Home > Hess Truck Checklist – The 1960s
Hess Truck Checklist – The 1960s
This checklist is designed as a collector-grade reference for the original 1960s full-size Hess holiday toys.
Instead of marketing copy, it focuses on clear identification details for each year: model name, core features, packaging,
and the key differences that matter when you’re confirming authenticity or checking your collection for gaps.
| Year |
Model Name |
Description & Key Features |
| 1964–1965 |
B-61 Mack Tanker Trailer
(
1964
/
1965
)
|
The very first Hess Toy Truck, based on the company’s real B61 Mack tanker trailer. Features working headlights
and taillights controlled by a switch at the back of the cab, plus a cargo tank that can be filled with water and emptied through
a rubber hose and bright red funnel (with HESS logo). The same basic truck was sold for two seasons (1964 and 1965), both using
a single D-cell battery and the familiar dark green / white / yellow Hess color scheme.
|
| 1966 |
Tanker Ship (The Hess Voyager)
|
The first – and for many years, the only – full-sized Hess toy that was not a truck. A plastic replica of the
real Hess Voyager oil tanker ship (launched in 1962), approximately 18" long. The hull hides small wheels so it will roll,
and the model includes molded maritime details (anchors, propellers, flag) plus working bow and stern lights powered by a single
D-cell battery.
|
| 1967 |
Tanker Truck (“Red Velvet”)
|
An all-new 18-wheel fuel oil tanker design, often called the “Red Velvet” truck because of its
unique packaging: the box bottom is lined with red velvet and doubles as a display base. The truck itself is a dark green tractor
and white tanker with green and yellow accents, working lights on tractor and trailer, and an attached flexible delivery hose.
This year’s box is printed with Perth Amboy, N.J. on the rear panel.
|
| 1968–1969 |
Tanker Truck (White Bottom Box)
(
1968
/
1969
)
|
The classic tanker truck returns in 1968 and 1969 using the same basic body style as the 1967 Red Velvet truck, but with a
standard white cardboard bottom box in place of the velvet display base. Both years have working lights and
hose. The 1968 and 1969 trucks themselves are essentially the same; the key distinction is on the box:
- 1968: box back printed with “Perth Amboy, N.J.”
- 1969: much scarcer box version printed with “Woodbridge, N.J.” on the rear panel
The “Woodbridge” box is a short-run variation and is one of the most sought-after packaging differences in the
entire Hess line.
|
How to Use This Checklist
- Start with the year and model name to confirm you’re in the correct decade and body style.
- Match the key features – water-filling tank vs. ship vs. 18-wheeler tanker – to rule out later look-alikes.
- Check the box and base (red velvet vs. white bottom; Perth Amboy vs. Woodbridge) to distinguish 1967, 1968 and 1969.
- Verify the battery type: every full-size 1960s Hess toy on this list uses a single D-cell battery.
- Look for missing accessories (funnel, hose, battery card, inserts) which affect both completeness and value.
Year-by-Year Identification Notes
1964–1965 — B-61 Mack Tanker Trailer
- Body: Dark green tractor and tanker with white and yellow striping; modeled on a real B61 Mack tanker.
- Function: Cargo tank can be filled with water via a red HESS funnel and emptied through a black rubber hose.
- Lighting: Working headlights and taillights; switch at the rear of the cab; uses one D-cell battery.
- Packaging: Standard cardboard box with inserts, often accompanied by a battery instruction card.
- Collector note: Complete sets with original funnel, hose, inserts and battery card command a strong premium.
1966 — Tanker Ship “Hess Voyager”
- Body: Approx. 18" plastic oil tanker ship with molded deck detail, lifeboats, anchors and Hess markings.
- Function: Free-rolling on small wheels hidden in the hull; working bow and stern lights powered by one D-cell.
- Visual cue: This is the only full-size 1960s release that is a ship instead of a truck.
- Collector note: Check for intact masts, railings and deck details, which are often damaged or missing.
1967 — Tanker Truck “Red Velvet”
- Body: 18-wheel fuel oil tanker, dark green tractor with white tanker and green/yellow accents.
- Function: Working lights on both tractor and trailer; removable or flexible delivery hose.
- Packaging: Unique red velvet-lined box bottom that serves as a display base; box references Perth Amboy, N.J.
- Quick ID: If the truck sits in a velvet-covered tray, it’s a 1967 Red Velvet, not a 1968/1969 white-bottom version.
- Collector note: Velvet bases in clean condition and crisp box corners add significantly to value.
1968–1969 — Tanker Truck (White Bottom Box)
- Body: Mechanically and visually similar to the 1967 tanker (18-wheeler, lights and hose) but sold with a plain white box bottom.
- Box:
- 1968: “Perth Amboy, N.J.” on the rear box panel.
- 1969: “Woodbridge, N.J.” on the rear box panel; this Woodbridge box is far less common.
- Function: Same basic lighting and hose features as the 1967 tanker; still powered by one D-cell battery.
- Collector note: For many collectors, the box stamping (Perth Amboy vs. Woodbridge) is more important than tiny differences in the truck itself.
Related Hess Truck Checklist Guides
- Hess Truck Checklist – 1960s – the original B-61 Mack tanker, Hess Voyager ship, Red Velvet and white-bottom box tankers.
- Hess Truck Checklist – 1970s – refinery fire trucks, updated tanker reissues, box trailers, and the first modern fuel oil tankers.
- Hess Truck Checklist – 1980s – from the 1980 training van through truck-and-racer and truck-and-helicopter sets.
- Hess Truck Checklist – 1990s – boxier modern rigs, shuttles, and the big light-and-sound era.
- Hess Truck Checklist – 2000s – modern tankers, race cars, SUVs and multi-vehicle sets.
- Hess Truck Checklist – 2010s – sleeker bodies, LED lighting and kid-focused play features.
- Hess Truck Checklist – 2020s – the most recent decade of Hess holiday trucks and innovations.
More Hess Reference Tools
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