Beautiful rig...you must be very proud of it...love to see it in he flesh but unfortunately I'm to far away in the UK, Used to love the Cannonball TV prog on TV over here in the early 60s, Fantastic that there are guys like you to keep these lovely pieces of equipment alive, Keep up the good work. Nick.
This has to be the best video I have seen on youtube in a long time. An absolutely beautiful truck with a beautiful trailer that is done perfectly. I love the look of the truck, the motor, the exhaust, everything. It is exactly the way I would want it. And it is even better that it is owned and driven by someone who drives it properly and takes great care of it. Watching this video made my day. Thank you!
DON ROGERS the owner of this truck has now passed In 2018. I am the mechanic who did most of the mechanical restoration and rebuilding of the drivetrain and am a close personal friend of his and he will be dearly missed. Don a sign painter by trade who fell in love with the trucks he lettered found this truck in its original form in Chicago (a General Motors plant winch truck for moving presses and other heavy machinery in plant) and brought it back in the late eighties and started the restoration even before he had a licence to drive one. I went with him to bring back the old Great Dane reefer found in Pennsylvania for restoration as he still couldn't drive with a trailer but later learned to handle a rig like a seasoned driver. He will missed dearly. A keen business man with a wicked sense of humour and a love of trucks. Just hearing that 238 Detroit I rebuilt and pulling gears with him brings back memories and tears. Truck on Don and I will see you at the top of the grade. ---Jim Tamblyn aka KTMcandog!
Dave Schwanger is my grandfather and was a very close friend to Don. I have so many memories of going up to Canada to visit Don and playing around this truck. Also remember Don coming down and we all would pull out my grandpa's 65 peterbilt 351 needle nose. Any chance you know what ever happened with the old gmc after he passed?
@@Jschwanger89 Yes I had the pleasure of meeting Dave and staying overnight in his home with Don the weekend we went to retreive and bring back the trailer. Got to see his massive die cast model truck collection and visited his fuel company. I believe it was Dave that originally found Dons trailer in that area of PA.
As a kid I had the opportunity to ride in a Chevy with a cattle trailer. The Chevy was a diesel that looked almost like this one. I think the heavy duty Chevy and heavy duty GMCs must have been built on the same assembly line.
2:55-3:02 that one gearshift with the knobs is obviously not a Roadranger but a splitter, and there's probal another shifter too like so many of that vintage.
This was an early 10 speed Road Ranger. The hi-low switches were cable operated until the air switch was introduced. It wasn't until the mid to late 80's that the hi-low switch was integrated into the shift knob itself on Road Ranger transmissions.
lindsey crawford the 1st road ranger was introduced in 1955,....R-95, a 3 pce gear box....the 2nd,,,,R-96...a 2pce....1957 till 1961....then RT-9-10, 9-13, 9-15 till present.....RT=twin counter shaft
12 speed Spicer had a splitter handle that twisted left and right . Twist to left and start in 1st then turn it right for second then split up to third like a 13 speed,
@MetroLinerXLZ Spicer Gear built simple gearboxes, and their first air-shift auxiliaries were directly based on the manual-shift, close-ratio versions already in use as the secondaries of many heavy-duty trucks in the 1940's through 1970's. Fuller Gear used the crawlerbox approach to allow consistent-drop gear ratios on the main shifter.
Wonder if it was a 750 or 900 series. My dad had a new 750 in 1953. He hauled explosives over the rockies. Tough men in a tough business. Love this truck.
I could be wrong now, but you could set the tractor brakes independent of the trailer in any truck without a setup like a blue knob. As I remember in an antique Marmon I had, the blue knob went to a small reserve tank of air, and if you were in a situation where you'd run all out of air but just absolutely had to move the truck a short distance, you could hold this button in and release the spring brakes for a short while so you could move it off the road or something. I think, anyway!
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. Reminded me of my childhood when I used to ride with my uncle in these old trucks. It took more strength to drive 'em than the newer models, (he claimed). But they were sweet. Old iron & steel technology.
@TurbinePower69 This truck belongs to a fellow in Ontario Canada. I just did the filming for a series on members of the American Truck Historical Society.
Excellent old jigger, absolute credit to the owner, and to the mechanic who we heard from,KTM ,And the owner patiently explained during the 1st video he was a sign writer, and not an operator, full credit to himfor not Flogging the living PISS out of it,👍👌
@donnactrc I've always felt with my own trucks is the best way is what ever style of shifting is going to be easiest on things like the center of the clutch and the splines in the drive shaft and so on. Alot of times I find going up through the gears without the clutch is actually easier on the driveline. Downshifting, I have always used the clutch.
@MetroLinerXLZ Actually, Spicer Gear didn't get into crawlerboxes until the late 1960's; their air-shifts drove the secondary gear selectors for low-low/split/direct/overdrive. This setup is more consistent with a Fuller RT-nn610/nn710, one of the first integrated-crawlerbox transmissions.
A Detroit! Boy, I've owned a lot-lot of those. From the sound, I'say an inline 6-71. Another possible is a 6V-53. They tac'd out higher than a 71-series would. The sound isn't quite right for that though, but I'm pretty sure by the sound it's not an 8v-71. The engine noise for that is not as resonating due to the position of the blower and the construction of the V8 block. These engines were good, and for me easy to work on. Started easy in the cold, and could run on straight transformer oil!
@68knative I guess he has found that to match the engine speed and the driveshaft speed a little throttle in between seems to help. Those old Detroits run pretty high rpm's.
I wondered about that myself, if he was actually goosing the throttle a little on the upshift or if the revs of the engine just made it sound that way when he disengaged the clutch.
@cpd659 There's a show on Speed Channel called American Trucker. They were working on the old BJ and the bear KW cab-over which pulled a reefer in the show. It's great to see more truck stuff on TV. Seventeen years ago I was one of very few doing anything on video involving heavy trucks.
You probably mean the range selector switch. You go through the first five gears in low range, pull that air switch up and go through the same five positions again in high range.
It is so refreshing to see a cab over restored to its original glory. Lately in southern California degenerates like to get the old cab-overs and turn them into nauseous low riders with garish paint schemes.
Perfect-reply! Everyone does as they feel best, with their OWN TRUCKS. Now, if it's a company-owned, or a rental? Then go ahead, and explain the shattered-parts later. But if it's on YOUR-dime, and having invested this much time/expense in a restoration? And, you're in it for the fun of such, and not on a paying-schedule? Do just like the man here says---whatever feels the best to YOU, and YOUR-collectable...! :)
Gorgeous ‘54 GMC, I love it. That Great Dane trailer sure looks awfully small now with the 53’x102” being standard these days. Can you tell us your engine size and transmission? Was also wondering if they had electric wipers in ‘54? I always felt bad for drivers in heavy rains with those vacuum wipers trying to keep up.
Actually it has factory Trico air wipers with a manual lever to operate in case the air quits. The engine is the original 2 valve GM/Detroit diesel inline 6-71 238hp. It was rebuilt during the restoration and repaired several times as Don had a habit of overheating it twice and not catching it before cracking the head. The transmissipn is an original Fuller Roadranger single countetshaft RT910 ten speed. I also had to rebuild the rear aux section in the late nineties as Don somehow sheared the output shaft and would never tell me how as he was too mad! The truck went to auction after his death in settling his estate and needed a full paint and body restoration again as it suffered the last ten years sitting outside. One of the largest jobs among many I did was updating the deadly slow single circuit air brake system to a MVSS 121 style dual circuit air brake system so Don could run safely with the big dogs. This old girl would run 70 mph and I loved taking her out and high balling the 401 on a warm summer night listening to that Detroit howl while passing large cars with their speed pinned at 65. Thanks for asking Jim T.
@@ktmcandog do you know who has the truck and trailer now. Dave Schwanger was my grandfather and I have many memories with Don when he would come visit down here in the states. I always liked that truck! Would be cool to see it again and maybe get it.
@@Jschwanger89 Hi actually the truck went to auction and I'm waiting myself to find out where it went. The tractor had deteriorated from outdoor storage for the last ten years or so and Don was discussing redoing the paint and body but life got in the way then his sudden death. Theres one of North Americas largest private truck collections here in Canada that I suspect it may end up in and rerestored. Jim T!
This old gal is 1 year younger than me, but she sure looks a lot better than I do. Of course she has had an overhaul, unfortunately I can't. I sure miss the old trucks and the drivers. Not a lot of good trucks or drivers out there anymore. The whole business has gone to hell every since CDL and deregulation.
@buixrule I think I might have been about 12 years old when I heard a Peterbilt with what might have been an 8V71 going up through the gears and shortly after that heard my first Porsche 911 accelerating. There was something about the "music" from both those engines that always stuck with me.
@bcschmerker That's something new...I didn't know Spicer didn't make transmissions for trucks until the 60s. I just assume that because the driver had difficulty shifting gears, the transmission was a Spicer (mainly because Spicers were known for difficult shifting).
Yes I enjoyed the show and it was a great truck as well .Did you ever watch Counts Classics they drive what looks like an old Jimmy not diesel with sled for hauling cars
I'm thinking that lever next to the gear shift is the old parking brake, maybe a transmission brake. And the air brake parking brake on the dash was added later. Anyone know for sure?
Hey John. Met this ole timer in Iowa this May. Bob Zimmerly. Hes 98 and looks 68. Amazing. He wore out 2 4-71's before he got his first 6-71. He had the 6-71 set up to 300 hp. Said he loved that Detroit
Was it upgraded to a diesel/road ranger transmission? Or did it originally have separate gearboxes/sticks and a gasoline engine? Absolutely love this video and truck! Wish I could drive it! Too bad the engine shifting noise is muted.
@longroadpro My parents had a summer house upstate NY in 60' thru 80's. It was right next to Rt17 West in Sullivan County. You could here the trucks in the distance in the middle of the night approaching from a couple miles away. You could hear all the double shifting and RPM variations for the whole way until they passed the house screaming for all it was worth, and nothing can ever compare to those musical sounds. I used to fall asleep to screaming Detroit diesels every weekend!
I thought older trucks had that third blue brake knob (to apply brake pressure to trailer for parking brakes) For older trailers that didn't have the spring brakes. Was this converted to a newer system?
Rember when driving this truck required an assistant to stand on the passenger running board when climbing old Hwy 41 up Mt Eagle Tn between Chattanooga and Manchester Tn. Scarry, to say the least, and topped out at 10 mph at the top with a full load.
Funny you say that . Most guys that know that are dead. When I was struggling with my 238 and a 3408 passed me I said Damn. I gotta get me one of those
Man, that's a Cannonball all right. You know, so many of those old trucks looked right, & they sounded right. Heaven knows where we went wrong when I look at this SHIT we've got today!
Its not a 1954 GMC maybe a 1953. I have had four 1954 GMC COE's and two GMC 2ton. They all have one piece windshield. The first yr with nice big one piece windshield.
Good to see someone double clutching, driving properly and taking care of their truck, too. I want one!
Nothing better than watching a master of double clutching walking through the gears!
Beautiful rig...you must be very proud of it...love to see it in he flesh but unfortunately I'm to far away in the UK,
Used to love the Cannonball TV prog on TV over here in the early 60s,
Fantastic that there are guys like you to keep these lovely pieces of equipment alive,
Keep up the good work.
Nick.
I watched that as a kid. Never in my dreams would I have thought I'd end up doing it as a second career.
This has to be the best video I have seen on youtube in a long time. An absolutely beautiful truck with a beautiful trailer that is done perfectly. I love the look of the truck, the motor, the exhaust, everything. It is exactly the way I would want it. And it is even better that it is owned and driven by someone who drives it properly and takes great care of it. Watching this video made my day. Thank you!
Peachezz131 pretty sure this video was done a loooong time ago. Seeing early 90s Corolla’s looking new shows proof of that.
I enjoyed listening to that truck and watching him shift the gears. That's one awesome Cannonball.
DON ROGERS the owner of this truck has now passed In 2018. I am the mechanic who did most of the mechanical restoration and rebuilding of the drivetrain and am a close personal friend of his and he will be dearly missed. Don a sign painter by trade who fell in love with the trucks he lettered found this truck in its original form in Chicago (a General Motors plant winch truck for moving presses and other heavy machinery in plant) and brought it back in the late eighties and started the restoration even before he had a licence to drive one. I went with him to bring back the old Great Dane reefer found in Pennsylvania for restoration as he still couldn't drive with a trailer but later learned to handle a rig like a seasoned driver. He will missed dearly. A keen business man with a wicked sense of humour and a love of trucks. Just hearing that 238 Detroit I rebuilt and pulling gears with him brings back memories and tears. Truck on Don and I will see you at the top of the grade. ---Jim Tamblyn aka KTMcandog!
Dave Schwanger is my grandfather and was a very close friend to Don. I have so many memories of going up to Canada to visit Don and playing around this truck. Also remember Don coming down and we all would pull out my grandpa's 65 peterbilt 351 needle nose. Any chance you know what ever happened with the old gmc after he passed?
@@Jschwanger89
Yes I had the pleasure of meeting Dave and staying overnight in his home with Don the weekend we went to retreive and bring back the trailer. Got to see his massive die cast model truck collection and visited his fuel company. I believe it was Dave that originally found Dons trailer in that area of PA.
Like the one in the 1958 Canadian TV series, back when men were men and truckers were completely deaf.....
Beautifull old truck and trailer!??thank you for posting it!'
tractor-trailer
As a kid I had the opportunity to ride in a Chevy with a cattle trailer. The Chevy was a diesel that looked almost like this one. I think the heavy duty Chevy and heavy duty GMCs must have been built on the same assembly line.
Awesome Jim my COE! My Dad owned a 56. He took me on trips in the summer when I was 12. I really miss those days!#!
Old Bull Nose GMC.Really beautiful truck. 4-53-T Detroit or 6-71-238 Detriot. Love the sound of those old two stroke Diesel Engines.
I have a 1951 Bull Nose White Freighliner. Could be for sale.. Only 10 of these are in existance.
Beautifull old truck and trailer!
2:55-3:02 that one gearshift with the knobs is obviously not a Roadranger but a splitter, and there's probal another shifter too like so many of that vintage.
This was an early 10 speed Road Ranger.
The hi-low switches were cable operated until the air switch was introduced.
It wasn't until the mid to late 80's that the hi-low switch was integrated into the shift knob itself on Road Ranger transmissions.
lindsey crawford the 1st road ranger was introduced in 1955,....R-95, a 3 pce gear box....the 2nd,,,,R-96...a 2pce....1957 till 1961....then RT-9-10, 9-13, 9-15 till present.....RT=twin counter shaft
Yes, Probably a 12 speed Spicer..........................
looks like a9 speed is it RTO 09
12 speed Spicer had a splitter handle that twisted left and right . Twist to left and start in 1st then turn it right for second then split up to third like a 13 speed,
@MetroLinerXLZ Spicer Gear built simple gearboxes, and their first air-shift auxiliaries were directly based on the manual-shift, close-ratio versions already in use as the secondaries of many heavy-duty trucks in the 1940's through 1970's. Fuller Gear used the crawlerbox approach to allow consistent-drop gear ratios on the main shifter.
The OG big rig videos!!! Lol I love both series.
Cool video! Reminds me of the TV show "Cannonball" from the late 1950's, which was filmed in the Toronto area. Keep on truckin" !
If it wasnt for Cannon Ball I could a had a normal life. But NO I had to drive the big rigs. Wouldn't change a thing. ROLL ON!
Fabulous truck my heroes in the 50s i was proper into American cars and trucks as a youngster
Wonder if it was a 750 or 900 series. My dad had a new 750 in 1953. He hauled explosives over the rockies. Tough men in a tough business. Love this truck.
Love the Truth! Tough Dudes
I could be wrong now, but you could set the tractor brakes independent of the trailer in any truck without a setup like a blue knob. As I remember in an antique Marmon I had, the blue knob went to a small reserve tank of air, and if you were in a situation where you'd run all out of air but just absolutely had to move the truck a short distance, you could hold this button in and release the spring brakes for a short while so you could move it off the road or something. I think, anyway!
You could always hear a jimmy coming down the road.
My brother in law had 8v92 DD he would start out around3 AM it seems you could still here him banging gear' s to the intrestate she was sweet
thats a beautiful truck/trailor combo,,i love the sound of that ol detroit!
Me too. To bad the speedometer doesn't move as fast as the tachometer. This would be better with a loaded trailer
Cannonball; We called 'em "Bull Nose" GMC's down South.
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. Reminded me of my
childhood when I used to ride with my uncle in these
old trucks. It took more strength to drive 'em than
the newer models, (he claimed). But they were
sweet. Old iron & steel technology.
Guys had Pipes back then. Armstrong steering
@TurbinePower69 This truck belongs to a fellow in Ontario Canada. I just did the filming for a series on members of the American Truck Historical Society.
I absolutely love that truck
Excellent old jigger, absolute credit to the owner, and to the mechanic who we heard from,KTM ,And the owner patiently explained during the 1st video he was a sign writer, and not an operator, full credit to himfor not Flogging the living PISS out of it,👍👌
@donnactrc I've always felt with my own trucks is the best way is what ever style of shifting is going to be easiest on things like the center of the clutch and the splines in the drive shaft and so on.
Alot of times I find going up through the gears without the clutch is actually easier on the driveline.
Downshifting, I have always used the clutch.
howdy ,i really enjoyed that video truck in excellent shape boy there was a lot of shifting going on that old Jimmy was just a screaming .thanks
@MetroLinerXLZ Actually, Spicer Gear didn't get into crawlerboxes until the late 1960's; their air-shifts drove the secondary gear selectors for low-low/split/direct/overdrive. This setup is more consistent with a Fuller RT-nn610/nn710, one of the first integrated-crawlerbox transmissions.
man thats a nice cannonball i love those old gmcs great camera work by the way
Detroit engine sound is something special .
The most beautiful, sexy looking truck ever built... ...a work of art compared to today's 'boxes'!
A Detroit! Boy, I've owned a lot-lot of those. From the sound, I'say an inline 6-71. Another possible is a 6V-53. They tac'd out higher than a 71-series would. The sound isn't quite right for that though, but I'm pretty sure by the sound it's not an 8v-71. The engine noise for that is not as resonating due to the position of the blower and the construction of the V8 block. These engines were good, and for me easy to work on. Started easy in the cold, and could run on straight transformer oil!
Trucks of this vintage harken back to the days when trucking was still fun. Somewhat primitive, but a lot more enjoyable than what it is today.
@68knative I guess he has found that to match the engine speed and the driveshaft speed a little throttle in between seems to help. Those old Detroits run pretty high rpm's.
Yeh they run so high there's no need for double clutching. Can you imagine this guy with 46000?
I wondered about that myself, if he was actually goosing the throttle a little on the upshift or if the revs of the engine just made it sound that way when he disengaged the clutch.
A thing o' beauty.
Great camera work, reminds me of the movie Dual!
Duel dummy.
TheTexasViper I think you mean the movie "Duel" with Dennis Hopper. Dual means TWO.
Weaver, not Hopper
The last truck i drove was in 86, we ran freightliners, with Detroits, and ten speed roadrangers in them, that is still music to my ears.
That was Sweet music to mine also till I heard a four stroke THUMP
So Cool....I still remember the song....."Rollin Down The Hi-way...........
@cpd659 There's a show on Speed Channel called American Trucker. They were working on the old BJ and the bear KW cab-over which pulled a reefer in the show. It's great to see more truck stuff on TV.
Seventeen years ago I was one of very few doing anything on video involving heavy trucks.
Great truck seems to be a very hard notchy gearbox to change gears.
Yes, it is a 10 speed.
I have footage up on here of a '54 Kenworth with the original 10 speed that still has the cable range shifter.
You probably mean the range selector switch. You go through the first five gears in low range, pull that air switch up and go through the same five positions again in high range.
What is it that makes everyone glad to see double clutching? Is there something about float shifting that makes it unfavorable?
Some you really had a tough time floating so double clutching became the norm. Double clutched a few of them in my day.
I was thinking the same thing, exhausting to see the footwork. Floating is easy and necessary, especially in urban areas.
Good Answer! People kill me
I love old Trucks ❤️
Beautiful 1954 GMC cabover great video !! were is part 1 video ?
It's a 671 Detroit, which is indeed a two stroke.
It is so refreshing to see a cab over restored to its original glory. Lately in southern California degenerates like to get the old cab-overs and turn them into nauseous low riders with garish paint schemes.
Thats a lot of work, double clutching and feathering in the splines. Thank God for syncromesh.
Where What Who syncromesh ?
Perfect-reply! Everyone does as they feel best, with their OWN TRUCKS.
Now, if it's a company-owned, or a rental? Then go ahead, and explain the shattered-parts later.
But if it's on YOUR-dime, and having invested this much time/expense in a restoration? And, you're in it for the fun of such, and not on a paying-schedule?
Do just like the man here says---whatever feels the best to YOU, and YOUR-collectable...! :)
I love them old trucks and cars keep the videos comin my new friend
Thanks!
If you type in '54 GMC Cannonball part 1 it should come up.
It's definitely on here.
Screamin' Jimmy!
man i remember watching that programme as a kid and my dad later said he wasnt surprised that i became a trucker..
Yep me too . Could wait to get on the road
Gorgeous ‘54 GMC, I love it. That Great Dane trailer sure looks awfully small now with the 53’x102” being standard these days. Can you tell us your engine size and transmission? Was also wondering if they had electric wipers in ‘54? I always felt bad for drivers in heavy rains with those vacuum wipers trying to keep up.
Actually it has factory Trico air wipers with a manual lever to operate in case the air quits. The engine is the original 2 valve GM/Detroit diesel inline 6-71 238hp. It was rebuilt during the restoration and repaired several times as Don had a habit of overheating it twice and not catching it before cracking the head. The transmissipn is an original Fuller Roadranger single countetshaft RT910 ten speed. I also had to rebuild the rear aux section in the late nineties as Don somehow sheared the output shaft and would never tell me how as he was too mad! The truck went to auction after his death in settling his estate and needed a full paint and body restoration again as it suffered the last ten years sitting outside. One of the largest jobs among many I did was updating the deadly slow single circuit air brake system to a MVSS 121 style dual circuit air brake system so Don could run safely with the big dogs. This old girl would run 70 mph and I loved taking her out and high balling the 401 on a warm summer night listening to that Detroit howl while passing large cars with their speed pinned at 65. Thanks for asking Jim T.
@@ktmcandog do you know who has the truck and trailer now. Dave Schwanger was my grandfather and I have many memories with Don when he would come visit down here in the states. I always liked that truck! Would be cool to see it again and maybe get it.
@@Jschwanger89 Hi actually the truck went to auction and I'm waiting myself to find out where it went. The tractor had deteriorated from outdoor storage for the last ten years or so and Don was discussing redoing the paint and body but life got in the way then his sudden death. Theres one of North Americas largest private truck collections here in Canada that I suspect it may end up in and rerestored. Jim T!
hey by any chance if u have the interview video can u post it up? id love too here the history on the old truck
This old gal is 1 year younger than me, but she sure looks a lot better than I do. Of course she has had an overhaul, unfortunately I can't. I sure miss the old trucks and the drivers. Not a lot of good trucks or drivers out there anymore. The whole business has gone to hell every since CDL and deregulation.
MrDavidstroud actually it was deregulation, then CDL! The industry was deregulated twenty or more years before the CDL went into effect.
@buixrule I think I might have been about 12 years old when I heard a Peterbilt with what might have been an 8V71 going up through the gears and shortly after that heard my first Porsche 911 accelerating. There was something about the "music" from both those engines that always stuck with me.
Yeh the 238 had kinda of a slow rhythm where the 3408 made ya kinda want to boogie. No what I mean?
I remember the first time I heard the term "steering wheel holder". Made me laugh.
@bcschmerker
That's something new...I didn't know Spicer didn't make transmissions for trucks until the 60s. I just assume that because the driver had difficulty shifting gears, the transmission was a Spicer (mainly because Spicers were known for difficult shifting).
My uncle drove a truck like that back in the day, He said it took two men and a boy to steer it. For a 60 year old he had big arms.
Yeh and Nobody Messed with him
Sounds like a Detroit 238 , I Remember driving them in the 70s.
THE best truck video on youtube!
Yes I enjoyed the show and it was a great truck as well .Did you ever watch Counts Classics they drive what looks like an old Jimmy not diesel with sled for hauling cars
Seen it
Nice foot work ole timer
Love those old trucks back when trucking was trucking
Really nice old truck
I'm thinking that lever next to the gear shift is the old parking brake, maybe a transmission brake. And the air brake parking brake on the dash was added later. Anyone know for sure?
+Tom M The large horizontal lever by the gearshift is for a disc type parking/emergency brake on the drive shaft.
Was expecting to see Mike " Cannonball " Malone at the wheel !
Great ANSWER . Great Show Great times
@@andrewnorris1514 My most treasured possesion is my Cannonball board game, made back in 1958 !
They sometimes crop up on Ebay.
Hey John. Met this ole timer in Iowa this May. Bob Zimmerly. Hes 98 and looks 68. Amazing. He wore out 2 4-71's before he got his first 6-71. He had the 6-71 set up to 300 hp. Said he loved that Detroit
I also remember Mike Malone!
Father had a ‘71 and it seems very much the same as this.
@MrBrombomb Yes, that's a 671.
This one was a 900. Really nice truck.
Three simple words. I'm. In. Love!
Was it upgraded to a diesel/road ranger transmission? Or did it originally have separate gearboxes/sticks and a gasoline engine? Absolutely love this video and truck! Wish I could drive it! Too bad the engine shifting noise is muted.
@johnblessing This had an early 10 speed Fuller RoadRanger.
Runs Great sounds Better
@longroadpro My parents had a summer house upstate NY in 60' thru 80's. It was right next to Rt17 West in Sullivan County. You could here the trucks in the distance in the middle of the night approaching from a couple miles away. You could hear all the double shifting and RPM variations for the whole way until they passed the house screaming for all it was worth, and nothing can ever compare to those musical sounds. I used to fall asleep to screaming Detroit diesels every weekend!
Nice truck and these youngsters don’t know a thing about double clutching
beautiful !
WoW ! Great vid, and a beautiful truck.,
The sound of that engine is music to my ears.
Great! Double clutch an all!
I thought older trucks had that third blue brake knob (to apply brake pressure to trailer for parking brakes) For older trailers that didn't have the spring brakes. Was this converted to a newer system?
Beautiful...just beautiful!!
Awsome I have a model of that truck i hope to buy one when i grow up could you make anymore videos like this??
THAT IS SURE A NICE UNIT AND GREAT VIDEO
Awesome!!!!!! (I want to drive it!!!)
I can probably post that segment today.Stay tuned!
Does this truck have a 2-stroke engine? It "sounds like" a turbine scavenger pumps is used.
You hear the supercharger
Rember when driving this truck required an assistant to stand on the passenger running board when climbing old Hwy 41 up Mt Eagle Tn between Chattanooga and Manchester Tn. Scarry, to say the least, and topped out at 10 mph at the top with a full load.
Funny you say that . Most guys that know that are dead. When I was struggling with my 238 and a 3408 passed me I said Damn. I gotta get me one of those
Did anyone else notice the fan on the dash? No "stupid proofing"? I love it!
Just guessing, is that a 671 and also did some of the early smaller ones have a 453?thanks
Beautiful maroon paint
Man, that's a Cannonball all right. You know, so many of those old trucks looked right, & they sounded right. Heaven knows where we went wrong when I look at this SHIT we've got today!
WOW VERY NICE RIG,,WHO MADE THE TRAILER???DOES THAT SIDE EMBLEM SAY 50? THANKS FOR POSTING
Nice man with a beautiful truck .... Thank you for sharing .....
One question ... What is the attachment on the gearstick ?
That's called the range selector . It's a 5 spd transmission with 2 ranges thus 10 speeds total
Nice truck, like the double clutching.
Does this truck have the 10 speed Road Ranger transmission?
Road ranger 10 speed
We called them Bubble n'oses in the northeast.
And where do they call them bullnoses and snubnoses
Its not a 1954 GMC maybe a 1953. I have had four 1954 GMC COE's and two GMC 2ton.
They all have one piece windshield. The first yr with nice big one piece windshield.
Interesting how some trucks you need to double clutch, others you don't even need a clutch to shift.