I still have clear recolection of my very first Holland truck. It was a BEAUTIFUL GMC Astro. I called it the space shuttle because the dash wrapped around the driver seat to the back wall. It was really hard to sleep in that sucker! I learned the art of Yoga from driving that tractor!
It was also my own personal gym! No power steering and frozen king pins. I had to stand up off the seat to turn the wheel with heavy loads on. I had a steel plate precisely and professionally "slid" under the rubber mat by the shop because I was bowing the floor from doing this. From my expertise in steering so well, I had the art of Slalom down pat on Lake Street under the L-Tracks between Cicero and 90.
Also, the drivers door wouldn't shut right so i have a massive left arm from doing door closing reps and a massive right arm from trying to jam the trans into or out of gear. Cabover linkages bent like slider arms but expertly beat back into line by a special tool the shop called a "BIG MOE" which was only brought out for special tractors.
I'm was Special then, now I'm just old squat :(
