Let's Talk Diesels..

[10thumbs]

Thanks guys, this makes sense.  

In other words, this is the reason the old 2 stroke Detroits became history.  Too much was too thirsty and loud as heck.  Better lesser, more efficiency, and life moves forward.

What's with the old tractors?  The Diamonds and Autocars and other machines from the 60's for instance?   Old KW's and Peterbilts.  Are they still allowed to be on the road?

What's the permit look like?

Edited January 1, 2016 by 10thumbs

[guitarsam326]

They are still allowed on the road, u can even operate them. Heres my brothers Acar, it weighs 13500 so it has a regular weighted tag and anyone with a class c can drive it!

[Petetrucker07]

As of today, California is putting an end to the old iron workin in the state. Companies with over 30 trucks, have to be 100% emissions legal. Companies with less than 30 trucks need to be 75% legal. This state is getting ridiculous about stuff like that. It's a sheme. It's all emissions related. Even though the old mechanical 3406 CATs can get better fuel mileage than the new Cummins, PACCAR, sand Detroits.

[10thumbs]

Sam, what a beauty!  Tell us please about the restoration.  You're a knowledgeable fellow, were you in on it?  The old stars of the trucking world....do they still run for money?  Still making money, or just for lookin'?

Clayton, I read about the Cal. laws and have to often bite my tongue.  For one, I can understand the laws.  More will come for sure too ....the environment.  I don't know if it can even be maintained, too political for me to comment.   I often like to do the usual searches of global areas and am amazed at the number of golf courses in the middle of the SW US.  Read lots of water.  The friggin' desert!  WTF?  I played golf for 30 years in a green region, water was never a problem and the landscape is green anyway.

California: Will this mean lesser power for the big trucks?  Maybe the rigs will get smaller and shorter?

[redneckrigger]

When I worked for someone else, a construction company, all of our trucks were Cummins, Cat, or Mack. When I had my own truck, it was a Detroit, and yes, I drove her HARD. Got bad mileage, but got the job done. I found out early that she could not, WOULD not run lugged down, so I pushed her till the day we parted. The larger more powerful engine doesn't always mean worse mileage. A friend of mine and myself both bought new 1985 GMC K3500 single rear wheel pickups at the same time. Both trucks had every option, his had a 350 and mine had a 454, both with 3.73 gears. Mine averaged 13.5 mpg no matter how I drove her. His couldn't get better than 11. He was so PO'd, that the dumped his after 3 years. I drove mine into the ground and parted her out to keep my wrecker running. Great engine, with plenty of power and acceptable economy. Big diesels rule still around my part of the woods.

[Aaronw]

Even California is allowing the old trucks on the road under limited circumstances, one of those being historical vehicles.

 

The regulations Clayton refers to is killing off small owner operator operations.

The emissions "solutions" are also creating all kinds of havoc in industries other than over the road use. One of the common systems is the diesel particulate filter and its regeneration feature which burns up the collected soot. This works well enough on a truck that spends its life on the highway doing 55, but is very unreliable for trucks that stop and go, or never get up to highway speeds. We've had issues with fire engines just shutting down (something we were assured could not happen). One incident in particular occurred the day after we lost a piece of line on a large forest fire and had to boogie to a safety zone. Thankfully the truck shut down the next day just as the crew pulled into fire camp, but had that truck decided to have it's little hissy fit a day earlier it would have become a $300,000 charcoal briquette.

[guitarsam326]

Sam, what a beauty!  Tell us please about the restoration.  You're a knowledgeable fellow, were you in on it?  The old stars of the trucking world....do they still run for money?  Still making money, or just for lookin'?

Clayton, I read about the Cal. laws and have to often bite my tongue.  For one, I can understand the laws.  More will come for sure too ....the environment.  I don't know if it can even be maintained, too political for me to comment.   I often like to do the usual searches of global areas and am amazed at the number of golf courses in the middle of the SW US.  Read lots of water.  The friggin' desert!  WTF?  I played golf for 30 years in a green region, water was never a problem and the landscape is green anyway.

California: Will this mean lesser power for the big trucks?  Maybe the rigs will get smaller and shorter?

i wasnt in on the restoration....if you ccan call it that. It looks good in the pic, but it needs alot of body work, but she runs like a top! Heres a short video. This video isnt much on the truck but it's some good listening material! Theres two more videos on YouTube, just search 1960 Autocar DC75t.

 

https://youtu.be/4jLQ_GXaAeg

[10thumbs]

Thanks Sam,  I enjoyed the ride along.  Looks like you're in a nice looking countryside too.  Autocars have a strong aura about them and there are some beauties out there.