# Vintage Fuel Truck



## Plowingsince73 (Sep 8, 2002)

Thought you guys and gals would like to see a very rare 1922 Harvey truck that I have for sale. Fuel tanker body. I have owned since 1985. Made in Harvey IL. Most likley less than 100 ever made. Less than 1000 miles. 90% original. No other running examples are known to exist. Extensive literature collection pertaining to Harvey trucks. Runs and drives. Stored it long enough! $25,000 Current Missouri title in my name in hand.

SAVED - The Story Of The Harvey Truck Rescue

In July of 1963, I. G. Ruth left Downing, Missouri to go to Chicago, Illinois to deliver a large load of fur pelts from his business (I. G. Ruth & Sons). Little did he know that he was about to make a find of a lifetime, and would return to Downing, Missouri with a unique piece of American trucking history.

Upon arrival in Chicago he was told it would take an hour or so until his truck could be unloaded because there was quite a few others ahead of him. When returning to his truck to wait he noticed that the building next to the fur wholesaler was being torn down. He had never seen a building of this size (3 stories) being razed so he was very interested in the whole process. The crew was using a crane with a wrecking ball to demolish the brick walls. He walked around to the rear of the building to get a better view and discovered an old truck parked in the building's basement garage. He felt the truck was worth saving so he went to the wrecking crew foreman and asked if he could purchase the truck. The foreman said the truck belonged to the building's owner, Peter Winter. He said Winter had told him he had tried selling the truck but had not found anyone interested in purchasing it. Winter had said to just let the building fall in around it and haul it off with the rest of the rubbish.

Mr. Ruth then asked the foreman to stop the demolition so he could have time to get the truck out but the foreman said he was on a tight schedule and couldn't stop. It was now 11:30 a.m. and Ruth offered the foreman $50 to let his crew go to lunch one half hour early so he would have time to get the truck out. The foreman agreed. Ruth then walked six blocks away and hired a wrecker returning just in time to pull the old truck to safety as the demolition crew returned from their early lunch break. After getting the truck to safety, Ruth spent the balance of that day and most of the next day, July 17, 1963, locating Peter Winter and purchasing the truck.

While talking to Mr. Winter, Ruth learned that in 1938 Winter had purchased two identical trucks to be used in an extensive remodeling project of Wriggley Field there in Chicago. Shortly after completion of the project Winter?s company had failed and he had to file for bankruptcy. All of Winter's assets except for one of the trucks (which he had hidden away in the basement garage) were sold to settle the claims of the creditors.

Ruth found another garage to store his newly purchased truck in until he could return for it on a later date. On his way back home to Missouri Ruth passed the building site, and to his amazement, the building was completely leveled with only a huge pile of rubble to mark the place. He knew then that it had only been a stroke of good luck that he had been able to rescue the old truck in time from a terrible fate.

The truck that I. G. Ruth saved turned out to be a very low mileage 1922 Harvey motor truck, one of only a very few ever manufactured and the only original, running example of just two known to exist today.


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## novawagonmaster (Jun 16, 2014)

Cool story. Glad it was saved. Good luck with the sale.
Just curious... have you contacted any auto museums?
I would think an obscure vehicle such as that might be of interest.


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

That has to be worth way more than $25000 doesn't it??? Call Jay Leno.


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## gallihersnow (Dec 17, 2012)

WIPensFan;1903952 said:


> That has to be worth way more than $25000 doesn't it??? Call Jay Leno.


To the right person it might be, but unfortunately there aren't a ton of people looking for 1922 fuel trucks. 

It's cool nonetheless and I hope you get your asking price for it. Thumbs Up


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## quigleysiding (Oct 3, 2009)

Cool truck Great story.Good luck with the sale.


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## rjigto4oje (Oct 27, 2010)

Plowingsince73;1903876 said:


> Thought you guys and gals would like to see a very rare 1922 Harvey truck that I have for sale. Fuel tanker body. I have owned since 1985. Made in Harvey IL. Most likley less than 100 ever made. Less than 1000 miles. 90% original. No other running examples are known to exist. Extensive literature collection pertaining to Harvey trucks. Runs and drives. Stored it long enough! $25,000 Current Missouri title in my name in hand.
> 
> SAVED - The Story Of The Harvey Truck Rescue
> 
> ...


Very nice looking truck cool story
I don't think you should drive it through harvy IL Lol


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

WIPensFan;1903952 said:


> That has to be worth way more than $25000 doesn't it??? Call Jay Leno.


That was the first thing that popped in my head.


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## fireball (Jan 9, 2000)

wonder what size Fisher would work on that, I imagine the heater leaves a lot to be desired. Great truck


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## procut1 (Jan 21, 2004)

You know. That's not far fetched to contact jay leno. You should look to market it to higher end collectors. 25g is a lot of money for most people but in the car collector market it's nothing.


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## hatchmastr (Oct 28, 2011)

wow thats a beauty. good luck with the sale


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## Plowingsince73 (Sep 8, 2002)

Still for sale.... Best if you contact by phone. Please leave message if no answer, thanks! 573-842-9542


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Very neat truck. Im surprised you haven't found a collector yet.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

It looks like something FredG needs. He's already got an antique gas pump.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

EWSplow said:


> It looks like something FredG needs. He's already got an antique gas pump.


https://www.google.com/search?q=cla...AhUPTt8KHUQcA1cQ9QEIUzAE#imgrc=BxBMAAB13OCWhM:

Have to be a Stuz like this lol.


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## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

if not interested, then don't post in the thread


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