The Texas Fuel Company got its start in 1902. The fledgling firm quickly went on a growth spurt that included buying rail cars and barges to transport oil from company-owned fields in its home state.
A couple of decades later, the company’s well-established Texaco brand had a large fleet of trucks crisscrossing America. Those vehicles included the immaculate restored 1927 Chevrolet tanker truck recently listed on eBay.
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Chevy Truck Innovations for the 1920s
Chevrolet launched the Series AA Capitol lineup in 1927. It offered eight different body styles that included both passenger cars and trucks. Moreover, they introduced new innovations:
- A dashboard-mounted fuel gauge
- A rearview mirror inside the cabin
- An accelerator pedal on the floor in place of a hand throttle located on the steering wheel hub
Texaco fitted this truck with a 95-gallon tanker body constructed by the Brown Sheet Iron and Steel Company of St. Paul, Minn. The tanker truck for sale on eBay still bears the company’s brass plaque indicating production number 1720. All the original tank valves and hardware are in place.
The original 171-cubic-inch overhead-valve four-cylinder gasoline engine provided the power. The mill is paired with a three-speed manual transmission with a floor shifter to drive the rear wheels.
The suspension consists of solid axles and leaf springs front and rear. Manual drum brakes are mounted on the rear wheels only, just like the truck left the factory. Safety equipment includes dual head and taillights, along with a single windshield wiper ahead of the driver.
Wooden Spokes and Brass Lugs
The light green exterior paint is in excellent condition. It looks sharp against the darker green trim and period Texaco signage on the doors and truck bed. There are many other sweet design details, including:
- Michelin tires mounted on wooden spoke wheels with a natural finish
- Brass center lugs beautifully complementing the truck’s green shade
- A small wooden storage box between the cab and the tank
The restored interior is a model of simplicity. It provides a window into what a trucker might have expected back in 1927. The black cloth seat faces a big wood steering wheel and a steel dash that matches the exterior color.
Basic instrumentation includes an odometer showing just 83,847 miles after almost a century of use. The doors, ceiling, and rear wall are covered in stained wood, lending a warm feeling to the cabin. The floor is covered with a matching and easy-to-clean rubber mat.
With a Buy It Now price of $35,500, this rare and beautifully restored truck would make a handsome addition to any car collection or a unique and attention-getting advertisement for a business.
One thing is sure: It would be challenging to rebuild another to this impeccable standard—if you could find another one at all.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.