The Mushroomiest Truck You’ve Ever Seen Has An Unfortunate Name: Cold Start

Cs Unictruck Shroom
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That truck is extremely fungal-looking, isn’t it? There’s something just so mushroomy about the cab, with the way the roof extends out over the sides, in an almost architectural manner. This one is a 1962 Unic-Sahara, made by the French company Unic, a name that in English has some generally unpleasant connotations, at least to people in favor of keeping their genitals intact and part of their bodies. They started way back making cars in 1905, but stropped in 1938, then the name was resurrected in 1952 when it became the commercial arm of French carmaker Simca. Then they were bought by Fiat, then got wrapped up into IVECO! Man, what a ride, right?

Anyway, this is a big brute of a truck, even if it does look like a big mechanical mushroom. Cs Unic Details

The cabin looks nice and roomy, and hot damn that’s a huge an accessible air cleaner! I’m not sure I’m crazy about the prison-style rear windows, though.

26 thoughts on “The Mushroomiest Truck You’ve Ever Seen Has An Unfortunate Name: Cold Start

  1. Little known fact 😉
    The architectural designer of this truck went on to design multiple award winning heating and air conditioner units on some of the most famous buildings in Paris in the late 60’s.

  2. I remember seeing what seemed like hundreds of these, they came in different sizes,from ” that’s a big truck” to “dear sweet piskies has that escaped from an open cast mine”. This was in Timbuktu, a fascinating and ancient city full of delightful souks, libraries that pre-date the Romans and houses with exquisite courtyard gardens with gently tinkling fountains. All surrounded by the biggest, roughest and dustiest truck stop imaginable.

  3. Many years ago, a reporter left the newspaper where I worked to join a tech publication called Unix Today. When I told my wife, let’s just say she was hilariously confused and repulsed.

  4. If it’s for Sahara use, that is a great idea for a little extra shade for the driver. I bet air conditioning or tinted glass wasn’t a thing on trucks back then.

  5. “I’m not sure I’m crazy about the prison-style rear windows, though.”
    If you ever have an insufficiently secured load (after all, you do have a history with that, such as the ill-advised attempt to transport an armchair on top of your Beetle https://jalopnik.com/this-was-the-stupidest-thing-i-ever-did-with-a-roof-rac-1846888849) and have to conduct an abrupt braking maneuver or have a head-on collision you’ll be mighty glad to have these prison-style rear windows.

  6. I’m not sure I’m crazy about the prison-style rear windows, though

    I think that’s a great feature. According to the brochure, it gives you visibility to maneuver while protecting you from flying debris/material.

    And with the white mushroom roof reflecting the sun all around, the cabin temperature can remain lower for driver comfort.

    I have to say this truck is a real piece of shiitake. That’s a good thing. 🙂

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