GMC farm trucks with Detroits

coshoo · Jan 9, 2019

I remember my friend from big wheat country telling me that some guys had wheat trucks (probably GMC, single axle, 20 foot bed, what we used to call 2 tons) from the late 40's and into the 50's with Detroit diesel engines. He said they were pretty slow, IIRC.

Anybody here have one? Have any info on them? I've never seen one.

Philip d · Jan 9, 2019

There?s lots of YouTube videos of them,they were nicknamed iron lung. Neat old trucks and loud. I?d love to see one in person.

larry@stinescorner · Jan 9, 2019

there is an older one in this video among others
Detriot motor?

JMOR · Jan 9, 2019

Detriot Diesel blower, different motor, faster acceleration, different sound....does that count?
https://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z232/JMOR_photo/Personal/Johns27T.jpg

Gambles · Jan 9, 2019

Perhaps comparing apples to oranges, or maybe oranges to tangerines, but I've got a '71 Chevy C90 with a Detroit 6-71.
I don't consider it too slow and the school kids are always giving me the signal to blow the horn when I'm cruising down the street.

Tireboy · Jan 9, 2019

Where I worked we had a GMC from the early fifty's it had a 4 71 two valve head. Today it would be a dog but compared to a gas motor of the day it was not that bad. I ended up with the motor it run a sawmill just fine.

Bob · Jan 9, 2019

I have an '80-something Ford Louisville tandem with a twin post hoist and a HUGE Canadian-built grain box in my shop right now for clutch replacement and airbrake issues that's powered by a 6V-71 screamer that's also drooling oil out of the airbox drains.

FUN stuff!

YUCK.

centash · Jan 9, 2019

Try to find reruns of the TV show Cannonball. Lots of older GMCs with Detroit's.
Ben

agjim · Jan 9, 2019

I have a 1952 GMC 630 with a 4-71 and a 5 speed OD trans. I bought it in 1973 after the frame had been stretched. It came new as a tractor truck. I put a 23 ft. flat bed on it and added hydraulics to make a tilt bed. In later years I needed a dump truck so I put a flat dump with sides and used it that way. I am considering going back to the tilt bed now. I always thought it was slow but it did a descent job. You did a lot of gear changing. It also had a 2-speed axle and I loved the OD transmission. When I rebuilt the engine I put 2-piece pistons with turbo rods, N70 injectors, and a turbo from a Mack engine. Adding a turbo made a noticeable difference. By the way I do still own that truck.

sms · Jan 10, 2019

I have this one, it had a 471 from the factory but a gas motor was installed later. I guess the 471s were not wel liked.

showcrop · Jan 10, 2019

My wife's step father had a 1976 GMC Astro 95 with a turbocharged Detroit 8V-71. The turbo did an amazing job of quieting it down, but it was still a "downhill" rig. He lost oil pressure when cresting Donner Pass eastbound in a heavy snow storm. He kept going until it quit, then had it towed to a shop and had an 8-92 put in it.

DWF · Jan 10, 2019

(quoted from post at 02:05:07 01/10/19) Where I worked we had a GMC from the early fifty's it had a 4 71 two valve head. Today it would be a dog but compared to a gas motor of the day it was not that bad. I ended up with the motor it run a sawmill just fine.

In the early 70's I worked for a ready mix company that had an early 50's GMC dump truck with a 4-71. It was a single axle that had been an over the road tractor with a 5spd and 2 spd rear axle, with a 5 yd gravel box. It was really a great truck for that job. It was quite the truck for a young 20 year old driver (me). I had lots of bragging rites driving a diesel then.
DWF

buickanddeere · Jan 11, 2019

Don’t expect too much from a 2100rpm two valve 4-53 with S Series pistons and S40 injectors . 100HP and a long span between the top of a gear shift to the next higher gear from 1500-2100rpm.
Now a four valve 4-53 N series with N45 injectors . There is 160HP and a lot of power band to use without having to shift with 1500-2800rpm available .

GMC farm trucks with Detroits

coshoo

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Philip d

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larry@stinescorner

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JMOR

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Gambles

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Tireboy

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Bob

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centash

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agjim

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sms

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showcrop

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DWF

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buickanddeere

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