PBP #407 - Leon B. Gollnick's 1919 Oldsmobile(?) Bus, Vero Beach FL

[Otto Puzzell]

For one point: name this bus, and the man who built it

Only a correct, complete and specific answer will earn a point; tag-on's to other guesses will not. So, be specific and complete!  

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[Otto Puzzell]

Bussed up

[targhediferro]

The base seems to be a Ford TT without doubt, may the coachbuilder be Gotfredson?

[Otto Puzzell]

Not a Ford

[RayTheRat]

White?

[Otto Puzzell]

Nope

[Manuel]

How they could put a huge bus body like that on a little Model T or TT Ford chassis and expect it to stop amazes me!!

Manuel in Oz

[DeAutogids]

How they could put a huge bus body like that on a little Model T or TT Ford chassis and expect it to stop amazes me!!

Manuel in Oz

According to Otto it is no Ford. And stopping was not a priority on old cars it seems. Just joking.

Is the chassis American?

[Otto Puzzell]

Yep - it's from the US, but is not a Ford.

[Manuel]

Don't want to rock the boat but it looks like a T or TT Ford from here.

Manuel in Oz

[RayTheRat]

Don't want to rock the boat but it looks like a T or TT Ford from here.

Manuel in Oz

The hood is too long for a T or TT.  Could it be a Federal?

[4popoid]

I think the hood looks like a very early Oldsmobile (not REO) truck.  That would probably make it about 1919, as that was when Oldsmobile bought out Economy Truck.  I'll wait for a reply before I start chasing coachbuilders.

[Otto Puzzell]

The hood is too long for a T or TT.  Could it be a Federal?

Not a Federal

[Otto Puzzell]

I think the hood looks like a very early Oldsmobile (not REO) truck.  That would probably make it about 1919, as that was when Oldsmobile bought out Economy Truck.  I'll wait for a reply before I start chasing coachbuilders.

Oldsmobile it is! I'll be intrigued to find out how you settled on 1919 as the year, as that is also correct.

[4popoid]

Easy question Otto.  I actually thought it looked a bit older, but 1919 was the year that Oldsmobile bought Economy, and made their first truck.  So it could have been older, but wouldn't have been an Oldsmobile, and somehow I just didn't think it was an Economy.  So I went as old as I could, and still get an Olds.

[4popoid]

Your quest for "the man who built it" is a bit fuzzy, but, according to a history book for Indian River County, Florida, in 1919 Vero Beach's first schoolbus driver, Leon B. Gollnick, had the contract for transporting district school children.  Accordingly: "He purchased a new Oldsmobile truck and added a body.....".  From this it isn't entirely clear if he bought the chassis and added a prebuilt body, had a custom body added, or if he actually built the body himself.  Whatever the case, I assume that Leon B. Gollnick is the name that you are looking for. 

[Manuel]

I cannot find any pics of an Olds truck [veteran or vintage] with a transverse front spring.

Manuel in Oz

[RayTheRat]

I cannot find any pics of an Olds truck [veteran or vintage] with a transverse front spring.

Manuel in Oz

I have to agree with you, Manuel.  Olds trucks were built from 1919 til about 1938 (maybe longer...I'm not positive on the end date.)  None of them had transverse leaf springs...at least none of 'em that I've seen.  However, the bus in the puzzle isn't a Ford.  As I wrote earlier, the hood's too long for a T/TT.  I'd sure like to see a better photo of that bus.

[Otto Puzzell]

That's information the historical site gave me.

Please address further inquiries to:

Jack Wilkinson
c/o Indian River County Historical Society Archive Center, Indian River County Main Library
1600 21st St, Vero Beach, FL 32960