1980 L9000

We had a lot of Detroits in the Midwest, in fact, most dump outfits used them because they were easy to repair. Actually, that 6V92 was a pretty good motor, for a Detroit. I think 335 hp. is a bit optimistic,, more like 300, and a 300 Mack or Shiny 290( 300 Cummins) would leave them in the dust, but I knew of a lot of freight outfits used them, and worked well in lighter load applications. I hated every 2 stroke Detroit I sat behind or on top of. The dairy co. I worked for( Crystal Farms) had a hodge pogde of Fords in the beginning, and they had 1 long hood, an ex-paper hauler, and rode altogether different than the short hoods.

 

Here in the pnw, logging was/is a huge industry that at the time used a lot of Detroits. Double 0s and Silvers. We had a few well known at that time, Detroit tuners that could really set those ol' engines up.
"Back in those days"....you could tell who had been working on that engine when they hit the jake.
Really had to pay attention to the coolant in those engines. We didn't have the modern additives we have today to combat aeration and cavitation which would kill an old Detroit in short order.
Transmission selection would determine a lot when the "discussions?" of what engine brand would pull the best. Some of the best fun was watching a life long Detroit operator jump into one of the original big cam Cummins.

 

Not only no front axle brakes, but wedge actuators on the trailer. Armstrong steering, if you were lucky you had center point hubs. No AC, just a fan screwed to the dash. In the winter that fan was defrost. And oh boy were those dam air powered wipers fun in the snow...... However, we all also learned to be a roadcenter mechanic too. Though Detroits needed more oil that repairs, every one of those old trucks had a small tool box in the cab with well used tools,....especially the hammer.

 

A couple of gallons of gas in the tank would really make it run...

 

Sorry but I have to stop you right here…. A 335 horse 6V92T is not optimistic as you mentioned, why do I say this??? Because I own a 6V92T with the info tag that clearly says it’s rated at said horsepower of 335. And I agree a warm 290 could walk around a 6V in most cases.

My GMC General has a 8V92T @ 365 hp, not much more than my V6.

The old Transtar 4200 I use to own had a 8V92TA @ 435 hp, decent running old truck. The 92 was a transplant engine….