10/08/2023
Did you guess the 1934 GMC T 23 B?
Jake Iles of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa bought this 1934 GMC T-23 B truck and stock trailer new for $2,300 and used it to move cattle all over the state. He was the sole owner of this truck and trailer; we acquired them from his family. In fact, Iles' grandson still attends our annual Truckers Jamboree.
This truck is unusual in that it has a sleeper cab. The doors are angled back from the narrower front end to the wider sleeper. The trailer, which is equipped with vacuum brakes, and 5th wheel were also made by GMC. The T-23 B has a 3-ton rating and mechanical brakes. Livestock hauling was a rough life in the ‘30s. The lack of creature comforts and stress of high noise levels could really wear a driver down.
Because the truck didn’t have air-ride seats like trucks today, as a driver, you would have constantly been bouncing around. Your feet would vibrate, and your arms would shake trying to hold the steering wheel straight. If you were picking up a load of cattle, chances were high the farmer didn’t have a gravel driveway; it would have been more like a rutted, dirt path.
After loading the cattle on the truck, you had to drive long distances to the market at no more than 35 miles per hour. Hauling a load of cattle or hogs is a job that requires careful driving today. In the ‘30s, it would have been even more dangerous. Shifting loads or sudden movements could flip the trailer. You really had to pay attention. It certainly wasn’t an easy job!
