I'd be all in with an Alka-Seltzer truck with Speedy in the signage
RCA Electronics, Eveready Batteries, Black & Decker, PIE and Campbell trucking, vintage M&M/Mars. You can always create a vintage look for Menards...
Mark,
Food fair, Panty Pride, A&P, Pathmark, Acme, Giant "All supermarkets!"
Sears Roebuck, strawbridge & Clothier, Wanamakers, pep boys, Horn and Hardant,
Dave
Btw, I worked for all the above except for one!
PS, some of them in HO would be great
Red Owl please.
An undecorated truck would be nice.
@Menards posted:Input needed:
I'm trying to come up with decorations/signage for another batch of 1956 box trucks that we are planning to produce and I am looking for suggestions. What are you guys looking for and what do you find attractive (color, branding, etc.). All help is welcomed!
Thank you,
Mark the Menards Train Guy
Painted but unbranded.
@david1 posted:Mark,
Food fair, Panty Pride, A&P, Pathmark, Acme, Giant "All supermarkets!"
Sears Roebuck, strawbridge & Clothier, Wanamakers, pep boys, Horn and Hardant,
Dave
Btw, I worked for all the above except for one!
PS, some of them in HO would be great
David is a guru of the Philly area. The city of brotherly love, as long as you do it their way. a member of the "straight outa Philly" string band! 
I vote for the Railway Express Agency. Perfect for the era of the truck.
Western Auto, Southern States Cooperative, Montgomery Ward, IGA Supermarkets, Westinghouse, May Company Department Stores. All these done with advertising schemes of the time.
Of course I also vote for painted but undecorated models, as there were many small companies which did not have signage on their fleet of 1 - 3 delivery trucks in the 1950's. Doing this would also allow purchasers to decorate the truck anyway they wish.
As for Menards' current 1956 truck, one scenario for those who model the 1980s and up .... this current truck can be used on your layouts as a rebuilt/repainted & customized 56 with a contemporary advertising scheme painted on it's box. Used in a contemporary setting, this truck catches the eye and reminds folks that Menards has been around for many years ... just sayin. This model is a great looking truck IMHO, but as one who models the 1950's, it's current livery ( and chrome applications ) does not fit into my scheme.
Sprecher Beer & Sodas ! to go with the Brewery from last year !
@cabinet Bob posted:Great looking truck Mark !
It sure does look nice!!! (Regardless of the model/decoration discrepancy).
It sorta looks like a 1950s truck, but what is the prototype? It has sort of a Ford Grill, but the cab does not look right for a ford. Is it a GM, or Chrylser, or something else.
@prrjim posted:It sorta looks like a 1950s truck, but what is the prototype? It has sort of a Ford Grill, but the cab does not look right for a ford. Is it a GM, or Chrylser, or something else.
The prototype would be a 1956 Ford COE (Cab Over Engine). A quick Google search thereof yields a lot of pictures that sure look like the prototype to me, or darned close to it.
@Menards posted:Input needed:
I'm trying to come up with decorations/signage for another batch of 1956 box trucks that we are planning to produce and I am looking for suggestions. What are you guys looking for and what do you find attractive (color, branding, etc.). All help is welcomed!
Thank you,
Mark the Menards Train Guy
I would suggest trucks that reflect Menard's existing universe of buildings. Like one painted up to match Wally's service station. Also, I have no idea how much it costs to acquire a license to paint something like the old Sears trailers on the PUP Trailers MTH just ran for Stockyard Express, but they are really neat - as seen in this thread. https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...h-old-sears-trailers
Old transportation stuff would always be a good call - Champion Spark Plugs, MoPar, etc.
As far as colors go, the color scheme is less important to me than having something that's just neat. Cripple Creek (or any other) Lumberyard would fit in with my theme. But you could just also brand it with some delivery company name and it would fit in on just about any layout.
OK, I looked up that ford COE and you are right. I just didn't remember seeing a cab like that when I was kid, but at my age that is u nderstandable.
Winn-Dixie, Kroger, Jolly Time, Western Auto, White Castle, Wimpy's.
Whatever you choose, the design for that brand should reflect the signage style of the 1950's.
I will second the vote very early on. 7Up, that will go nicely with the Pepsi plant as Pepsi owns 7Up OUTSIDE of the USA.
Nice truck. Too bad we can't get them here in California (fortunately, I'll be in another state when I retire in a few months).
As for decorations, REA is the first one that comes to mind, followed by the big railroads as most of the larger ones had some kind of trucking freight operation to go along with the rail operations.
Nice truck. I fourth the nomination for painted but unlettered. I would be interested in any paint scheme that was on the actual truck in the 1950’s.
Yeungling Lager! Yes!
Rod
