Tonka Toy Trucks


This truck was manufactured for Western Auto in 1963. Per Patrick O'Neil, "The original plan for the Western Auto was to use the 'Jet Delivery' platform; red truck/white roof and side panels; with the Western Auto logo being placed where the 'Jet Delivery' logo went on the production truck. This was presented to Western Auto, but they changed to the basic pickup design (cheaper retail)."

Value: A clean, original, unretouched, complete 1963 truck, excellent plus paint with few scratches and excellent plus decals, no carton, sold on eBay for $171 USD in early October 2007.

1963 Western Auto Pickup

Featured is a mint, unretouched truck with the original shipping carton. The Western Auto patch was
not included with the truck but makes for a nice display. From the Patrick O'Neil collection.


Value: A clean, original, unretouched, complete 1965 truck, excellent paint with some play-wear, excellent plus decals, no carton, sold on eBay for $64 USD in mid October 2007.

Value: An original, unretouched, complete 1965 truck, very good, some what dulled paint with typical play-wear, excellent decals, no carton, sold on eBay for $67 USD in early December 2007.

1965 Western Auto Pickup

Restored 1965 version of the Western Auto pickup. While the 1963 pickup has been well documented online and in DeSalle's reference book, the 1965 is never mentioned. In fact, my initial reaction when I saw a '65 on eBay for the first time in September 2007, was that it was a "custom made" truck. That truck is featrured below. There have been other 1965 Western Auto pickups at auction since. And to back up this variation, there's one featured in Western Auto's 1965 Christmas Gift catalog.

1965 Western Auto Pickup

Rough life in the snow belt. Smattering of rust
1965 Western Auto Pickup

Well oxidized grille and bumper

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