Lombard Motors Heavy Hydraulic

**TowZone** · January 28, 2022

Topic Originally Created by Da Wash Boss "In Memory of Danny Cassello"

Here is yet another beautiful classic Lombard Motors Unit. They had some really state of the art units back then and some really nice ones. Of course the current owner of Lombards has some really nice trucks today but there is nothing like vintage iron. Hope everyone is enjoying the photos.

jimmypinktruck said:

Wow, what a great looking Kw.

gmwrench33 said:

Nice. Is that a kemps are a 1701? Thanks for posting.

lylewrecker said:

Rule of thumb All 1701's and 1801's had gussets that came to a point on the side of the boom kemps were square. Kirbys to if i remember correct.

Da Wash Boss said:

he Lombard wrecker was a 1701 purchased new from Holmes. However a couple months later there was a problem with the winch gearbox. Holmes took the truck back did not have the parts available to repair it so they installed at no extra charge an 1801 gearbox and transmission assembly and pump. Back in the day when you had a real wrecker when you owned a Holmes they took care of you. They still have a great product today but you must be a select person to get the service that everyone got back in the day.

I am sure many can vouch that back in the day if you had 1 truck or 20 trucks you were treated the same. Today its not the same, very very sad.

Now as for this other unit I myself do not know which one it is but with the empty boom head hanging off the mast I am guessing it was converted. Also I have to question the body as most tandem wrecker bodies had a piece that came down between the tandems and this one does not.

Also, on this other one I am guessing by looking at the flat tailgate its an older 750 that was converted.

gmwrench33 said:

I am not sure either Danny. I took these pics about 3 or 4 years ago. I have been wounder which it was. I had notice the pointed boom but I don't think the 1701 would have the side winches.

Da Wash Boss said:

Looking at that body thats an old 750. The 17 or 1801 bodies never had tail lights like this one or a flat back and the control panels of the 17 and 1801s never looked like this one. The factory control panels were normally about 10 inches long and 4 inches up and down. I would bet thats a Kemp unit.

lylewrecker said:

The lower bed looks kemp's

SP8000 said:

I was thinking that this was a Kirby Grant based upon the ends of the sheave wheel guides at the end of the boom. Thet appear to have a small set of sheaves built into their ends for three or four parting the winch cables. Coming from the "Rust Belt", I wouldn't rely heavily on the body sides for identification. I have not seen many wrecker bodies "simplified" when they were re-skinned.

Jeff Leavitt
86 Towing
Gabriels, NY
518-891-6666

billsservice1 said:

we bought that truck from lombard

Jimmy

Da Wash Boss said:

Yes Jimmy Chuck told me you guys did. Where is the truck today do you know?

Owl Wrecker said:

There is no conversion there. That is a genuine Holmes 1701 mast and boom, although the cable guides are non-original and the boom head has been worked on. As far as the body goes, the 750's, 1625's, and 1701's can fit on a 750 body. It looks like someone updated their 750 with a 1701.

Is this truck for sale somewhere and do they have contact information?

gmwrench33 said:

No, I don't think it is for sale. Hare wrecker service in gadsden alabama. I think it has been in their family for years. It is mounted on a autocar.

billsservice1 said:

we got red of it in 2005 when i got my new 35 ton pete i was told it went down south some were

Jimmy

RFmotors said:

??? If it’s a 1701 why only two levels , the 1701 has 4 and did 1701 come with side winches?. The boom looks like a 1701 exempt for the shim plate that looks like kemp. Some one said the truck came from Mass could this be a Roseledge truck

Owl Wrecker said:

There's only two levers because it is most likely on a 750 body. Look closely on the drivers side of the bed towards the tailboard, you'll see a valve body with additional levers, they're kind of hard to see. Those side winches and sheaves were added on by somebody at a later date also, they didn't come from Holmes like that.

Da Wash Boss said:

This truck was purchased new by someone down south I think from Southern Wrecker Sales. Then Lombard Motors purchased it from Fruehauf Wrecker Sales in Wallingford, Connecticut. He then had a problem with the winches and it went back to Holmes under warranty and they had to replace the winch transmissions and boxes and they put Holmes 1801 parts in as they had no 1701 parts. Then later on he sold the truck to Bills Service in Stamford, Connecticut and at some point the truck was traded into G&S wrecker sales in Hatfield, Massachusetts. It was then sold to Acme Towing service where it remains today.

jimjim said:

the winches on the 1701 run super sub slow even with the throttle pulled out i have never had one stall on me truck has a 350 cummins with a 15 double over rears are 444 ratio frame rails are 3 layers totaling 1 inch thickness the kw has has been a real good truck for us.