Available » Term-O-Bile

Reflecting the increased focus on the development of specialized vehicles, Available Truck Co. in 1954 introduced the cab-beside-engine "Term-O-Bile," developed for the Jewel Tea Company as flexible and economical unit for handling trailer spotting at its Chicago warehouse. Powered by an 87 HP 320-ci Waukesha gas engine, the 72-inch wheelbase vehicles featured a hydraulic lifting fifth wheel that made it possible to hitch and unhitch trailers with a simple air control within reach of the driver. The 44-inch cab, mounted completely to the left of the chassis, provided virtually 360-degree visibility. It also had the Fuller torque converter designed to eliminate most of the usual gear shifting. Available also offered a 32-inch wide version of the one-man cab-beside-engine configuration for a 50,000-pound G.V.W. mixer chassis.