The vintage, the classic, the rare old trucks at MATS 2018

March 28, 2018
They don't make 'em like they used to.

Sure, the latest-greatest trucks get attention at the Mid-America Trucking Show, and so do the super-custom semis out on the show lot. But people flock just as much — maybe more — to the trucks of yesterday, which you'll find scattered throughout the exhibition halls.

Maybe it's the vintage, classic look of them that evolved throughout truck and automotive history. Maybe it's nostalgia; you'll hear drivers point and tell stories of what it was like to drive some of these and what trucking was like back then.

Or maybe it's the stories you can imagine these trucks would tell as many of them quite literally helped build the nation we know today.

The American Truck Historical Society made a special appearance at MATS this year, showcasing a group of trucks from the 1930s to the 1990s. A few exhibitors also brought antique trucks to display. Many of these were only made in the hundreds decades ago, and few exist today.

We kept our eyes out for the vintage trucks as we made our way through the exhibit halls. Come explore Fleet Owner's gallery of these fine, old haulers for yourself.

About the Author

Aaron Marsh

Before computerization had fully taken hold and automotive work took someone who speaks engine, Aaron grew up in Upstate New York taking cars apart and fixing and rewiring them, keeping more than a few great jalopies (classics) on the road that probably didn't deserve to be. He spent a decade inside the Beltway covering Congress and the intricacies of the health care system before a stint in local New England news, picking up awards for both pen and camera.

He wrote about you-name-it, from transportation and law and the courts to events of all kinds and telecommunications, and landed in trucking when he joined FleetOwner in July 2015. Long an editorial leader, he was a keeper of knowledge at FleetOwner ready to dive in on the technical and the topical inside and all-around trucking—and still turned a wrench or two. Or three. 

Aaron previously wrote for FleetOwner. 

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