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Coca-Cola Vehicles
My grandfather owned and operated the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Pocatello, Idaho until 1970-ish.
I have fond childhood memories of visiting my grandparents and going to the plant with my brother
and Grandpa for a few hours. He'd set us up on these rickety high stools next to the bottling line and
we'd watch the bottles run by while sipping on a freshly bottled Coke. But Grandpa always put us far
away from the capping machine - every now and then it would go haywire and start smashing the
just-filled bottles. Glass and Coke flying everywhere and my Grandpa running to hit the emergency
off switch! Great times now long gone. And ever since, I've had a fondness for anything Coca-Cola
related. So it was natural to build a few Coca-Cola vehicle models.
My grandfather owned and operated the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Pocatello, Idaho until 1970-ish.
I have fond childhood memories of visiting my grandparents and going to the plant with my brother
and Grandpa for a few hours. He'd set us up on these rickety high stools next to the bottling line and
we'd watch the bottles run by while sipping on a freshly bottled Coke. But Grandpa always put us far
away from the capping machine - every now and then it would go haywire and start smashing the
just-filled bottles. Glass and Coke flying everywhere and my Grandpa running to hit the emergency
off switch! Great times now long gone. And ever since, I've had a fondness for anything Coca-Cola
related. So it was natural to build a few Coca-Cola vehicle models.
Below: Grandpa drove an old Chevy truck similar to this one for the few blocks between home and the bottling plant.
I remember it being very noisy, smelling like machine oil, rough riding, and always dirty - so that's how I modeled it
using powdered chalks. All I did to the out-of-box Busch model is add the Coca-Cola logo on the doors and tailgate.
I remember it being very noisy, smelling like machine oil, rough riding, and always dirty - so that's how I modeled it
using powdered chalks. All I did to the out-of-box Busch model is add the Coca-Cola logo on the doors and tailgate.
Above: This is Grandpa's bottling plant located at North Main and West Custer streets in Pocatello,
Idaho, sometime in the 1980's or 1990's after it was turned into a distribution warehouse. Aluminum
cans had killed the small-town bottling concept. But the red and white Chevy van parked outside was
the inspiration for my model, below. Starting from a Trident product, I repainted it and added decals.
Idaho, sometime in the 1980's or 1990's after it was turned into a distribution warehouse. Aluminum
cans had killed the small-town bottling concept. But the red and white Chevy van parked outside was
the inspiration for my model, below. Starting from a Trident product, I repainted it and added decals.
Above: This stakebed truck parked behind the Pocatello plant's warehouse was the inspiration for my model, below.
The cab is Trident, and the stakebed was shortened from an Athearn model (which also donated the vending machines).
The dually rear wheels are from a Busch vehicle. The door-mounted mirrors are a Plano Models etched metal product.
The cab is Trident, and the stakebed was shortened from an Athearn model (which also donated the vending machines).
The dually rear wheels are from a Busch vehicle. The door-mounted mirrors are a Plano Models etched metal product.
Below: This more modern-schemed van is just a white Trident product with Coca-Cola decals and license plates added.
Below: This roll-panel truck started as a plain red Boley product. I added decals and license plates.