It may be the last truck of its kind.
A restored 1921 Republic Model 10 pickup is the pride and joy of its owner John Somerville in New Zealand.
Talking Trucks host Bill Hohepa uploaded his interview with Somerville on YouTube. In it, Somerville explains that his grandfather bought the truck in 1938 for use on the family farm.
The truck was ridden hard for several decades and carried up to 80 bales of hay at a time. It’s been restored three times and roars to life fast with its hand crank starter.
From 1913 to 1929, the Republic Motor Truck Company produced commercial trucks in Alma, Michigan, according to the book “Down Twelve Decades: A Pictorial History of Alma, Michigan.” The company’s Liberty trucks were used by U.S. servicemen in World War I and helped the automaker to become, at least for a short time, the largest truck manufacturer in the world.
Have fun watching the video below, and forgive Hohepa for his cat-sized microphone! As distracting as it is, the audio turned out great.
Oh, and while the restoration is impressive enough, adding to the value of the truck’s workhorse history is the fact that it’s been in the family for 78 years. Does your family have any truck heirlooms? Let us know in the comments below.
