OCTOBER 2002 WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO...
| PARAMOUNT'S BREW HAULERS Story and Photo by Truck Historian/Author Stan Holtzman
The photo seen here was taken around 1965, under the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10) near Alameda Street in Los Angeles, California. This Kenworth appears to be around a 1955 model (KWs pretty much looked alike from 1949 to 1956, so it’s anybody’s guess as to the exact year of this rig). With the straight exhaust stack, I would venture to say that this truck was powered by a 262 or 280 horsepower Cummins engine and probably had a 5 & 3 as the transmission setup. This Kenworth is seen here with a 40’ “box” trailer, pulling for Schlitz Beer. What ever happened to “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous” anyway? Does anyone still drink this stuff? As most of you know, the “big three” makers of beer today are Bud, Miller and Coors, but there was a time, not so very long ago, when names like Brew 102, Hamms, Blatz, Olympia, Eastside, Lucky Lager and Regal Pale appeared in liquor stores and neighborhood markets everywhere. As for Paramount Truck Leasing of Los Angeles, the owner of this neat Kenworth, I really can’t say when or why they faded away from trucking. If anyone out there can shed some light on this old outfit, please call me. I can be reached through the magazine by calling 1-888-440-4104. Thanks! |
