So from my research I have found a Holmes 515E Holmes traffic king wrecker, built Feb 1947. I have two questions, what is the value of a old wrecker? Everything seems to be there with the exception of the rubber bumper thingy that mounts on the rear of the wrecker body. And my other question is this wrecker has a hand crank. It lifts both booms and also cranks the winching cables in/out? But it also has a pto driven winch? Was it common to have pto and hand crank capabilities on the same winch? I can't wrap my brain around how that works. I will try to upload pics. Thanks.

 

You can see the two holes in the side of the body that the handle goes thru to engage the crank. I was kinda hoe hum on the whole deal until I found the hand crank. Now I'm kinda stoked.

 

Back in the 80's I drove wrecker for the body shop I worked at. It was a 69 C50 with a Holmes 500 unit on the back. It was set up similar to what you're describing. The booms were adjusted manually, but was rarely done, if ever, under normal circumstances. The sling winches were pto operated, but I seem to recall there was a provision to attach a crank. I can't imagine trying to hand crank a car up off the ground, running back and forth from side to side. I don't know if there was a quick release for the pto linkage, but if there wasn't it would be even harder to overcome that with the hand crank and lift the weight of a car. I never tried that.

edit;
After thinking about this some more, I remember now there was a lever or handle we would pull to release the winch and be able to pull the cable out for recovery work. I would assume one could use the hand crank in that mode. We always just popped the gears back into place and used the pto winch to draw the cable back in again.

 

Thanks for the memory Merc. As you described I wonder if there is a lever to uncouple the pro drive? But if the pto is disengaged from the trans maybe it free wheels with the crank as long as the "clutch brake" is not applied. Very little info on the web about a 515 but I recall reading something about a clutch brake. Maybe I should just buy it so I can figure it out.

 

On the older Holmes Wrecker beds I've been around the hand crank was only for adjusting the height of the booms. As said before this was rarely done. All other functions were by pto. I do remember one that had stabilizer legs at the rear, but I'm almost sure that was added later because they were just trailer landing gear.

 

One of the first twin booms. I recall seeing ads beck then about how the twin boom would allow trucks to lift heavier loads. Last week on Highway Though Hell, Jamie Davis actually split the booms on the Python to aid in lifting a heavy load.

There was an old wrecker around here that went for $2500.00. It was on a '49 or '50 Ford chassis. I do not recall what the chassis was. If I had the room, it would have been mine. But the wife would have objected. Now that she is the ex..................

Later!
Mr. Ed

 

This wrecker definitely has the ability to hand crank both the boom line and the main line. I cranked both on the passenger side and you can see both of the shafts that the handle fits over.

 

 

Thanks for the information guys, as of now I have a bunch of irons in the fire so the Holmes is not pressing. Still waiting for the Coleman hubs to get done and that is a mystery bill for now. Plus need to get started on our Galaxie frame rebuild. My initial plan was to run a script flatbed on the Coleman with srw on the back. I have everything to do that but when this wrecker popped up it got me thinking. Time will tell, thanks again.

 

LOL....story of my life, good deals come along when you least expect them, have no room for them, and definitely don't need them. The wrecker bed would be pretty cool

 

I totally agree Bobby, but cool costs money. Like I said the hubs are looming, plus when the frame rails are rebuilt on the galaxie frame we are going with Spohn rear suspension links and probably Hotchkis springs. That's money that is already earmarked. My biggest problem is I can't stop thinking about that GD wrecker! All I really need is more time, money and space and I will have it nailed!!

 

I guess that one is a little older than what I've run, been at the controls of 550, 650 and 750.

 

If i decoded it correctly it was built February 1947. I read somewhere that gravity lowers whatever is hooked up and can move faster than the operator would like. Must not have spool out/down capabilities with the pto. If i get it bought a manual will be in order.

 

This might be of interest to you...
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/tow4...ed-t73532.html

 

Yea Merc, that was what I was reading about bumping the clutch so it doesn't unspool the entire cable. Very little info on the web about the 515.