09/07/2026
This week's mystery dash belonged to a 1953 Ford C-600 COE, the same model driven by Jonathan Winters in the comedy, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. The truck pictured belonged to the late Terry Klenske.
Ford's C-series launched in 1948 as part of the "Big Job" line. The cab-over design solved a real problem for operators: many states capped overall vehicle length, so moving the cab forward over the engine freed up room for a longer trailer or box within that limit. It made the C-series popular for city and regional delivery routes where space and maneuverability mattered most.
By 1953, the C-600 sat in Ford's medium-duty range, running an inline six-cylinder engine paired with a manual transmission built for stop-and-go route work. The raised, forward-mounted cab gave drivers better visibility, a real advantage in tight urban deliveries and dock work.
The COE format stuck around for decades, carrying through Ford's C, H, W, and L-series trucks before falling out of favor as length laws changed and crash standards tightened. Throughout the 1950s, trucks like this one were everyday workhorses on delivery routes. A truck like this wasn’t built to sit still. It worked—delivering goods, hauling equipment and serving businesses. For an ATHS member, what it carried and who drove it can be as compelling as the truck itself.
Congrats to everyone who guessed right! Join ATHS to keep the history rolling. Membership info at ATHS.org
