Boilermaker Special - Boilermaker Special III

Boilermaker Special III

In 1960, the Boilermaker Special III was introduced. It was built in Detroit by the General Motors Corporation on a 2-ton GMC school bus chassis. It was powered by a 6-cylinder gasoline engine connected to a two-speed manual transmission. A single rear axle with dual wheels and a manual-shift, two-speed differential rounded out the drive train.

The cab and tender were constructed of plywood with facings of sheet steel on each side. Forward of the cab, the body was heavy sheet steel and steel plate. The brass bell originally installed on Boilermaker Specials I and II was installed on the boiler. A new headlight was installed at the front of the boiler. It featured a small 12-volt bulb reflected by a large parabolic mirror. It was so bright it could only be used during parades. A locomotive air horn was installed on the top left side of the cab. When the horn was sounded, the Boilermaker Special III could be heard from miles away. To complete the locomotive theme, "steam" could be sprayed from the smokestack. The steam was actually carbon dioxide released by the driver from a cylinder within the cab and plumbed to a nozzle just below the top of the smokestack.

The cab had two seats for the driver and a safety passenger. It had a heater which attempted to keep the cab somewhat comfortable during Indiana's cold winters. In addition to a safety-glass windshield and windshield wipers, the cab also had sliding side windows. The only portal to the cab was a lockable sliding door which led from the back of the cab to the coal tender area.

The chassis and body had a complete 12-volt, negative ground electrical system. A full set of lights were installed, including a concealed 4-beam headlight system, brake, back-up, marker, instrument, and interior lights. With all these features, the Boilermaker Special III was capable of driving on most improved roads, day or night, in all weather conditions.

The tender area had two long bench seats along each side with enough space for 14 passengers. The seating surfaces were hinged to allow items to be stored within the benches. Two 20-gallon gasoline tanks were at the back of the tender under the seats. The overall weight of the vehicle was 8,600 pounds (3,800 kg).

The original drive train had to move over 9,000 pounds of vehicle and passengers (or more if the 1957 trailer was towed). Since the chassis was not equipped with power steering, the Boilermaker Special III was under-powered and difficult to drive. In the 1970s, the drive train was replaced with a carbureted General Motors/Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V-8 with a power steering pump and a three-speed automatic transmission. A hydraulic steering-assist cylinder was added to the original steering mechanism. The two-speed differential from 1960 was retained, although it was locked in the "high" range and the shift linkage removed. With a pair of "cherry-bomb" glass-pack mufflers on a dual exhaust, the Boilermaker Special III had significantly more power and sounded like a hot rod when at wide-open throttle. After the drive train was replaced, the Boilermaker Special was capable of driving on highways at the posted speed limit for extended periods.

In the 1980s the Reamer Club acquired a single-flute steam whistle and installed it on the top of the boiler just behind the bell. The whistle used the same source of compressed air as the horn on the top of the cab.

The Boilermaker Special III represented the university for 33 years and travelled more than 110,000 miles (177,000 km). After the Boilermaker Special V was dedicated in 1993, the Boilermaker Special III was dismantled in a Lafayette salvage yard. The salvage process was photographed and documented by the Purdue Reamer Club so that no one could later claim they owned the Boilermaker Special III.