New to me Mystery Oshkosh

[Buckwheat363]

Hello All, I have poked around on this site from time to time but just officially joined the forum. I have read lots of great information on here and I have just recently picked up a new project. The ownership says 1946 Oshkosh, but i have a feeling its more early 50's. It looks VERY much like the W-709's but the tag says W-212. I have googled "w-212" every way i can think of but i get absolutely nothing about that model.The closest i can find is old WWII photos of 709's. I think this truck is really neat and I plan to fix it up. It has sat for 35 years but with little work the 6cyl gas Hercules engine fired up and drove itself up on the trailer for the ride home. If anyone can give me any sort of information about this truck it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
-Cheers

 

[elkhtr]

Welcome from Washington.
I dont have a clue as to what that is, but someone will weigh in i'm sure.

 

[glassk]

OSHKOSH W-212 truck brochure 1953 12 pages
4 and 6 wheel drive trucks
hole punched , year written on front, right corner creased, some dings on front cover. But, still a good looking item loaded with technical information

that is for sale, auction so can't post a link, but looks like the numbers are legit

 

[glassk]

http://www.yesterdaystruck.com/contents/tpic1538.htm

 

[Buckwheat363]

Thanks for the find but looks like that auction closed last October. I would have loved to get my hands on that. Good to know it exists though.

 

[av8or]

Buckwheat, That's a thing of beauty, what a find.

 

[Karl kostman]

Buckwheat that is one very impressive looking truck I do not know when Oshkosh purchased FWD but this truck looks to have the best of both in it. I have always wanted to find a good Oshkosh heavy but every one I ever could find for sale was so rusty that the amount of work to get back in decent shape was just to much. I am NOT a body man and thankfully I know it. After looking at trucks for almost a year I finally ended up with a really nice M920 as my biggest truck! Hey its got an Oshkosh transfer case, that maybe as close as I ever get! keep us posted on this truck there is one heck of a lot of potential in this one Buckwheat, great find!
KK

 

[Buckwheat363]

Karl the m920 is a good sized tuck for sure! I have always messed around with small old things like tractors, model T's, old pickups and things like that. this is my first dance with some big heavy iron. I was really happy to find this one in this good of shape. I just wish it had the bed/box on the back. Im not sure what im going to fabricate for the back yet but it will come to me eventually. Im also debating on and trying to find rims/tires. It is missing one of the duals on the back and the fonts are the multi piece rims with the rings that used to occasionally blow off and kill people as they aired them up. So im leaning towards super singles. I normally like to restore things 100% to stock or modify them to what ever i like, close to stock isnt good enough in my eyes so might as well go full out the other way. Since parts seem pretty rare i guess ill modify. I did stumble on this picture and it is giving me ideas, it is nearly identical to mine except it has 10 bolt wheels and mine are only 8. I hope mine will look this good some day.

 

[73m819]

Would make a nice looking two axle tractor.

 

[av8or]

Would make a nice looking two axle tractor.

I'll second that!!

 

[porkysplace]

Buckwheat that is one very impressive looking truck I do not know when Oshkosh purchased FWD but this truck looks to have the best of both in it. I have always wanted to find a good Oshkosh heavy but every one I ever could find for sale was so rusty that the amount of work to get back in decent shape was just to much. I am NOT a body man and thankfully I know it. After looking at trucks for almost a year I finally ended up with a really nice M920 as my biggest truck! Hey its got an Oshkosh transfer case, that maybe as close as I ever get! keep us posted on this truck there is one heck of a lot of potential in this one Buckwheat, great find!
KK

Oshkosh never bought FWD Truck Corporation they were always two different companies . FWD's parent company was Corsta Corp and after about 1980 they only made fire trucks.

 

[HanksDeuce]

Here's a nice Oshkosh picture page. The picture shown for the 1953 snow blower looks a lot like your truck.
http://oldcarandtruckpictures.com/Oshkosh/

 

[mr.oshkosh]

December 1952 is when the truck rolled off the assembly line.

 

[Buckwheat363]

Thanks for the info Mr.Oshkosh, but im just wondering how you came to that date?

 

[mr.oshkosh]

I called a friend at Oshkosh and gave him the serial number and he gave me the date.