Butler Brothers logging trucks

[camptramp]

Hi, there are a couple guys here in Victoria that work on them, one was a designer, worked for KW and Western Star. The other works at a Sidney machine shop, has video from early test drives. He was going to try and post it here. He was telling about one driver that a piece rope tied to the bullboard by the drivers door, so he could swing away in an emergency. I believe they are members here as well. Butlers also had a aluminum car,can't remember what it was called but there is a site dedicated to it. Thanks Doug.

If your trying to post a video on one of these threads , you might check with timelapse , he may have the equipment and knowledge to do it .

 

[Vigilant]

Hi, there are a couple guys here in Victoria that work on them, one was a designer, worked for KW and Western Star. The other works at a Sidney machine shop, has video from early test drives. He was going to try and post it here. He was telling about one driver that a piece rope tied to the bullboard by the drivers door, so he could swing away in an emergency. I believe they are members here as well. Butlers also had a aluminum car,can't remember what it was called but there is a site dedicated to it. Thanks Doug.

Known as the Spirit of Tomorrow.

 

[camptramp]

I remember hearing a story when I was a wee child about a fellow by the name of Barney Oldfield building an Aerodynamic car , I think the frame and chassis is a mid 1950's Ford . I remember seeing it in the Victoria May Day Parade .

 

[dunwurken]

Your mixing Barneys with the Bazels. Have a look at this web site to see how and where the so called Butler trucks evolved. I grew up fairly close to Oldfields shop and they always had something unusual going on. I also remember his revolving house as well as riding in the Spirit of Tomorrow. Hard to believe that was 55 years ago.

http://www.spiritoftomorrow.com/

 

[camptramp]

Thanks for the great information The Spirit of Tomorrow is a lot older than I was led to believe .

 

[dunwurken]

Thanks for the great information The Spirit of Tomorrow is a lot older than I was led to believe .

Unfortunately so am I.

 

[camptramp]

Unfortunately so am I.

I'm glad you still have your wits and can still point out the facts from long ago . Have a good day and many more .

 

[camptramp]

Gordy I .

 

[camptramp]

I believe Dave Hooper sent me these pictures of the last Butler's Truck rusting away some wheres around Powell River B.C.

 

[Vigilant]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaqVQfcvlTw

 

[diamondtguy]

As I have said before it is nice to see the truck still more or less intact.The next time I have a spare 16V71 and a Allison lying around looking for a home I know were it will go.....

 

[camptramp]

Pat Mac (Bob MacMillen) BCFP , An early picture of Butler Bros. Roller Skate , at Butler's Dump at Sooke B.C. , Straits of Juan De Fuca in back ground .

 

[mowingman]

The design of the old International 50 ton Payhauler ,sure resembles these Butler trucks.

 

[Snag-Faller]

Bear Creek Reservoir, Sooke

Once again I'm blown away by the knowledge some of you guys have.
I remember the "roller skate" from my days in Jordan River and Port Renfrew, 1975-1987.

In the early '70's they drained the Bear Creek Reservoir near Sooke. We were contract falling the snags to clear the reservoir so water bombers could get access to the water supply.

It was lunch time. We were at the bottom of the reservoir when the ground began to shake. Looking up I had never seen anything that big before or carrying that many logs. My boss told me she was a diesel electric with 22 foot bunks. The biggest logging truck in the world.

I later pulled rigging for TW McKenzie at Lake Cowichan and the biggest truck on the lake belonged to Tod Palliser. It had 16' bunks and was strictly "off road". Tod was hauling logs from our side so I saw his truck daily. What I saw at Bear Creek Reservoir had 22 foot bunks and carried enough weight that the ground shook when she drove by.

 

[camptramp]

Boulder Bill , This "Skate" Butler Brothers Log Truck was sold to Dave Farris & Toby Hird , who in turn sold it to a Powell River outfit ( Kip Brown comes to mind ) seen here parked in Caycuse in the late 1970's .

 

[HD Mech]

Someone who says they were one of the builders of the mark 5 is looking for the trucks whereabouts on the Sunshine Coast Craigslist.

 

[camptramp]

Someone who says they were one of the builders of the mark 5 is looking for the trucks whereabouts on the Sunshine Coast Craigslist.

I heard a "Rumor" awhile back that someone from the Butler Family was considering doing a Restoration of one of the "Skate's" Butler Truck .
Check back on this Thread there are pictures of the remains of last one built in the Powell River area .

 

[diamondtguy]

That would certainly be interesting if true..

 

[Greatwestcam]

Here is the cab from the forth truck built, Andy bought that one around 1979 and used the drive train to build two Kenworth 849f that he got from M&B boneyard, the one truck he did had a 16v-71 Detroit in it, drove that one a few times, had a long hood on it, air throttle, and 16:24 tires at first.
There was a funny story with that 4th truck when Andy brought it to Powell River, they unloaded it of the barge in town at the Coast Ferries terminal and to get the truck turned south they drove it around the block by the Marine inn which has a steep grade next to it, when it pulled up the grade the trailer on the back rolled off and smash into the city tourist info building, lucky this all happened early in the morning before most people were at work.
someone made a painting of the trailer stuck in the building with the driver trying to hide it that Andy has in his office.

 

[camptramp]

I would think that Cab is off the Butler Truck parked at Caycuse in posting #135 .