1925 Ford Model TT

1925 Ford Model TT

Type: Tow Truck

Nickname: “The T”

Color: Black cherry pearl with gold leaf lettering

Specifications: 4 Cylinder, 22 ½ hp, 8 speed transmission, mechanical brakes

Tow Unit: Weaver 2-Ton Hand Crank Crane

Biography: The 1925 Model TT King Cab was sold to a peninsula farmer by a Tacoma Ford dealer in 1925. The farmer, unable to adjust to the mechanical vehicle, parked it in the back of his barn and forgot about it. Over 40 years later his grandson found the truck while cleaning up the estate.

Several years later the truck was sold to Harmon Truck Rental of Tacoma. They in turn leased it to the McDonald’s Corporation. You might recall seeing the McDonald’s “gang” on the back of the Model TT with the Hamburgler behind the wheel. After several years of touring the country and several television commercials later, the truck was returned to Harmon Truck Rental. Kenneth Scroggins of Puget Sound Truck Sales purchased the truck at the end of McDonald’s lease. Occasionally driven over the course of a year, the truck was parked in storage for ten years. Department of Licensing records indicate the truck was licensed in 1969, 1970, 1973, and 1982 through 1984. (Records are not available prior to 1969) Airport Towing purchased the truck in September of 1997 and immediately began the “ground up” restoration.

The 2-Ton Weaver auto crane was sold to a repair shop in Texas during the late 1920’s. It is reported that the repair shop did not sell the unit until the early 1940’s. As it was an older unit, it was eventually sold to a wrecking yard. In the early 1970’s, a Lynnwood hulk hauler purchased a 1949 Chevrolet ¾-ton tow truck with this unit on the business end. The hulk hauler continued to operate the unit until Airport Towing purchased it in September 1997.

Restoration: Shortly after Mark Storer purchased the truck chassis and tow unit, he initiated the restoration process. The complete restoration of the Model TT chassis and Weaver tow unit as one apparatus commenced in August 1998 and remains the first and most original tow truck in the Storer Tow Truck Museum. The project was headed by lead driver Rocky Willis and was painted by Burien Auto Rebuild. Custom hand painted pin striping and gold leaf lettering were created by Dunn Auto Graphics.