Truckers - when did this Navajo blue scheme appear?

[Mark5]

I'm guessing 1970s, but anyone here have a more specific time frame?

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH28006

Thanks!

Mark

[Missaberoad]

Earliest dated photo I could find was 1974, there are many photos that I suspect are earlier but are undated.
Also considering Navajo was bought by ABF in 1978 and there exists lots of photos of this scheme, seems to support it being around pre 1974.

perhaps the Micro-scale decals instruction sheet has dates?

[Mark5]

Thanks - that narrows it down a bit. Maybe this scheme started as early as the 1960s ...

[bman]

The Microscale sheet 60-4 has late 60's-early 70's printed across the top of the envelope. The sheet includes Navajo, CF, Transcon, DOX (Dixie Ohio Express) and Republic.  Which makes sense as I remember seeing this logo from time to time as a kid in the late 60's. 

[nkalanaga]

If you want to do a LOT of digging, you can look here:

http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/

They have pictures of almost anything truck related, but no effective search, so you'll have to go through them by hand.  I've found quite a bit of useful information there, but it was a job.

[Mark5]

If you want to do a LOT of digging, you can look here:

http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/

They have pictures of almost anything truck related, but no effective search, so you'll have to go through them by hand.  I've found quite a bit of useful information there, but it was a job.

Yes, I have that site bookmarked, but most photos are undated and the search engine could use some improvement.

Mark

[nkalanaga]

If they haven't made big changes in the last few years, "the search engine could use some improvement" is an understatement!

It's been quite a while since I tried to use it, but when I last did, it was virtually useless. 

[Missaberoad]

Thanks - that narrows it down a bit. Maybe this scheme started as early as the 1960s ...

I suspect the very end of the 1960s is plausible but have no concrete evidence to support it...

but no effective search, so you'll have to go through them by hand. 

I've found the best way to search Hank's is to use google ("Your Search term" site:hankstruckpictures.com)

Far from perfect but for a quick search its much easier then going through all the individual collections.

https://www.google.ca/#q=navajo%20site%3Ahankstruckpictures.com

[nkalanaga]

Ryan:  I never thought of doing it that way.  Usually, when I use Google, it's to find a site in the first place, not to find something ON a site!

Even dating the tractors doesn't help, because, like locomotives, they last a long time after production ends.

[Blazeman]

In '72, while working for Preston in Syracuse, the complex my terminal was located in hosted Navajo as well. Trailers were there with that scheme then.