1938 DIAMOND T TEXACO
TANKER RESTORATION Words and photos Sue Keys
In early 2018, Steve and Sue Keys took the opportunity to purchase an original 1938 Diamond T Texaco tanker from Peter and Yvonne Phillips in Atiamuri. Peter and Yvonne had imported the tanker back in 2013 after seeing it sitting at the Kiwi Shipping yard in LA. Sue takes up the story of their restoration. Steve has been an avid collector of gas station antiques and collectables for over 40 years. To combine this passion with a historic truck from the fuel industry was an opportunity of a lifetime for Steve. It quickly transpired how exceptionally rare the 1938 tanker is. To the best of our knowledge, it is the only known complete example of a Diamond T truck with a Heil tank. There is one other Diamond T streamlined truck being restored on a donor chassis in the USA with a Standard Steel Works tank. The three restored Dodge Airflows on display around the world all have Gar Wood tanks so we are thrilled that the unique styles
32 Beaded Wheels
of the Heil and Standard Steel Works streamlined tanks can also be studied and appreciated. Before Steve started on the nut and bolt restoration, we decided to document and share the progress on a dedicated website. As well as publishing photos and detailing each step of the project, I researched aspects of the build techniques in the ‘30s and the history of various companies involved in manufacturing the tanker. We published photos of the tanker on the internet and were contacted by two locals in Newberry County, South Carolina who recognised the truck. This led to us discovering that a Texaco
