1977 Hess Semi Tanker Truck

1977 (1” Tall Rear Label)
Original Cost:  $2.39
Manufactured:  600,000                            

This is the first year Hess started to mark the date of the truck on the truck. The only difference in the 1977 and 1978 trucks is said to be the size of the rear decal. The 1977 decal is 1″ X 1 ½” and the 1978 is stated as 7/8″ x 1 ½.”  This truck boasts more chrome than the year’s prior, but still has working headlights and taillights, plus the removable hose. Another way to tell if the truck is a 1977 is that the battery cover says in Roman numbers “MCMLXXVII” (1977). The same cover was used in 1978 so that will not hold true for a 1978 issue. Still the best way is the rear decals.

The box is a 4 sided panel style that has pictures of the truck on both sides and the front end on one end and the rear end on the other. The top of the box has the Hess logo, writing that says “Toy Truck” and a picture of a Hess gas station. Another piece of information that people do not seem to notice is that on the end of the box that shows the rear of the truck it says “Made in Hong Kong, Amerada Hess Corporation, Woodridge New Jersey 07095. Nobody seems to notice that the word “Woodbridge ” on the box is missing the “b”. Beware, some people try to sell this as a “Special Edition” but all the 1977 & 1978 boxes were misprinted.

There was no Hess truck issued in 1979.