GEVEKE is very known in Holland for its longtime (since 1926 !!!) Caterpillar-representation. In the early
seventies GEVEKE also imported US-truck-marques AUTOCAR-, OSHKOSH- and WHITE-chassis, needless to
say … Caterpillar-powered.
More to come soon on AUTOCAR, OSHKOSH and WHITE
First a bit of history…
Geveke was originally an engineering-company…searching and studying for the best/optimal solutations
in the field of construction, agriculture, material handling etc. with several branch-offices (even in the
far East, former Batavia) and assembly-workshops.
As said…it started with Caterpillar earth-moving-equipment and later also equipment from John Deere,
SLM, LinkBelt, Lorrain, Lewa and not so long ago in the early seventies Autocar, Oshkosh and White.
Here some pictures. Be patient…more on Autocar, Oshkosh and White is on its way
AUTOCAR:
I start this chapter-idea to prevent that all stuff will get mixed…
Who represented AUTOCAR before Geveke did is not really known, possibly
the (mother-company) White-importer "Albatros did, but till now no clue.
Autocar started in Holland early seventies…but in a market with quite
some participants in and for the heavy-haulage- as well as tipper-market
would make it not easy. Old school marques were present and some new
marques (formerly Praga by Praneda with also Tatra) did their best.
Well, Autocar had good cards in hand…as an assembly-company with the
best around the world to apply…think of Caterpillar, ■■■■■■■■ Detroit,
Eaton, Fuller, Rockwell, Hendrickson, Spicer and YOU name it.
Geveke, with Caterpillar as a strong marketing-instrument, had an extensive
network in the business of construction to proceed on with Autocar.
Chapterwise, I will include some Autocar-stuff.
Naturally some specifications on Autocar…mind Dutch is understandably simple though we speak it only 
Bear in mind (■■■■■■■ Distributor Belgium of Brussels had the same approach with ■■■■■■■ only) that Geveke
solely sold Caterpillar-engines…and some examples of Autocar (Frans van Dam’s red restored Autocar) had the
■■■■■■■ under the hood but were imported (ex-Gruwez-Bruges) from Belgium. Same with ex-Sogetra Autocars.
OSHKOSH:
Again chapterwise to prevent cross-references some information and pictures.
Oskosh was and is a long-established Wisconsin-based manufacturer of special/heavy
vehicles for a variety of customers, civil and army.
Quite frequently, also more recent, Oskosh tried to get a part of the continental pie
when it comes to government with garbage-trucks as well as to contractors with tippers,
concrete-mixers or other types of heavy equipment. Apparently some potential customers
were impressed by components like caterpillar (think of maintenance when your dragline
also had a Cat installed) and the knowledge of Geveke in general by means of understanding
their business as Geveke represented Caterpillar since 1926 !!!
Herewith some pictures and I hope to find any specifications of the various Oshkosh-chassis.
Again Diederen was also loyal to Geveke with next to Autocar also Oshkosh in their fleet.
The Oskosh four-axle tipper didn’t have a long life within Kwinten as by their experience the
three rear-axles hadn’t enough traction in rough circumstances…probably too rigid and/or the
torque on the relevant axles was not high enough. Unknown where it ended…P. Diederen■■?
WHITE:
Who represented the products of the White Motor Corporation between early sixties (after Albatros
of Messrs. Van Ramshorst in Amsterdam did since the mid-twenties) and the mid-seventies, is not
exactly known. Perhaps the Americans didn’t mind because of ‘enough’ trade in the US and/or at
least ■■■■■■■ Distributor Belgium in Brussels was on the continent.
As expected also White-chassis came with Caterpillar and (as with Autocar and Oshkosh) the
contracting-company of Diederen in Hoensbroek was again loyal to Geveke with White. Naturally
herewith pictures and technical specifications. Where the engine was not a Caterpillar it is likely
that it concerned import (from Belgium?) of the customer required another marque of engine.
In the Dutch-oldtimerscene two White WB28-PLTD from 1954-1955 frequently pop up but these
both ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ tractors are imported from Belgium. In total four of these tractors have
been operational at Esso Antwerpen and two of them were later sold to Peeters from Arendonk
and to Van Steenbergen from Arendonk. Also a White Road Boss 2 can be frequently seen in the
oldtimer-scene and does a great job as tipper in several construction-sites, mainly in Germany.
The wellknown trader Eddy Moermans from Geleen used it for promotional purposes. Somewhere
I must have a picture…hopefully I will find it somewhere.
White:
By coincidence quickly found!
The White Road Boss 2 (6x4) tipper but unknown what engine was under the hood.
Pictures were made in 2012 somewhere near the German-Dutch-border. I have no
specification-sheet from Geveke and I also expect this Road Boss didn’t had Holland
as origin nor a Caterpillar. I will search for the specification from CDB-Brussels.
To complete the story a bit also a picture from 1974-1975 from the White WC28-PLTD
(I made a mistake with stating WB28) when Zetra of Sittard (Holland) bought this chassis
from Van Steenbergen. I am awaiting some fresh news from the current owner Loetoning
from Stein/Geleen as they had this tractor in their possesion around 1995 for restoration.
OSHKOSH:
Documentation on Oshkosh is very rare when it comes to Geveke or any other continental origin.
I don’t recall Oshkosh being imported in Belgium where they now even have a assembly-company.
In Holland Oshkosh acquired Norbra-Geesink which company is wellknown for garbage-truck-chassis.
Here some pictures I found on the net, nice to have some illustrations towards photographs and
the often used photoshopped stuff.
The Geveke-Oshkosh was indeed a F-3 (8x6) Caterpillar-powered and with Oskosh Powermatic-
gearbox…I need to research on that.
WHITE:
Attached an advertisement from september 2007 in which Interwheels (René Postma from Ens and nowadays
enjoying his pension in the US) offered a LHD Road Commander2 from 1977 with ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ It was an
ex-UK-chassis, doing UK-Continent-UK, but White Truck Concessionaires Ltd from Coleshil in fact only sold
CAT-powered chassis. Perhaps the customer ordered the chassis without engine and did the job himself. It
was LHD but that was not exceptional. Apparently it was not easy to sell this chassis and after a paintjob in
black it was sold to Danmark…further no news nor appearance in public.
The Road Boss2 from Eddy Moermans (6x4 tipper) was ex-Switzerland and had also a ■■■■■■■ under the hood.
Later the day the picture was made the tipper got a 18tonnes load and up-hill front rear-axle broke, meaning
with help from a nearby bulldozer the chassis was pushed on a low-bed-trailer to go home. No news since then
and perhaps it got a new bogie or whatever.
The blue ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ Sieben Road Commander was also ex-Switzerland and unknown where it is now.
This RB is preserved in East of France.
@Michel: Well done, nice chassis! It had a ■■■■■■■ 290 and for now I can’t remember the French-importer
for White…something with LAURENT or so of Paris-region? Before LAURENT it was SOVI or ■■■■■■■ Distributor
France from Clichy.
Apparently the spare tyre can only be installed in this angle as also was the case with the Road Commander 1.
Take care in this strange season with covid-19
Oshkosh:
On-going to find some brochures and/or leaflets on Oshkosh but perhaps more people are interested
in the history and magnificient product of Oshkosh. There is a book by MotorBooks: 75 Years Oshkosh.
Not expensive and in 128 pages with numerous nice pictures you are informed about this company.
Attached a picture of the cover, I can recommend the book!
Some good info on Oshkosh. Thanks ERF-con. I recently stumbled upon some FA 1840 Oshkosh for sale in Truckpaper. Old 1996 chassis cabs that were previously equipped with drilling rigs. $15,500 each; so if someone would like something different as a hobby truck… here is your chance.
@Chris…nice response…any idea about the powertrain and if the POWERMATIC from Oshkosh was still there?
Well, to make life more easy…I guess Caterpillar or ■■■■■■■ was the powertrain and the rest is nice to discover
the following posts as is the case with quite some threads over here.
Take care, keep sound!
