It’s hard to know where to start when you are trying to describe a vehicle as remarkable as this 1948 Diamond T Model 509 car hauler. It’s the most ideal blend of originality and modern components I can imagine on such a machine, built by a master craftsman whose respect for the original design guided the entire project. The result is a machine that’s at once functional and beautiful, filled with wonderful little details that will delight you for years to come if you’re lucky enough to own this truck, yet one that still looks and feels like a vintage heavy hauler. Showing up at any even with this truck is an event and regardless of what you have on its back, it will be tough to not overshadow it with this stunning Diamond T.

I suppose you could call this a resto-mod, a conscientious blending of new hardware under vintage clothing, and at a glance it’s not so easy to see the modern stuff. The project began when the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum needed a vehicle to transport vehicles between the main museum in downtown Cleveland and their restoration and storage facility 30 miles to the south. Much of the museum is staffed by volunteers, one of them decided to create such a machine just for that purpose. He already had a 1948 Diamond T chassis and cab that was waiting to become something, so he spent the next twelve years building this spectacular machine. Obviously the museum’s need for a transport vehicle was filled during that time, so he was able to really dedicate his full attention to the project, and it was a cost-no-object proposition that used the very best of everything and with an artist’s eye for detail, the truck doesn’t have a single bad line, incorrect part, or shortcut anywhere on it. I have been playing with cars (an trucks) at all levels for four decades now and this is flat-out the most amazing machine I’ve ever seen. Hyperbole? Guess again.

The foundation is the original Diamond T frame, not a modern chassis that they just dropped a cab onto. No, that never works because the proportions get weird. See how those wheels tuck into the fenders just right? That’s because it’s the original Diamond T front axle with heavy-duty GM spindles, so the width was exactly right for the fenders. It was lengthened from its original 158-inch wheelbase to an even 200 inches to accommodate the Jerr-Dann rollback bed, but aside from those extra 42 inches of steel in the middle, that’s a Diamond T frame. The cab and front fenders are likewise original 1948 Diamond T, and if you’re not familiar with the Chicago-based truck maker, you should read up on them because it’s a fascinating story. Diamond Ts were extraordinarily high-quality machines that rightfully earned the nickname, “The Cadillac of trucks.” They were robustly built, yes, but they were also beautiful and well-finished. They commanded a premium price, too, and a business with Diamond Ts in its fleet was not-so-subtly advertising their success the same way a bank executive with a Cadillac would. There’s a reason why the most highly-sought vintage trucks have the ‘T’ emblem on their hoods and why six-figure sales of these trucks are growing increasingly common. The sucker is just flat-out gorgeous.

The post-war trucks were heavily remodeled and the barrel-shaped grille and elegant peaked fenders are arguably the most attractive of all Diamond T models. There’s a pre-war sensibility to it, but the proportions are exactly right and the cab may look chopped but that’s how it came from the factory. Nice, right? The hood is about a mile long and there’s plenty of ornate detailing throughout that certainly makes the Diamond T look expensive. The paint is show-quality, with black fenders and a wonderful fire engine red cab, which isn’t bright red, but a bold, bright burgundy that looks right and has a depth that’s equal to any high-end car in our showroom. That’s real gold leaf used throughout, a custom technique which gives it an ornate texture like you’ve never seen before. Then it was all painstakingly hand-pinstriped to seal it up and make it look sharp and crisp. It looks well-dressed without being over-done.

Then there are all the custom touches. The parking lights on the fenders are from a ’38 Buick, the headlight buckets are original but the polished stainless rings were custom made because of the halogen Tri-Bar headlights inside, which are a different diameter than the original sealed beams. The front bumper was custom made from stainless steel then polished to a mirror shine and fitted with a set of vintage Guide fog lamps filled with modern halogen guts. Those running lights on top of the cab are actually fender lights from Indian motorcycles. And those extraordinary mirror brackets with the custom Diamond T emblem in the middle were hand made just for this truck (and the outer mirrors extend for improved visibility). Those incredible side vents and Diamond T emblems are original, as are the hood ornament and grille trim, all of which were restored to show standards with fresh chrome that does nothing to diminish the details. The windshield still tilts open and yes, that’s a working windshield washer nozzle at the base—this guy didn’t forget anything! The stainless steel running boards were also fabricated and fitted with custom rubber treads and the exhaust stacks were built right in. The light bar on the back of the cab was also custom made from stainless, and includes a set of 1959 Cadillac taillight lenses up high, a pair of flood lights for loading in the dark, and a tiny griffin logo, the builder’s name and signature. Another Diamond T logo is framed on the back of the cab, and yes the flappers on the tops of the stacks really work—you’ll dig the big-rig feel of this, er, big rig.

The bed is a modern Jerr-Dan rollback that’s fully operational, but even that was heavily modified. It was a bit too wide to look proportional to the smaller 1940s cab, so the entire bed was narrowed and tapered to give it a more appropriate look, then topped with polished stainless steel diamond plate treads. The custom fairings around the front of the bed look great and protect the car on the back, and in a fit of cleverness, the builder realized that it would be difficult to tie down a car with the fairings in the way, so they pivot out of the way on neatly designed hinges. Yeah, I know—amazing! The sides of the bed are finished in aluminum, stainless, and teak, and that row of LEDs offers plenty of illumination at night (yep, they all work). Hanging underneath, you’ll see twin stainless steel gas tanks, so this truck has bladder-bursting range on the highway, and the passenger-side tank is split to also house the hydraulic reservoir for the bed. Those wooden drums are not gas tanks, but rather storage bins that have internal lighting that comes on when you open them up. Are you getting the picture yet?

At the rear, you’ll find all the controls for the roll-back and it remains 100% functional as a wrecker. It’ll tilt and there’s a winch for pulling crippled cars onto the bed, as well as a retractable “stinger” for stabilizing the truck during loading. It also has a pair of “spoons” for grabbing the tires of another vehicle and towing it behind (check out the video to see some of the amazing things this truck can do!). Two custom compartments hidden behind the license plate areas hold chains and other tie-down hardware. The mudflaps were custom-built just for this truck as well and include more polished stainless. There’s just nothing that was overlooked during the build.

The interior is equally thoughtful and carefully built. It’s based around a pair of power leather bucket seats taken from a late-model Volvo and yes, the power adjustments still work. There was some debate about putting fresh leather on them, but since the original intention was to put the truck to work, they decided that OEM leather would wear better than some buttery-soft custom stuff. The chairs are quite comfortable and there’s good space for two in the cozy cab. Sisal carpets are a cool change from the usual stuff, durable and easy to maintain but stylish and unique at the same time. There’s also a proper headliner overhead, plus a small storage cubby above the windshield and a dome lamp with map lights just above the rear window. That steering wheel is from a 1950 Pontiac, then custom machined to accept the Diamond T horn button, and the whole assembly was mounted on a polished tilt steering column that almost looks like it was born there. The instrument panel is a custom piece of engine-turned aluminum filled with an array of gauges that monitor everything from speed to exhaust temperature to gearbox oil temperature (it was designed to work, remember?). The original Diamond T speedometer works with the modern hardware underneath and the modern gauges have an old-school look that seems appropriate. The clock is from a 1965 Cadillac and even that was custom machined down to size, fitted with a custom stainless bezel that matches the other gauges, and a hand-made lens (and yes, it ticks away reliably!). The row of switches to the left of the steering column manages all the lighting and the wipers, which are two-speed with automatic parking feature—a trick that required an electrical engineer to figure out. The custom vents for the ice cold A/C are from a vintage RV of some sort and the defroster vent was custom whittled out of aluminum. You’ll note indicator lights for high beam, turn signals, and the E-brake, which doubles as the indicator for the PTO that drives the hydraulic pump for the bed. The two shifter levers manage a Mack 10-speed (we’ll talk about that more in a moment) and there’s a hand brake lever that everyone should recognize. You’ll have no problem getting comfortable for long hauls behind the wheel of this Diamond T.

Now, the big thing is the mechanicals, which are entirely new. The engine is a Cummins 5.9 liter turbo diesel, you know, the same one that makes 650 pounds of torque in the Dodge Ram. It’s fully rebuilt including new pistons, camshaft, oil pump, valves, and a reground crank, all with only a few hundred miles on it. The injection pump was likewise rebuilt, the turbo is new, and all the lines have been plated and polished to look sharp under the hood. All the original engine management software is still in place, so it starts and runs like a factory-built piece, and it’s probably the most reliable machine on the face of the earth—if there’s fuel and air, it’s running. The “KILL” knob under the dashboard shuts off the fuel to shut down the engine, and it springs to life with the turn of the key (just make sure the KILL knob is pushed in). Plenty of stainless hardware makes it look detailed, and we like the fully functional look of the big diesel powerplant. It’s functional but not over-done. There’s a giant radiator up front with a pair of pusher fans up front, but those are more for the A/C than the engine, which runs at 180 degrees under all conditions. The original horn still honks and the glass bottle on the firewall supplies washer fluid (don’t use it, it makes a mess).

The aforementioned 10-speed transmission is a Mack Duplex twin shifter 5-speed with high and low ranges and seven evenly split speeds. Essentially, it’s a 5-speed with a two-speed transfer case and an ultra-low first gear. In normal use, even with a modest load on its back, you’ll only need high range and we just skip first gear when it’s unloaded. It’s synchronized, so you won’t have any problems mastering it, and we’ll walk you through the whole thing if you need assistance. Better still, the builder has indicated that he would be willing to install an Allison automatic transmission if that’s something you would prefer (it won’t be cheap, but if you need an automatic…). As I mentioned, the chassis is based on the original Diamond T frame which retains the original front axle that’s been fitted with GM spindles, kingpins, and giant disc brakes. The rotors, calipers, bearings, and seals are, of course, brand new. Out back there’s a Ford F450 Super Duty rear axle with 4.88 gears inside and it, too, was fully rebuilt with new bearings, seals, rotors, and calipers (yep, this big guy has 4-wheel disc brakes). Power assist comes from a GM Hydro-Boost system that feels natural and powers the GM power steering box up front, making this brute insanely easy to maneuver. It’s fitted with tube shocks all around to help smooth out the ride, which is pretty good given the heavy-duty suspension. The bed is rated for 8000 pounds with a 16,000-pound rated tow rope on the winch, so it’ll carry just about anything you can imagine without too much trouble. New Alcoa aluminum wheels measure 19.5 inches in diameter and wear six brand new 8R19.5 Bridgestone radials, not some off-brand junk like you see on most big trucks today.

We’ve never seen anything like this truck before. It’s the result of an incredibly talented guy just doing something he loves and getting a little carried away. He loves the building aspect more than the owning and driving aspect of it, so it’s available at what is likely a fraction of the cost of construction (he didn’t keep track, but I bet if you asked a major hot rod shop to duplicate this truck, they’d hand you a bill for a half-million dollars when it was done). Better still, it’s full sorted, totally reliable, and ready to work or play. As the builder said to us, “This isn’t a one-and-done kind of thing. It was built to work and it works the first time, the tenth time, and the hundredth time.”

Imagine, if you will, putting your favorite car on the back of this truck and rolling to the next big show. It probably doesn’t matter who else is there or what they brought, because the man driving this Diamond T will well and truly be The Man. By itself, it’s stunning. With something equally amazing on its back, it’s the most incredible thing on four wheels that you’ve ever seen. Call today and I’ll be happy to tell you all about it. Like I said, I’ve been doing this for a long, long time, and I’ve never seen anything else that can compare. It’s the real deal.