Equipment Trucks of Pacific Northwest Drum Corps
(of the 1960s and 70s)
Equipment trucks were and are still, a vital piece of a drum corps. They vary per corps as much as the buses do.
Remember these back in the day?
Seattle Cascades
1972 in eastern Washington. Their equipment truck is in the background.
We can’t tell if it’s a Ford or Chevy from this distance. Looks like a mid-60s Chevy, at least a C20 (3/4-ton).
Seattle Shamrocks
Photo – Pre-1975
Sham’s truck looks like a 1964 or ’65 Chevy C60 (2-ton).
The semi belongs to the Bellevue Sentinels.
Photo – Pre-1975
Bellevue (WA) Sentinels
The Sentinels had the first semi-truck in the PNW to haul equipment. It was magnificent.
Those of you not comatose in the 1960s-70s remember that “Keep on Truckin” graphics were very popular.
For the rest of you, the two guys on the back of the van are the Keep on Truckin’ dudes. Not created by the Sentinels, but put to very good use.
Photo – 1969-74
The “Sentinels” were actually doors on the side of the van
Their tractor, a 1957 or 58 Kenworth 925C
The Black Watch, Auburn WA
Photo – 1970s
Tri-Cities Columbians, Tri-Cities WA
This equipment truck has the noble past of being a Rainier beer truck. Instant PNW street-cred. Local beer, local truck, great local drum corps.
In our opinion, this truck is second in coolness only to the Sentinels semi.
Argonauts, Salem OR
ca1975 – 80
Royal Lancers, Portland OR
Pre-1975
Now that you’ve made it this far without falling asleep, we have a couple of equipment truck honorable mentions:
The Blue Devils, Concord CA
1965 Dodge LCF (Low Cab Forward)
Cool truck
Imperials of St Patrick, Milwaukee WI
What a great bus / truck combo! The truck alone says, “Get outta my way!!”
I’ll convince the wife we need one to go to Safeway in. Yup, that’ll do it.
The Truck – a 1958 GMC LCF (Low Cab Forward) 550 series