Old School HP

I remember driving a 450 cu in gas, and would have killed to get a 238. Then I got the 238, and would have killed to have the 290/318 Detroits. Like a previous poster stated, a 350 Cummins was a big motor, until the 1692 425 hp, straight out of the bulldozers, Cat came out.
They said those Cats came with a "built in tailwind," and when they "blew your doors off," you could actually feel it......

Yes those Monfort trucker drivers even got their speeding tickets paid for by the company, or so the story goes. Ohio finally was going to bar them from the OH Turnpike if they did't slow them down. They were something. Just think, to have the "left lane" named after your company...

Yes, back in those days, you knew every grade, even the small ones, and the direction of the wind, all....day... long.

The thing about those old engines though, was you did not have to pull off manifolds, turbos, and sensors, while standing in the truck stop polishing them with a tooth brush...Never mind filling them with DEF, while checking your tanks to see if you need fuel.....

If guys only knew how good it was "back in the day." 55 mph speed limit, but we always got the load delivered.....Besides, it won't be another dollar per gallon, before most trucks will be running 55-62 again.....the ones that want to survive, anyways.

 

give me one of those underpowered 1693ta or v8 pc or kt anyday,or 400 cummins set right,last but not least 92 series

 

I remember listening to an old timer in the 80s complain about people buying trucks with 425 hp. He said the only reason they even made a motor that high was because guys didn't know how to shift anymore.

 

Didn't have power steering back in the 70's when I started out either. We should do a poll on how many guys had their fingers broken by the steering wheel. Remember that? The trucks didn't have as much power but we still got down the road. Used to run 60/70mph regardless of the 55 limit, and had the tickets to prove it. I remember a different level of courtesy and co-operation also. Didn't see people flying through the parking lots like I do now. When a guy was getting on a ramp and someone moved over for him, he would let the other truck pass and get back to the right lane before speeding up. Ohio was strict but most states let you run a little over, especially at night. Seems like people treated each other differently then, or maybe that's just how I remember it. There was some good times though.

 

I drove a Dragonfly truck. Drag up the hill and fly down the other side.

 

After spending the day with no air ride, no power steering, and no air conditioning, the last thing a guy probably wanted to do was go bouncing through a truck stop hitting pot holes and kicking up dust.