Hello,

We are a scrap metal yard and we have recently acquired a 1959 Marmon Herrington Ford C700 with Holmes 600? Wrecker Body. Running condition of the truck is unknown but for its age and New England it is in fantastic shape. Significant rust is limited to portions of the wrecker body. Cab is in great shape all the way around save for the windshield.

I've come here to ask the experts as to what this is worth. I have not been able to find anything like it, or any old sales online currently. TruckTrader, TruckPaper, Craigslist, Ebay... Everything is coming up empty. We really want this truck to go to a collector/restorer who can bring it back to its former glory. It is too nice to scrap.

Please see the pics I have put up and let me know what you think.

Thank you,

Jeff

 

Here are the rest of the pics

 

That is quite a unique truck. The body is a Holmes W-45, last produced in 1949. The chassis is a C-750 or C-800, from 1957-62, because it has 8 lug wheels. The cab is in great shape because it was replaced with one from a 1968 or newer C-700, probably a Fire Engine. The emblems on it with the plastic inserts didn't come out until '68.
I hope you find it a good home, but if you don't, I can use some parts off of it. I can use the tow bar and the locking front hubs.
Chuck

 

So, your best guess, is that Serial tag from the original truck or from the transplanted cab? If there a serial located somewhere else? Perhaps on the frame?

In your opinion what is it worth as is?

Thank you,

Jeff

 

Jeff,
The serial number plate has to be from the doner truck, because the number starts with C70. C70 is the code for a C-700, which would have 6 lug wheels. A much lighter duty truck. There is a number on the frame, but I have no idea where on a C series.
As far as a value, like any big, old truck, it isn't worth anything unless you have an interested buyer. I assume you took this in for scrap? There is a reason for that, you know. Does it run and drive? Brakes? If not, it is a really hard sell. C series trucks are not especially collectible, for obvious reasons, so it has that against it. The 4 x 4 conversion certainly adds to the cool factor, but it hardly offsets the C series problem. Holmes wreckers are very collectible, and that adds desirability to it, but then there is the condition problem. The body is the most important part, and this one is clearly shot. It's been patched and modified so much that it doesn't even look like a Holmes body anymore. As sad as it is to say, parting it out and scrapping what's left is probably your best bet. Somebody must need that cab, and somebody else restoring a Holmes W-45 probably needs parts from it. I would advertise them separately. Let me know what you decide to do with it.
Chuck
chuckstrucksllc.com

 

Pic of Rating Plate in post #2: VIN decodes to a 1959 C700 w/a Heavy Duty 292 4V assembled in Louisville KY

Date stamped on the 2nd line of the Rating Plate: 18C = Assembled March (C) 18, 1959.

1958/60 C series Tilt Cabs have dual headlamps. The doors are from a 1968 and newer C series due to the emblems w/yellow reflectors.

This truck was ordered from the NY Ford District Sales Office and was a Domestic Special Order.

 

Looks like possibly only the doors were replaced at one time. The photos show what looks like red paint in different shades of fading.

Maybe not though, as the early trucks had quad headlights, and this cab doesn’t.

 

From what I know of the history of the truck, the doors are original to the cab, they were just repainted with the towing company's logo.

 

So the plate is from the original chassis and was attached with pop rivets into the original cab? The original comment from Chuck states he believes it is a 750-800 due to the 8 Lug wheels. Though I agree with you on your decode of the serial data plate. Was it possible to order a C700 with the 8 Lug setup? Was the 8 Lug setup required for the Marmon Harrington conversion?

Thank you,

Jeff

 

27910? (I cannot make out the last #) is the 1959 Numerical Sequence of Assembly, the trucks specific serial number.

The emblems on the doors with the yellow reflectors on this truck were introduced in 1968.

I don't have a fleet salesmans data book for these trucks, so I don't know diddly about the wheels, but...

Chucks word is GOSPEL when it comes to older Ford trucks. He's a New Englander like yourself, lives in CT

 

Last digit is an Asterisk *
C70D9U27910*

Well if your and my decoding are accurate and it comes back to a C700 but Chuck is saying an 8 Lug denotes that the truck is a C750 or C800 and the cab is from a 1968+ C700 and all of those statements are true, then the Serial plate is from a third truck?

Or

Something isn't accurate. I'm not looking to question information or come across as a know it all, just looking for information and what I'm getting isn't making sense.

 

I decoded the VIN, but I can decode all the codes on the plate.

Where is the Warranty (serial) Plate located?

1957/62: Riveted to the inside of the glovebox door. 1963/79: Riveted to the left door face below the latch.

 

That plate I pictured is inside the glovebox.

 

When the cab was swapped, whoever did it installed the original glovebox door in lieu of the one that came with this cab. Is the truck registered with this VIN?

Look on the left door face below the latch for the two rivet holes where the Warranty Plate was located 1963/79. The plate might still be there, possibly painted over.

Beginning in 1970, the Safety Standard Certification Label was glued to the left B pillar (door post) below the striker plate. See is there's any evidence of it.

 

I will take a look and get back to you. Thank you for the information.