gas powered trucks..

My first truck was a International 345 gas motor 5 speed transmission 2 speed rear end. It had hydraulic vaccume brakes. I know all about praying that you will make it over a hill. If you didn't the brakes probably would not hold you. Those were the good ol days. Thanks for reminding me.

 

My father worked as a dozer operator for a sand and gravel company . They bought a new D7 in '57 and he operated it for over 10 years . It was moved from job to job by a '53 Mack LJ single axle with a gas engine . They kept that truck in mint condition . They had several Sterling chain drives including a tandem axle wrecker .

 

Does anyone remember the GMC 702 cid v-12 gasser?

 

Yea we called it the great mountain climbmer two engines bolted together.What a nightmare to work on!

 

I washed trailers for a small fleet in the 1950s. Perhaps, two owner-operators had diesels, but all of the company trucks were IH in-line six gas jobs except for the pride of the fleet, a V8. This 1957 V8 would leave the terminal Sunday nights with plenty of power. It would return on Saturday morning, sputtering and coughing. They changed plugs and points in that IH V8 every Saturday.

 

Back then I dont remember if they cared about fuel economy I think ours got 4-5mpg Yea the old points system ask the guys today what points are.The response is driver license you mean? Then ask them about Ethel gas.

 

A 1947 ten-wheel dump truck is demonstrated on the Trucks With Two Sticks DVD. Details about the gas engine are not given, but the truck has a 5 speed main and a 3 speed deep under auxiliary. The transmission combo is sometimes called a "long 4th" or an "upside down 5th". First gear and deep under were generally ignored, but the sequence would be 1st low and high, 2nd low and high, 3rd low and high, 4th low, 5th low, 4th high, 5th high. The gas engine is shifted the same as a diesel, floating the gears and matching engine speed to road speed. There is about 400 rpm between gears, and the range is from 1,000 rpm to 1,500 rpm. I was surprised that the old gas engine operates so slow.

The truck on the DVD is not restored. It is noisy inside. Even with the split manifold, there is no deep sound that you would otherwise have with a diesel. A truck like this would typically gross 48,000 lbs. With the horsepower available, on an upgrade it is best to find a hole and stick with it. On the downhill side, you can run with both sticks against the dashboard.

 

I remember hearing a story from one of my trucker buddy's grandpa who was a driver in the 40s and 50s talking about gas engines that didn't have an oil pump. Instead they had a "slinger" that would splash oil up into the engine with an apparatus on the crank shaft. Anyone ever heard of or drove one of these?