Iowa 80 Truck Museum

Moot · Apr 13, 2012

Today I visited the Iowa Truck Museum, right next door to the Iowa 80 truck stop in Walcott, Iowa. You know you are old when a truck you used to drive is enshrined in a museum. Pictured below is truck number 414-3001, one of the 21 original trucks put into service when Con-Way Central Express opened for business in 1983. While I did not drive this truck, I did drive 414-3021 for a couple of years, which was identical to the truck pictured and one of the original 21.

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1983 Ford CL9000, 270 hp Cummins, Spicer 7 speed, armstrong steering, air starter, air wipers and it even had air conditioning, but no tachometer. This truck was restored by the CCX shop in Toledo and spent many years in the lobby of the old CCX general office in Ann Arbor out by the airport before being donated to the Iowa 80 truck museum.

usafk9 · Apr 13, 2012

But do they have wheel chock art?

Doggie Daddy · Apr 14, 2012

I drove one of these CL9000's a few times when I worked for a moving company, very odd feeling to them.

The cab was mounted on air bags completely, and when you went into a curve at speed the inertia would cause the cab to tilt in the opposite way of the curve. A very unsettling feeling, but I did get used to it after awhile.

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chefdennis · Apr 14, 2012

As many times as i have been to the TS, I have often thought i should go over there but just haven't!! Thanks for posting the pictures..I'll stop in the next time! As far as the CL9000, I use to like they were one of the best lookin trucks on the road....never drove one, i liked how they look!!

highway star · Apr 14, 2012

Memory lane indeed. I drove an '85 CL, shiny 290, 10 speed, single axle, sleeper...

Before that truck, I was driving a day cab GMC Brigadier, 238 Detroit, on my run from Walled Lake, Mi. to Olive Branch, Ms. When they bought the Fords we felt really big time!

Moot · Apr 15, 2012

Doggie Daddy said:
I drove one of these CL9000's a few times when I worked for a moving company, very odd feeling to them.

The cab was mounted on air bags completely, and when you went into a curve at speed the inertia would cause the cab to tilt in the opposite way of the curve. A very unsettling feeling, but I did get used to it after awhile.

I occasionally ran down the road with a guy from another company who drove a double bunk CL with an air ride cab. He reported a similar experience, but he used the word seasick when describing the ride.