Here is another picture that was found on Flickr, courtesy of George Murphey... Anyone want to take a guess on what model it is?

It seems as if the all 100 and 200 series trucks for a given model year look almost identical, since the only major differences are in the drivetrain and engine, and you can't see those from the outside. The biggest exterior differences are usually the cab, fenders, front axle position, and hood length. This truck is like no Brockway I've ever saw, since it has the long hood and set-back axle like a 260, but it has the short fenders like a 146. The headlights are in an unusual spot, directly behind the grill guard. My guess is it is a larger 100 series truck, something in the 150s, since I seem to find pictures of other trucks in that model series that have similar features to this one, including the same style of fenders, setback axles, and longer hoods.

Tom, I'm hoping you have the answer because I agree this is a tough one! Swing out windshield and quarter windows, Makes me think late 40s but the way Brockway used different wood cabs has always puzzled me. Definitely small fenders and the headlights are not like anything I've seen (at least noticed) The side mirror says earlier as well. Can't be sure in this view but it looks like only two clearance lights atop cab. Then too, the battery box is not located on the step as it usually was and it looks like room for only one battery. It may be my imagination but the cowl looks a bit shorter than my 260 as well. Could it be a 260 with small fenders??

Emery

I think it's a 255W7

LMAO!!!

I think this truck is a model 154WHS. Steve

I believe Steve is correct... Take a look at the cut sheet over on Huskidrive...

http://www.huskidrive.com/files/fcs/doc ... _page1.pdf

I 'think' the only 100/200 series with the headlights mounted on the frame instead of on the fenders are 154WHS, 155W and 255W.

I am by no means an expert on BROCKWAY identification, I will leave that to you experts. However, I hope this additional picture of the same truck might help ---

That looks like the truck from the cut sheet. So a 154WHS it is.

That would be my guess, because the cut sheet says "154WHS"...........

Well, of course I knew that. I'm just saying that Steve suggested it was a 154WHS, Tom posted the cut sheet for the 154WHS, and since the truck in the picture looks like the truck on the cut sheet, then the obvious answer is it is 154WHS. But, what is the difference between the 154WH and the 154WHS? I think it's the 154WHS has a set-back axle, and the 154WH is set-forward.

To follow up on Tom's remarks, It seems that headlights began to be mounted low ( by the bumper) in the early fifties when Brockway began to build more set back front axles with restyled fenders. The 151,152,153 and 260 all had a set back axles, but with the odd " backwards" fender, there was still plenty of space to mount a headlight up high.
The "S" in WHS stands for set back axle, and if you're familiar with the 154TS, it has similar headlight mounts to this 154WHS, as well as a set back axle. The 154T on the other hand, had a set forward axle with fender mounted lights . The 154T and 154TS were otherwise identical. The 154TS was replaced in 1955 by the 155W model, which was practically the same truck apperance wise.

Steve

Then is the reason the 154WHS has the short fenders and not the backwards ones like the 260 and other set-back axle trucks some kind of mystery, or did Brockway just not build them that way at the time? I've seen other trucks built around the same time or slightly later with the backwards fenders, but the 154WHS has the short fenders with the headlights mounted up front.

What is the engineering purpose for set back axle?? Is it just weight distribution?? Required by a heavier engine or is it load related? I'm happy to finally see a little sense made of these factory designations on the earlier (Real) trucks.

Emery

Setting the axle back puts more weight on the steer axle, and gives the truck a shorter turning radius.

I think it has something to do with the bridge formula.

Putting more weight forward onto the front axle should take weight off the drive axle, or balance it out more. A lot of modern trucks have set-back axles.

"Then is the reason the 154WHS has the short fenders and not the backwards ones like the 260 and other set-back axle trucks some kind of mystery, or did Brockway just not build them that way at the time?"

The answer is yes, it is a mystery. It seems like anyone that might have known the answer is no longer with us. My best guess is that Brockway was making an effort to show something new in the styling department. If you look at the models from 1952 to 1956 especially, you'll notice some very subtle changes that were just for styling. A couple examples are the grill guard with half the number of vertical bars, or the hood sides with fewer louvers. These changes really served no mechanical purpose. The company was looking for a buyer, so big changes were out of the question . The Backwards fender was old stying even in 1950, so it makes sense to me that a new model would get a new fender design, as it was a fairly inexpensive " update" in styling.
Steve

Do you think the long hood with backwards fenders has anything to do with the 154WHS having the 513 overhead valve Continental motor? Is this one of the only 100 series trucks with the overhead valve Continentals?

Surely the long hood is required by the bigger Overhead valve engine and I'd suspect the 513 is the same block/casting as the 572 in the 260 and later years 603ci engine with just different sleeves/bore. It's definitely larger/longer than the flat head engines but the fenders are probably just a styling, or even cost consideration, even availability. But who knows? Like Tom says, no one is left to tell us.

Emery