Three classics from Ernest Holmes

**TowZone** · April 20, 2019

Unsure who the member was that posted this on Tow411 in December of 2008.

The attached photograph was probably published in 1939 or 1940. It shows what the Terminal Garage wrecker fleet looked like in those years. Although no longer in business, Terminal Garage was once the largest wrecker service in Knoxville, maybe the largest in east Tennessee.

My father began working for Terminal Garage in the mid-1930's as a wrecker driver. He was later promoted to manager of the company. Before they were married, my parents did much of their dating and courtship from the cabs of these three trucks. It was not unusual for my father to work many 24-hour shifts in those days. And he loved it. After World War II ended, Terminal Garage grew into one of the most sophisticated automotive service centers in the South. A customer could obtain anything necessary for a car or truck, even to

Spanky said:

NICE !, Got anymore stuff like this. If so, keep it coming.

Contributor said:

It may be possible to come up with one more picture of the Ford c.o.e. I'll scan it and try to upload it without the visual distortion you see in the current image.

It may interest you to know that Terminal Garage helped develop and bought the very first production model of
Holmes' 850 wrecker. My father worked as a consultant with the Holmes engineering staff as this wrecker went through its pre production tests. As a child of about 10, I spent a lot of weekends at the Holmes factory watching the testing and the final designing of that unit. Holmes equipment are still the most fascinating pieces of machinery
I've ever seen.

Ameritowruston said:

Yes I agree I would like to see more pictures of that COE. I am building on that exact yearmodel and would like to see it. I just love old wreckers. Makes you wonder where they are today.
Thanks
Brad