Hi. Joe us truck drivers that are fans of your channel know exactly what this trailer is. It's a Great Dane dry van 40ft or 45ft spring ride smooth side trailer with spoke wheels. A Great Dane trailer have the red circle just like the Dorsey emblem. I'm a 🇺🇸 U.S. truck driver of 23yrs and I'm about 90% sure its a Great Dane. Plus I'm a super fan of Goliath and the Flag semi. If I was building a replica Goliath truck it would be a Great Dane Trailer.
@@mintyman1968Why not? I also thought it would be a Great Dane trailer as a lot of detail like the doors hinges are matching. And the holes at the front would be from the Great Dane Nose Badge Logo .
I thought it was a Great Dane because of the emblem holes and bumper light housing are very similar. But I'm 1000% it's a spring ride and a smooth side wall for sure. That I do know and you can see on the still pictures.
If the tractor for goliath does still exist, I think it would be a nice touch to maybe get the son to come visit it. Just as a little trip down memory lane and as a reminder of his dad. Even if he doesn't want to be on camera, I'm sure he would love the opportunity to meet his dads truck again.
This is an older Great Dane trailer, from back when they ran the wiring externally on the front wall. The rear frame and door hinges reinforce that evaluation. Spring ride suspension with sliding tandems. As well as spoke hubs for the wheels, maybe Daytons. I would guess it’s 45’ long, as anything longer than that wasn’t allowed due to length laws in that era.
If I were to guess, I would say mid-late 70s. Just pull up a picture of a 78 or 79 Great Dane dry van, and find a rear picture, compare it to this and it the exact same other than the added modifications to this one (bump stops, mudflaps, etc.)
@@BRED510The 731TL-45 from 1978 looks similar too, has even the right doors but not the cutout in the front for the connections to the semi. Found also a 731T-45 from 1979 with the angled corners at the front wall instead of the round ones. But it has different doors with just 4 hinges at each side. Seems there had been a variation of 4 or 5 hinges at each door and one or two locking mechanisms that could be ordered at this time. But the rest of the back is identical to Goliath's back.
The "holes in the rails" are for the locking pins, to allow for shifting the trailer tandem axles on any trailer. This is for weight dispersion when loading trailers to meet bridge weight laws.
9:49 that holed frame is the rails the suspension is attached to underneath. The holes are the locking pin holes for the sliding suspension. Almost all van trailers have it up to today unless ordered without if that's even possible.
15:30, the side picture shows the trailer's landing gear, dollies whatever you want to call them. That will be a big help in IDing the type. I make truck models and it seems that each manufacturer has their own shape for the landing gear frames. Along with the door hinges, they are also quite unique for who made the trailers. Tim Alborn knows his Peterbilts, knew him from the Model truck discussion group back in the yahoo group days. Look his name up and see all the models he made.
@@mintyman1968His models are second to none as the saying goes. I should say hi to him again. Once the model group went to FB I didn't go along since I don't have FB.
It's looking to me like it's a Great Dane. They also had an emblem on the front at the top just like Dorsey. Another clue to me that it's a Great Dane is the taillight bezels. If I'm not mistaken, all Great dane box trailers of that era came standard with that type of bezel. Another point is the front corners are squared off instead of rounded just like the Kentucky trailers of that era. When I was a kid back in the late 70's and early eighties the taillight bezels were the only way I could tell a Kentucky trailer from the Great Dane trailer. Even the rivet pattern between the Kentucky and the Great Dane was very close. That was basically the only visual difference between the two brands outside of their logos. The Kentucky logo was rectangle unlike the oval logo on the Great Dane or the Dorsey.
My late father used to work for Budd Company. They made trailers. I learned about those adjustable wheelbases from him. I'll have to do a little homework, but there's another manufacturer you could look into. Great homework and info. The best part about investigating stuff like this is the great stories behind it. I'll bet that must've hurt when the owl hit that truck. It probably yelled, OWL! 😁🤣
I am a cdl class a trucker in Louisiana. I grew up loving semi trucks. I study the history of semi trucks. The most common trailers used in that era were dorsey, freuhauf, and heil, though the last two were more commonly identified with tankers.
I'm sure no one will read this. But you keep calling the lights on top of the trailer marker light. They are called clearance light. Marker lights are on the bottom of the trailer. The holes on the underside of the trailer are so you can move the tandem tires to move the weight around to make it legal. Lastly they modified the DOT bumper it is not a step.
Great video! Never would have thought I'd get the chance to see what the tractor looked like before it became Goliath. This is the sort of information that is usually lost to history given how much time has passed since Universal got the tractor. A lot of people who were around and witnessed the transaction first hand are sadly no longer with us. Time continues to tick which means the window to uncover what happened to the Goliath tractor/trailer is getting closer to closing. I'd like to think Joe knows more than he is revealing lol. In a perfect world he has already tracked down the Goliath tractor and is in the process of confirming it. Probably wishful thinking however it would be awesome if a Goliath recovery reveal video is in the works!
Knight Rider is my favorite show of ALL TIME. I know the script like you know the behind the scenes stuff. I appreciate you and thank you for the time you put in to inform us,thank you.
sounds like your getting closer to goliath, hopefully some day soon!!!!! But I also noticed while you were talking about it, that some front fenders on the Semi have been painted, hopefully another update soon. Thank you guys for sharing this with us
I'm a little late to the party, I know. I haven't read through all of the comments so I'm not sure if this was already mentioned, but at 14:44 you are about to talk about what looks like a knob attached to the altered trailer bumper frame work. I think that is an add on or aftermarket replacement license plate light. If you look closely in your zoomed in still frame a few seconds later, there are what look like 2 holes that are almost perfectly spaced beneath the item in question. One hole to either side, about 2-3 inches straight down from the protruding item and what looks like 4 inches out to either side of that point (draw an upside down T). There was a similar light and accompanying holes on an old military truck that i purchased from a local Road Dept. I'm guessing that the Goliath Trailer came from a rental agency just like the flag truck and trailer. The install of a license plate and light would make it easier for the rental company to pick up or drop off the trailer at night if need be. Also a possibility is the production company could have used the trailer to transport filming and production equipment around to the different fiming locations, so legal registrations would have most certainly been needed by insurance purposes for over the road activities on public highways. Just a nickles worth of thought from a short haul driver.
@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial OK that's very interesting I wanna see that hopefully you'll be able to find him and his trailer. I wish you guys all the luck. Wait a minute why would you drive him off a cliff then you'll have to go through all that work fixing him up again!! 😆 🤣 😂
From my time as a receiver at a grocery store, I've seen that plate cover alot. That trailer was originally from a tandum set, in the early 80's it was discovered that many of them had subpar frame material and that plate (with license plate light / holder) was welded in when the second trailer hookups was removed. The adjustable axle rails were used to strengthen the frame elevating the problem, but made it impossible to have the hitch for the second trailer.
Usually the double door locks are for refrigerator trailers for a better seal it would make sense to use a refrigerator trailer for the crane because they already have a metal frame to hang the refer unit on This trailer looks like it could be a old Great Dane trailer. it also looks like it has a sliding tandem set
@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial The music during the end credits of your current videos with William Daniels is the best yet. Please don’t change it. It’s Great!!!
From my point of View it’s a miracle even to find what you did. So many years so many shows, tv series thousands of cars trucks, one would imagine that not only cars will be scrapped but also memories.
To me without a doubt it's 70's to probably early 80's Great Dane. Center air line/electric connection, conduit for front lights and rear taillight section is identical to several '70-'77 trailers i've found. Also found an '80 that's almost identical. When I seen the taillights in the first picture I knew it was a Great Dane.
You’ve put so many pieces together! I have a feeling it won’t be long now before you take another long trip to verify a claim. The comments are giving me goosebumps! Goliath is out there!
It looks like a near bog standard hd (heavy duty-gets extra wall studs, floor joists, door hinges, double latch doors) trailer. On front, the right recession would be the paperwork box you recognized. Likely the vin sticker got painted over, as every one i know of has a sticker or plate somewhere on the lower front face. The double latch rear doors are to keep heavier shifting cargo from blowing the rear doors open. The rear filler plate, and 'knob' (plate light) (has holes for the top of the license plate if you look closely) was a common modification. The holed frame under the back of the trailer, is the sliding tandem frame, pretty much all straight frame trailers 40+ feet long have it. The profile of the rear bumper-light protection reminds me strongly of the ones still on brand new great dane trailers. One of the semi-distinguishing features, is the protection frame that not all trailers get, that the higes pivot on, and surrounded the back doors. In the lower front shot it almost looks like a painted over vin plate above the paperwork box in the recession.... The lower rail reinforcement strip under the side rails reminds me of the reinforcement for being lifted by a crane, like to be placed on a flat train car.
8:47 and 8:40 the air and power are in two different locations. Far left in 8:47 and recessed in the middle in 8:40 possible two different trailer used.
GOLIATH is a really cool rig. In "Mouth of The Snake", what kind of "Blue" was the truck painted in that episode? Light or Sky Blue? And what Blue was the darker stripe? If you don't know, I'll understand. Please and Thank you.
One of your best episodes. Joe, thank you so much for so many informations. Oh, I really really hope so that Goliath can be found some day. Keep searching. Keep investigsting. Don't give up. One Historian can make a difference. 😄
The rail with holes under the rear of the trailer is the track for the sliding rear axle . It allows the driver to redistribute the weight from one axle to the other. Some trucks have a sliding 5th wheel too
It would make sense that the original bumper was still intact since the contract said the truck could be returned in the same condition. I figured they'd just take it off. I wonder if that cab guard was separate from the cab so it could still be tilted or removed for servicing.
You were very fortunate to get Tim Ahlborn’s analysis, as he’s one of the foremost truck (and particularly Peterbilt) experts in the world. He’s a master model maker, whose miniature models have been displayed at several Peterbilt factory events, truck shows, and model shows around the country. AMT/ Round2 models use him as a consultant on many of their truck kits, and have even honored him with his name used as fictional company names on their decal sheets. Take anything he says about trucks as gospel.
Its a great Dane trailer like others have suggested because i too said that great Dane is very similar to the dorsey. The "knob" is a license plate lamp if you look down just left and right of it and you'll see the holes for mounting a registration plate. The angel iron at the adjustable axle is a lift point for a tow truck to sling the trailer for lifting so that it doesn't crush like a tin can because the angel iron spreads the weight out on the trailer.
Noticed in the picture of the truck before being changed into Goliath, that it seems to be parked next to the tractor used in Smokey And the Bandit. The trailer also seems to be the same as the one used in the movie, but before it had the stagecoach scene put on it. Small world.
the lock bolts on the trailer were probably removed to make a quicker access possible for the scenes of the filming. on a regular setup the set of 4 locks will give structural stability to the back door plane and maybe also some extra security (thus avoiding unintended self-opening).
I was doing research. Some of the dorsey dry vans had the serial plate just off to the left of that indent, but based on how popular great dane is and many of the key details like the rear light and hardware protector just looks like every old great dane dry van ive ever pulled more so then any other brand. Even newer great danes have that same exact rear protector. And as many said they also have a big oval badge on the top of the nose on the trailers of that time.
Imagine,.... someone would build a Replica Goliath.... including the Roar Sounds that the Truck makes.... AND think about the Replica (Or the Original restored) would drive down the Road with that Roar...
The “knob” looking thing on the rear panel attached to the ICC bar is a license plate light. You can see the mounting holes for the plate below it. The trailer had to be legally plated while in route to and from filming locations, so it had to have the D.O.T. mandated plate light, as well.
Great video, very interesting. I don't know if it will help, but on the stills of the trailer, there appears to be the 'ghost' of a triangular emblem on both mudflaps.
Google 1976 Great Dane 42ft Van Trailer. The first image to come up is very similar to what you're looking at. Also, it may be up to whichever carrier to use recessed document boxes and connections, as those are still options. Much like Dorsey, they too use an Oval shaped logo, which may have been attached by two screws or rivets.
Hi Joe great video as always. One thing got me wondering, you mentioned the owl damage but what about the damage to Goliath’s front end situated 4x grills down from the passenger front windshield just above the passenger headlights??? Approx (Time code) 36:20 But Nothing showing that damage to the original truck pic ( TC ) 36:08 Any thoughts on how that got damaged or any info from the owners if there was damage to the truck before they sold it. Opposite side to the owl incident
The rear door frame, especially around the taillight area and bumper, looks like a Great Dane to me. Also, the dolly legs make me think it was a GD. But the nose doesn't really look like a Dane. But with the glad hands and registration boxes being recessed and those reinforcement pieces along the bottom of the sides makes me think it was originally built for a railroad to be used in piggyback service. Having 4 door latches was common on them. Not sure if Great Dane built any for railroads. Road System, Monon, Strick and Theurer were used for that.
possible thing to keep in mind... the 4 bolts on the front of the trailer could of been welded up and painted by now but the 4th bolt is right on the panel joint so if any of those holes still remain then that one would have the most chance of still being there / showing evidence of being there.
This is a great video on Goliath! Im so excited. I hope the vehicle still exists somewhere. As for the trailer. Im familiar with trailer designs and manufacturers of that time. Im convinced this is either a Dorsey model or possibly Great Dane .There were several manufacturers back in the day such as Great Dane, Fruehauf Strick, Hobbs, Utility, Brown and of course Dorsey. This trailer is definitely not a Fruehauf, Hobbs or Strick model. I feel this is either Great Dane or a Dorsey model. Their vans used the mudflaps mounted at the back of the trailer regardless of where the tandem wheels were set. Strick also had a similar design but theirs had exterior rails. Not smooth sides such ad Goliath. So I think the breakdown would very likely narrow it to either Dorsey or Great Dane as the manufacturers. Dorsey and Great Dane dry vans which is what the Goliath trailer is were the more boxey looking corners compared to Hobbs or Fruehauf which had more curvy corners. Some Hollywood examples of these trailers.can be seen in BJ and the Bear which used Brown and Fruehaufs in various scenes. Smokey and the Bandit I used a Hobbs model. Also something to consider the landing gear design. This may break it down even further. It looks once again a Great Dane or Dorsey design. .
Back when you were looking for the Semi Trailer you mentioned there were two possible trailers . Would Goliath’s trailer would have been the second one ?
Was watching better call Saul this evening and notice what looks to be Goliath and trailer together. It’s in season two episode 8 “fifi” right at the start in the border crossing scene. We see a nice front and drivers side shot of the Peter-built and a side and rear shot of the trailer. I did a quick comparison on the trailer and it looks like a match as it has the same front end features and rear doors. Definitely Worth a look!
I know which tractor/trailer you mean. You see it at approximately 30 seconds into the episode. The trailer has 'Graphite Lines' written on it. It's a tough one as on the front of the trailer, you see the same recessed registration holder and air lines as on Goliath. But on the rear of the trailer, the hinges and bolt assembly are different. Hopefully we're getting closer...
google 1979 Strick 45 ft x 96 in T/A Van Trailer in Boise, Idaho and also Lot # 1370 - 1981 STRICK VAN TRAILER between these 2 we see a number of similarities: Angled corners, round 2 rivit emblem, recessed air line box set against lower rail, registration recess set in the very corner, double latches on the rear, frame holes behind axle (slider axle?)
I know you mentioned the blue tank in the photo where the tractor is backing up, but there’s another clue there. The underside of the cab appears to be white which supports the original paint color as well. Not sure if anyone pointed that out yet.
The truck itself looks like a 1976 352 that one has a rounded battery cover and the S handle. The trailer looks like a modified American circa 1980's they had the angled front corners and both those utility ports! Mystery solved on that one.
Throwing some thoughts out on the trailer. The knob at the back of the plate on the ICC bumper. That could be a license plate light. And the suspension is on a slider,the rear frame with notched holes allows the rear tandem to move back and forth to get weights right. And a other ideas. Look back on the old BJ and the Bear show,if you can. Unfortunately BJ didn't get the cleaned season DVD craze the every tv show got. I'm sure this trailer was probably used in BJ.or it could have been 2 trailers.
Hi. Joe us truck drivers that are fans of your channel know exactly what this trailer is. It's a Great Dane dry van 40ft or 45ft spring ride smooth side trailer with spoke wheels. A Great Dane trailer have the red circle just like the Dorsey emblem. I'm a 🇺🇸 U.S. truck driver of 23yrs and I'm about 90% sure its a Great Dane. Plus I'm a super fan of Goliath and the Flag semi. If I was building a replica Goliath truck it would be a Great Dane Trailer.
As Joe has already mentioned, the trailer was also used in Airwolf!!😎
@@mintyman1968Why not? I also thought it would be a Great Dane trailer as a lot of detail like the doors hinges are matching. And the holes at the front would be from the Great Dane Nose Badge Logo .
I thought it was a Great Dane because of the emblem holes and bumper light housing are very similar. But I'm 1000% it's a spring ride and a smooth side wall for sure. That I do know and you can see on the still pictures.
Yes he is correct 👏
I believe the trailer is an American. They have the angled front corners and the same electrical cavities.
Somewhere, in a mirror universe, Joe's evil twin is restoring Goliath, and looking for the FLAG semi. 😯
Haha, and never the two shall meet!
Or worse... AJ is the Evil Devon!!👍
@@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial 😆😆😆!
Worse, in said evil universe, Backup Hero in the Peterson has the yellow scanner....
(But no two tone.)
Okay another cool video joe. Looking forward to seeing and hearing more about this on Goliath .
If the tractor for goliath does still exist, I think it would be a nice touch to maybe get the son to come visit it. Just as a little trip down memory lane and as a reminder of his dad. Even if he doesn't want to be on camera, I'm sure he would love the opportunity to meet his dads truck again.
This is an older Great Dane trailer, from back when they ran the wiring externally on the front wall. The rear frame and door hinges reinforce that evaluation. Spring ride suspension with sliding tandems. As well as spoke hubs for the wheels, maybe Daytons. I would guess it’s 45’ long, as anything longer than that wasn’t allowed due to length laws in that era.
If I were to guess, I would say mid-late 70s. Just pull up a picture of a 78 or 79 Great Dane dry van, and find a rear picture, compare it to this and it the exact same other than the added modifications to this one (bump stops, mudflaps, etc.)
Googling this model of Great Dane trailer is almost identical: 1978 GREAT DANE 734T-45
Check the landing gear as it has wheels instead of pads. They stopped using those in the 70s.
I had a gut feeling it might be Great Dane, and I don't even know a lot about trailers.
@@BRED510The 731TL-45 from 1978 looks similar too, has even the right doors but not the cutout in the front for the connections to the semi.
Found also a 731T-45 from 1979 with the angled corners at the front wall instead of the round ones. But it has different doors with just 4 hinges at each side. Seems there had been a variation of 4 or 5 hinges at each door and one or two locking mechanisms that could be ordered at this time. But the rest of the back is identical to Goliath's back.
14:50 the odd knob on the back of the trailer looks like a license plate light. You will also see two holes that would be used to hold the plate.
Great catch! Did not notice the plate holes.
The "holes in the rails" are for the locking pins, to allow for shifting the trailer tandem axles on any trailer. This is for weight dispersion when loading trailers to meet bridge weight laws.
Daddy's Gone A Huntin' is one of my favorite Airwolf episodes lol. So cool to learn that it was Goliath's trailer that was used in it
9:49 that holed frame is the rails the suspension is attached to underneath. The holes are the locking pin holes for the sliding suspension. Almost all van trailers have it up to today unless ordered without if that's even possible.
Thanks for the info! The FLAG trailer doesn't have it, so it was foreign to us.
15:30, the side picture shows the trailer's landing gear, dollies whatever you want to call them. That will be a big help in IDing the type. I make truck models and it seems that each manufacturer has their own shape for the landing gear frames. Along with the door hinges, they are also quite unique for who made the trailers. Tim Alborn knows his Peterbilts, knew him from the Model truck discussion group back in the yahoo group days. Look his name up and see all the models he made.
Yes, Tim is a fantastic resource. He has been involved with Peterbilt for over 40 years. And he knows them like the back of his hand.
@@mintyman1968His models are second to none as the saying goes. I should say hi to him again. Once the model group went to FB I didn't go along since I don't have FB.
I LOVE these detail deep-dives! SO interesting!
Glad you like them!
One of the channels that the Holy Grail channels for old car and truck buffs like myself. God Bless gents and good huntin.
It's looking to me like it's a Great Dane. They also had an emblem on the front at the top just like Dorsey. Another clue to me that it's a Great Dane is the taillight bezels. If I'm not mistaken, all Great dane box trailers of that era came standard with that type of bezel. Another point is the front corners are squared off instead of rounded just like the Kentucky trailers of that era. When I was a kid back in the late 70's and early eighties the taillight bezels were the only way I could tell a Kentucky trailer from the Great Dane trailer. Even the rivet pattern between the Kentucky and the Great Dane was very close. That was basically the only visual difference between the two brands outside of their logos. The Kentucky logo was rectangle unlike the oval logo on the Great Dane or the Dorsey.
My late father used to work for Budd Company. They made trailers. I learned about those adjustable wheelbases from him. I'll have to do a little homework, but there's another manufacturer you could look into. Great homework and info. The best part about investigating stuff like this is the great stories behind it. I'll bet that must've hurt when the owl hit that truck. It probably yelled, OWL! 😁🤣
Hendrickson is the leading manufacturer of the sliding bogies under semitrailers.
I am a cdl class a trucker in Louisiana. I grew up loving semi trucks. I study the history of semi trucks. The most common trailers used in that era were dorsey, freuhauf, and heil, though the last two were more commonly identified with tankers.
I'm sure no one will read this. But you keep calling the lights on top of the trailer marker light. They are called clearance light. Marker lights are on the bottom of the trailer. The holes on the underside of the trailer are so you can move the tandem tires to move the weight around to make it legal. Lastly they modified the DOT bumper it is not a step.
Facts yo
Great video! Never would have thought I'd get the chance to see what the tractor looked like before it became Goliath. This is the sort of information that is usually lost to history given how much time has passed since Universal got the tractor. A lot of people who were around and witnessed the transaction first hand are sadly no longer with us. Time continues to tick which means the window to uncover what happened to the Goliath tractor/trailer is getting closer to closing. I'd like to think Joe knows more than he is revealing lol. In a perfect world he has already tracked down the Goliath tractor and is in the process of confirming it. Probably wishful thinking however it would be awesome if a Goliath recovery reveal video is in the works!
Wouldnt that be something!
Definitely a 70s era GreatDane we had several of them at the scrap yard I worked at.
Knight Rider is my favorite show of ALL TIME. I know the script like you know the behind the scenes stuff. I appreciate you and thank you for the time you put in to inform us,thank you.
I like that there is now some black, back on the semi tractor!
Very cool to see the pic before Goliath became Goliath :)
sounds like your getting closer to goliath, hopefully some day soon!!!!! But I also noticed while you were talking about it, that some front fenders on the Semi have been painted, hopefully another update soon. Thank you guys for sharing this with us
Hello Knights 👋 nice video 📹 and workmanship!!! Glad it's all coming together
I'm a little late to the party, I know. I haven't read through all of the comments so I'm not sure if this was already mentioned, but at 14:44 you are about to talk about what looks like a knob attached to the altered trailer bumper frame work. I think that is an add on or aftermarket replacement license plate light. If you look closely in your zoomed in still frame a few seconds later, there are what look like 2 holes that are almost perfectly spaced beneath the item in question. One hole to either side, about 2-3 inches straight down from the protruding item and what looks like 4 inches out to either side of that point (draw an upside down T). There was a similar light and accompanying holes on an old military truck that i purchased from a local Road Dept.
I'm guessing that the Goliath Trailer came from a rental agency just like the flag truck and trailer. The install of a license plate and light would make it easier for the rental company to pick up or drop off the trailer at night if need be.
Also a possibility is the production company could have used the trailer to transport filming and production equipment around to the different fiming locations, so legal registrations would have most certainly been needed by insurance purposes for over the road activities on public highways. Just a nickles worth of thought from a short haul driver.
Thank you thank you for sharing all the information I would really love for you to find Goliath watching from South Africa
Are the Knight Rider Historians interested in buying Goliath and his trailer?
I'm just curious.
What would you guys do with KITT's worst enemy?
Fully restore him, then recreate the scene where he goes over the cliff into the ocean, of course.
@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial OK that's very interesting I wanna see that hopefully you'll be able to find him and his trailer. I wish you guys all the luck.
Wait a minute why would you drive him off a cliff then you'll have to go through all that work fixing him up again!! 😆 🤣 😂
Just restore him. @@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial
I personally believe kitty's nemesis was the juggernaut
@@chattjedi What about KARR? You can't forget about him. And the word "ain't."
From my time as a receiver at a grocery store, I've seen that plate cover alot.
That trailer was originally from a tandum set, in the early 80's it was discovered that many of them had subpar frame material and that plate (with license plate light / holder) was welded in when the second trailer hookups was removed.
The adjustable axle rails were used to strengthen the frame elevating the problem, but made it impossible to have the hitch for the second trailer.
What a fantastic video. A great way to start the week! Thank you.
Usually the double door locks are for refrigerator trailers for a better seal it would make sense to use a refrigerator trailer for the crane because they already have a metal frame to hang the refer unit on This trailer looks like it could be a old Great Dane trailer. it also looks like it has a sliding tandem set
Late 70s Great Dane, we had one on the farm the give away is the air line connections ...
@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial The music during the end credits of your current videos with William Daniels is the best yet. Please don’t change it. It’s Great!!!
Thank you!
With this level of detective work, Goliath will be found soon enough!
Great work!
How likely is it that it's been scrapped? If it is a mid-1970s model, then that would make it nearly 50 years old by now.
Wow, what an amazing video about Goliath. I hope it can be found eventually. Thanks for sharing.
Haven't been on much since my move from ky to Florida. Hope all is going great.
Detective Joe is on the case!
The prospect of having The Semi, K.I.T.T. and Goliath all parked together reunited is very exciting 🤞🤞
It's an ex intermodal trailer. The recessed front boxed and lift reinforcements on the sides give it away.
From my point of View it’s a miracle even to find what you did. So many years so many shows, tv series thousands of cars trucks, one would imagine that not only cars will be scrapped but also memories.
To me without a doubt it's 70's to probably early 80's Great Dane. Center air line/electric connection, conduit for front lights and rear taillight section is identical to several '70-'77 trailers i've found. Also found an '80 that's almost identical. When I seen the taillights in the first picture I knew it was a Great Dane.
You’ve put so many pieces together! I have a feeling it won’t be long now before you take another long trip to verify a claim. The comments are giving me goosebumps! Goliath is out there!
Love the "Class Action" t-shirt! 😎
They are the top band of 1984!
Fantastic video Joe & AJ!! Love your content!!
Thanks so much!
Always a pleasure!!@@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial
The tandems are always so far forward on that Great Dane trailer. Really interesting.
It looks like a near bog standard hd (heavy duty-gets extra wall studs, floor joists, door hinges, double latch doors) trailer. On front, the right recession would be the paperwork box you recognized. Likely the vin sticker got painted over, as every one i know of has a sticker or plate somewhere on the lower front face. The double latch rear doors are to keep heavier shifting cargo from blowing the rear doors open. The rear filler plate, and 'knob' (plate light) (has holes for the top of the license plate if you look closely) was a common modification.
The holed frame under the back of the trailer, is the sliding tandem frame, pretty much all straight frame trailers 40+ feet long have it. The profile of the rear bumper-light protection reminds me strongly of the ones still on brand new great dane trailers. One of the semi-distinguishing features, is the protection frame that not all trailers get, that the higes pivot on, and surrounded the back doors. In the lower front shot it almost looks like a painted over vin plate above the paperwork box in the recession....
The lower rail reinforcement strip under the side rails reminds me of the reinforcement for being lifted by a crane, like to be placed on a flat train car.
8:47 and 8:40 the air and power are in two different locations. Far left in 8:47 and recessed in the middle in 8:40 possible two different trailer used.
39:58 look at the corner of the trailer you can see the name on it
GOLIATH is a really cool rig. In "Mouth of The Snake", what kind of "Blue" was the truck painted in that episode? Light or Sky Blue? And what Blue was the darker stripe? If you don't know, I'll understand. Please and Thank you.
One of your best episodes. Joe, thank you so much for so many informations. Oh, I really really hope so that Goliath can be found some day. Keep searching. Keep investigsting. Don't give up.
One Historian can make a difference. 😄
Your passion is amazing. Keep up the good work.
The rail with holes under the rear of the trailer is the track for the sliding rear axle . It allows the driver to redistribute the weight from one axle to the other. Some trucks have a sliding 5th wheel too
It would make sense that the original bumper was still intact since the contract said the truck could be returned in the same condition. I figured they'd just take it off. I wonder if that cab guard was separate from the cab so it could still be tilted or removed for servicing.
The Goliath trailer would make an interesting tender for KARR...lol
How cool to watch KR and see your truck done up like Goliath...
Looks like a Great Dane Trailer to me, I agree with a lot of people saying that it is, I really think that's what it is
You were very fortunate to get Tim Ahlborn’s analysis, as he’s one of the foremost truck (and particularly Peterbilt) experts in the world. He’s a master model maker, whose miniature models have been displayed at several Peterbilt factory events, truck shows, and model shows around the country. AMT/ Round2 models use him as a consultant on many of their truck kits, and have even honored him with his name used as fictional company names on their decal sheets. Take anything he says about trucks as gospel.
We have to find the original owl. It will have some stories to tell. Presumably. At least one, anyway. 😊
HA!
Is that a logo on the mudflaps off the trailer?
Its a great Dane trailer like others have suggested because i too said that great Dane is very similar to the dorsey. The "knob" is a license plate lamp if you look down just left and right of it and you'll see the holes for mounting a registration plate. The angel iron at the adjustable axle is a lift point for a tow truck to sling the trailer for lifting so that it doesn't crush like a tin can because the angel iron spreads the weight out on the trailer.
Noticed in the picture of the truck before being changed into Goliath, that it seems to be parked next to the tractor used in Smokey And the Bandit. The trailer also seems to be the same as the one used in the movie, but before it had the stagecoach scene put on it. Small world.
That's not the screen used Smokey truck, just a coincidence.
Could goliath have been used in smokey and the bandit 3?
"Goliathatized"....great hangman word 🤔😄
Working on getting it added to the Oxford Dictionary
@@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial 👍😄😄😄
The A frame behind the doors look like a brace so it could be driven with the door open as the doors are structural for a moving trailer.
the lock bolts on the trailer were probably removed to make a quicker access possible for the scenes of the filming.
on a regular setup the set of 4 locks will give structural stability to the back door plane and maybe also some extra security (thus avoiding unintended self-opening).
its very similar to 1979 Great Dane 731-T-45 dry van trailer. The corner angles match, bars around the tail lights and the rear door hinges
I think that knob on the back of the truck .is an aftermarket license plate light .
I was doing research. Some of the dorsey dry vans had the serial plate just off to the left of that indent, but based on how popular great dane is and many of the key details like the rear light and hardware protector just looks like every old great dane dry van ive ever pulled more so then any other brand. Even newer great danes have that same exact rear protector.
And as many said they also have a big oval badge on the top of the nose on the trailers of that time.
What an awesome video. 👍
Glad you liked it!
I love these deep dives.
That photo you showed of the Pre Goliath .
Was that the Smokey and the Bandit truck parked next to it ?
Imagine,.... someone would build a Replica Goliath.... including the Roar Sounds that the Truck makes.... AND think about the Replica (Or the Original restored) would drive down the Road with that Roar...
That was interesting. I genuinely hope you guys locate this vehicle. It obviously belongs with you! 😃
The “knob” looking thing on the rear panel attached to the ICC bar is a license plate light. You can see the mounting holes for the plate below it. The trailer had to be legally plated while in route to and from filming locations, so it had to have the D.O.T. mandated plate light, as well.
Great video, very interesting. I don't know if it will help, but on the stills of the trailer, there appears to be the 'ghost' of a triangular emblem on both mudflaps.
Look back at the video of Goliaths mud flaps,their is a diamond shape on them,it could be a diamond trailer.
Awesome info on Goliath plus the restoration efforts on tge flag semi are looking great
Great work guys
If memory serves me correctly, a very similar truck & trailer was in an episode of Scarecrow & Mrs King around the same time
Google 1976 Great Dane 42ft Van Trailer. The first image to come up is very similar to what you're looking at. Also, it may be up to whichever carrier to use recessed document boxes and connections, as those are still options. Much like Dorsey, they too use an Oval shaped logo, which may have been attached by two screws or rivets.
Awesome investigation! And...originally, Goliath looked pretty tame:-)
The frame that has the holes in it are for adjusting the tandems forward and back to get more under a load for going thru truck scales
Hi Joe great video as always.
One thing got me wondering, you mentioned the owl damage but what about the damage to Goliath’s front end situated 4x grills down from the passenger front windshield just above the passenger headlights??? Approx (Time code) 36:20
But Nothing showing that damage to the original truck pic
( TC ) 36:08
Any thoughts on how that got damaged or any info from the owners if there was damage to the truck before they sold it.
Opposite side to the owl incident
They didnt recall any other damage besides the owl.
1980 American 45’ dry van.
The rear door frame, especially around the taillight area and bumper, looks like a Great Dane to me. Also, the dolly legs make me think it was a GD. But the nose doesn't really look like a Dane. But with the glad hands and registration boxes being recessed and those reinforcement pieces along the bottom of the sides makes me think it was originally built for a railroad to be used in piggyback service. Having 4 door latches was common on them. Not sure if Great Dane built any for railroads. Road System, Monon, Strick and Theurer were used for that.
Are you going to post any more videos of the KITT model build?
Yes, very soon!
The holes on the frame are for adjustable rear axles they can be slide Forward or backwards for weight carrying
possible thing to keep in mind... the 4 bolts on the front of the trailer could of been welded up and painted by now but the 4th bolt is right on the panel joint so if any of those holes still remain then that one would have the most chance of still being there / showing evidence of being there.
This is a great video on Goliath! Im so excited. I hope the vehicle still exists somewhere. As for the trailer. Im familiar with trailer designs and manufacturers of that time. Im convinced this is either a Dorsey model or possibly Great Dane .There were several manufacturers back in the day such as Great Dane, Fruehauf Strick, Hobbs, Utility, Brown and of course Dorsey. This trailer is definitely not a Fruehauf, Hobbs or Strick model. I feel this is either Great Dane or a Dorsey model. Their vans used the mudflaps mounted at the back of the trailer regardless of where the tandem wheels were set. Strick also had a similar design but theirs had exterior rails. Not smooth sides such ad Goliath. So I think the breakdown would very likely narrow it to either Dorsey or Great Dane as the manufacturers. Dorsey and Great Dane dry vans which is what the Goliath trailer is were the more boxey looking corners compared to Hobbs or Fruehauf which had more curvy corners. Some Hollywood examples of these trailers.can be seen in BJ and the Bear which used Brown and Fruehaufs in various scenes. Smokey and the Bandit I used a Hobbs model. Also something to consider the landing gear design. This may break it down even further. It looks once again a Great Dane or Dorsey design. .
On the towing scene, rhe second set of door locks are gone as well.
Tim Alhborn is 'the' Peterbilt expert. Not sure but trying to reference some pictures with the truck from Universal Soldier...maybe same truck.
Yup, Tim absolutely is. He builds great models, too!
Back when you were looking for the Semi Trailer you mentioned there were two possible trailers .
Would Goliath’s trailer would have been the second one ?
Oddly enough, that did cross my mind, but no, that other trailer was a drop van like the FLAG semi. Goliath isnt.
Was watching better call Saul this evening and notice what looks to be Goliath and trailer together. It’s in season two episode 8 “fifi” right at the start in the border crossing scene. We see a nice front and drivers side shot of the Peter-built and a side and rear shot of the trailer. I did a quick comparison on the trailer and it looks like a match as it has the same front end features and rear doors. Definitely Worth a look!
Can you send us a screenshot to knightriderhistorians@gmail.com? Thanks!
I know which tractor/trailer you mean. You see it at approximately 30 seconds into the episode. The trailer has 'Graphite Lines' written on it. It's a tough one as on the front of the trailer, you see the same recessed registration holder and air lines as on Goliath. But on the rear of the trailer, the hinges and bolt assembly are different. Hopefully we're getting closer...
Did they mention how Goliath was set up mechanically?, I'm guessing it had a Detroit with a 13sp Road Ranger transmission
The holes in the trailer frame are for sliding the axles for different loads and weight balance.
google 1979 Strick 45 ft x 96 in T/A Van Trailer in Boise, Idaho and also Lot # 1370 - 1981 STRICK VAN TRAILER
between these 2 we see a number of similarities: Angled corners, round 2 rivit emblem, recessed air line box set against lower rail, registration recess set in the very corner, double latches on the rear, frame holes behind axle (slider axle?)
The knob on the backplate they welded on might be to stabilize the stairs... I'm not quite sure. But it's something...
I know you mentioned the blue tank in the photo where the tractor is backing up, but there’s another clue there. The underside of the cab appears to be white which supports the original paint color as well. Not sure if anyone pointed that out yet.
Nice catch!!
I would guess Great Dane, there would have been a dog in the same place as the Dorsey logo, thus the 2 holes
The truck itself looks like a 1976 352 that one has a rounded battery cover and the S handle. The trailer looks like a modified American circa 1980's they had the angled front corners and both those utility ports! Mystery solved on that one.
the welded on steel reinforcement on the bottom of the trailer at 9:48, does not appear to be there at 16:44 on the Airwolf set
the last time i watched videos on this channel was a year ago but im back
Happy to have you back!
It looks to be a later model Great Dan trailer !!! 2 holes on front is about the length between great Dan logo that bolts on the front !!!
That trailer could be a Trailmobile trailer.
Throwing some thoughts out on the trailer. The knob at the back of the plate on the ICC bumper. That could be a license plate light. And the suspension is on a slider,the rear frame with notched holes allows the rear tandem to move back and forth to get weights right. And a other ideas. Look back on the old BJ and the Bear show,if you can. Unfortunately BJ didn't get the cleaned season DVD craze the every tv show got. I'm sure this trailer was probably used in BJ.or it could have been 2 trailers.