I have never been to Oshawa nor the GM factory, but my parents have picked up a new truck there back in the early 70's. My Father ordered himself a nice new 1974 GMC Sierra Grande pickup truck with a 350 engine and when the truck was ready, he and my mother flew to Toronto to visit some family and pick up the truck with the intent of driving it home to Manitoba.
During their short stay in Toronto, they had visited Emco, where a relative worked and Emco had a fleet of 3 ton trucks that they were replacing and updating. I guess they were delivery trucks that had a flat deck C65 series, 366 engine with a cabover chassis. Well, my father, knowing a good deal when he saw one bought one of these trucks on the spot for $900. The truck was a 1969, had rust issues but for the most part was a solid truck. The plan had now changed from driving the 74 Sierra Grande home to loading it on the flat deck 3 ton and then drive both home.
But, now my father had a truck in Toronto and one in Oshawa with no plates for the 69 3 ton flat deck. So, this is March 74 (I think) and he flies back to Winnipeg to get some plates for the 69 and then flies back to Toronto all in the same day. This is 1974 remember so flying back and forth just to pick up plates was a bit outlandish but it had to be done. My Dad was like a Rock Star jett setting around Canada, for something so small as a licence plate, so we thought anyways, LOL!
So, he got his plates, drove to Oshawa factory site, loaded up the 74 on the flat deck and headed west but went through the States on the way home. This was the time of the energy crisis in the States and they had problems getting gas at some locations along the way, but finally made it back to Manitoba.
The 74 was a nice truck but the 350 in it was an oil burner from day 1 and the pollution control equipment on the truck didn't help for power. We pulled the flat deck off the 3 ton truck and sold it for $900 so the old 69 was essentially free, and stuck a grain box and hoist on it for a second grain truck.
Anyways, just a clean non political recounting of the good old days when you could rollup and pick up your new vehicle from the factory.
Great story! Thanks for sharing this. A simpler time for sure.
I really long for simpler times like those back then because today's times really suck on so many levels. I wish i was of my parents generation (The greatest generation), any day of the week.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
