

I was watching one of those videos of the girls singing while sitting on the corner. When the camera pans out in one scene, there is a bread truck parked by where they are sitting. I know there was a van there for them to sleep in, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNv7NopYFUg

I was wondering if this is the bread truck that Charlie was driving with Stephanie Schram when they went down to San Diego. I'm not sure what year the van was. Can anybody shed light?





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6 comments:

  1. Cuntry TrashAugust 27, 2013 at 2:08 AM

    One of the videos, the reporters ask "Where's cappy (or Sandra, I forget)" and I think Brenda says, "She's moving the van..."

    So maybe it is. Good eye.

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  2. orwhutAugust 27, 2013 at 3:27 AM

    Somewhere, there's a photo of one of the girls in the back of what appears to be a much lower van. I thought that one was the van kept near the street corner.
    Now, I'll go nuts until I find the photo.

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  3. FarflungAugust 27, 2013 at 11:46 AM

    Someone truly has a sharp eye to spot that van in the news clip. This is another example of what has collectively changed in the last 40 years and become largely forgotten. For that vehicle with the two prominent horizontal ribs stamped in the side of that van, is an earmark of an International Harvester, Metro-Mite. Here’s a couple examples for your verification pleasure:

    Metro Mite

    More of the Metro

    Ole JC mentioned how a person could drive a desert highway at 80 – 95 mph. While that’s certainly true, it had me thinking about the cars from the 50’s and 60’s. Things like power steering and brakes were not common place, and the tires were bias ply, used tubes, and produced frequent blow outs (a phrase now largely lost to time). Nevada didn’t even have a speed limit back then. Speed was limited by a combination of the vehicles and the drivers desire to keep living.

    When I looked at the photo of the delivery van, I was reminded of the same time period where milk would magically appear at your doorstep, along with dry cleaning, and diapers, among a myriad of services once supplied by local businesses. With the advent of Big Box stores and the ubiquitous presence of Fed-Ex and UPS trucks, the need for the likes of a Metro-Mite is all but extinct.

    I recall driving an International Harvester pickup, which you had to ‘double clutch’, or risk announcing your lack of driving skills with a loud gear gnashing. Fortunately this would only occur in front of the girl I had a crush on, or before a gaggle of my peers where one would shout- “if you can’t find ‘em, grind ‘em!” Yeah, I was that cool.

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  4. MattAugust 27, 2013 at 11:58 AM

    Farf, I once had a 1973 IH Travelall Wagon Master. Yes, I had to double-clutch. It had the AMC-401 engine, a reserve gas tank, and more than enough room to um, party in.

    Memories...


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  5. SuzeAugust 27, 2013 at 1:57 PM

    I wasn't around in 1973 and I hate to say that until today I thought International Harvester only made farm tractors. I googled up pics of 1973 Travelalla and Matt, that looks like a total party mobile. LOL.

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  6. MattAugust 28, 2013 at 10:32 AM

    An interesting leap of faith sent in by a reader:

    In the late 60's early 70's the heir to International Harvester was a young male libertine full blown hippie in Hollywood / LA.

    Because the Family's van was "given" to them, I always wondered IF HE gave it to them.

    Richard Deering Howe hung out with Hendrix, Jagger, Allman Bros, etc. "Laural Canyon crowd".

    I'll bet he at least met Manson and or did a joint with the Family.

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