Hey Dave, At 80, off the main road but still safely driving dump trucks locally, I read everything you write and show. What a business partner you'd a made with your knowledge, common sense and willingness to share good solid useful information. When you said, " Jack the bear" it brought back some great memories of some good guys I've worked with over the years. Thanks Dave, I hope your health is better than good. Jim
I was talking with a retired trucker (I live in Europe) - and here cabovers have been the standard in trucking pretty much. So he was telling me about stories that when he had to climb a steep hill with a heavy load, based on the sound of the engine he was somehow leaning towards the door, so that if a piston blew out, he would not get killed. Usually the engines were 6 cyls straight, and the engine was not mounted straight up, but oriented with the cylinders towards the driver somewhat. He had heard stories of pistons blowing through the cabin, so he was taking this precaution.
My grandfather owned a 1974 KW cabover, it had the classic paint stripe. Hauled steel, covered wagon trailer. He made a good living and retired in 1980 when deregulation came about.
The guy that taught me in 64 was 74 years old at the time and the way he told it we were well off with the fleet of old R model International Harvesters with an inline 6 gas engine and a five speed with a two speed differential. I was surprised at how much they could pull when one day I pulled a pole trailer stretched out to 90 feet with 98,000 pounds of structural steel on it. Good thing I only had to go a few miles with that load. In the late 60s I worked for a different company hauling steel with an Autocar that had a 250 Cummins and two four speeds, thirteen speed the hard way. The last truck I drove was a blue Pete with a 350 Cat and a 13 speed.
My FAVORITE was my '45 Mack EH;got it as a "toy" to restore but ended up workin' it pretty hard at local jobs,pulling a '74 Fruehauf 40 foot flatbed. Wasn't too fast,with the gas 354,but it never failed me and was a blast to drive-5speed Direct with a 3 speed Brownie with .74 Over top gear.Actually drove pretty nice on the road,if you don't mind a 55-60 mph cruise speed,maybe 70 down the longer Summits. Got LOTSA thumbs ups and honks in it.
Personally I don't think you can get any better than a Kenworth W900A with some nice air ride suspension, I don't like new trucks, they're not as well built as the old trucks.
+Smart-Trucking.com we still have grand pas old 49 needle nose with the cofin sleeper. its been in an old barn since he passed away in 64 needs a lot of work but its a project for when I retire.
The W9 was a dream machine. Kenworth just really paid attention to detail with those trucks from roominess to the little things like storage pockets on the doors. They catered to the customer. Western loggers could order trucks with raised exhaust systems. Just an all around gem of a truck.
im 39 and i've been driving for 16 years my oldest trucks i've driven were from 78 the year i was born i've driven cab overs and my favorites are the 90s era international cab overs i dont like the feel of the newer trucks i think some of them are too soft and floaty going down the road and the ergonomics inside the cab seem weird i like the instrument and gauge cluster to wrap around me when i'm behind the wheel and everything to be reachable easy my three favorite trucks are international kenworth and volvo mostly in volvo the globetrotters that you cannot get in north america i had one in the middle east and love it when i was contracting over there it was fast and had great pickup
My grandfather drove a 70'S U model mack (1977 I think) when he was youger in his thirties and hauled steel beams then he bought it when the company went out of business and now hes 64 and still drives it and hauls carnival rides. Hes been driving the same u modle mack all them years
Love the old cabovers. Learned to drive in a transtar Cabover with a 6V92 Detroit and a 10spd. Spring suspension. Air seat, power steering. No Jake. Not much torque but a lot of fun for a newbie 20yr old driver! If it saw a hill in the distance it would slow down. An older mentor told me the best way to drive the Detroit was to drive it like you're made at it. He also suggested slamming your left hand in the door before getting in it just to set the mood. Didn't want to slam right hand because you needed that hand to rip through the gears. Brings back good memories thinking about those old rigs. And those times in my life! It was a lot of fun
Thats all my dad drove were the old freightliner cabovers...they did have alot of mechinal issues my dad told me...yes they were noisy in the cab and it did shake the crap outta ya when you were on rough roads but he loved them
Nice to start up. I have started 10600 kg two axle nose Bedford, truck was older than me. No pover steering, 8,5 turns side to side on wheel, 4 gears no more synchrony left and two speed rear axle. There was written to dash that lover speed was pover gear and higher speed gear, with all that 106 hp I was not finding out there speed or pover. parking brake mechanic, driving brakes normal fluid with vacuum servo. On that 10600 kg total weight could take 7 m3 gravel, it was little over, but every time gone with that too, sometimes slover and many times even more slow. Clutch must adjust every day, because it was loosing adjust, could not lock it and when was old had adjust so many times, that was done self. Air was often in fuel and must make screws open and un air it, bad primary pump was making that air. It was not warm, not cold, was not reliable, only adjustment on seat was that you have seat or not. Some earlier driver had welded 5 cm high box under right foot so could have foot little better position to gas. Way to drive with that was not long, about 2 to 4 km one way. Was good school to young guy.
One of my first trucks was the Int Transstar 2 318 Detroit 13 speed . Really likes it except f or sweating your butt off in the summer and hearing loss lol. Keep up the good work Dave I really enjoy your channel. Take care
in 1973 my buddy and I bought brand new 4070a transtars man compared to what I had been driving 335 Cummins 13 speed power steering that almost killed till I got used to the fact that it did not return to center on its own you had to turn it back butt dam it was nice not killing yourself getting into a tight dock . the bus that I am converting to a motor him has 318 and 4 speed spice crash box had to remember how to drive the dam thing slam your hand in the get good and mad lay foot flat on floor and leave it there grumpy old man with a bus
I love these videos I never owned a truck except for on my game, but great information for me I dream to own a truck and I learnt alot from this channel.
My first brand new truck 4070a transtar had all the things in that I had never had before 335 Cummins with a Jake brake 13 speed power steering and Ac the only freightliner I ever had that made me money i spent as much time under it with a wrench my hand as I did drivingit
Twin stick shifting. I can't believe they put that in a 81 model instead of a 13 speed. The 13 speed was a god send of the trucking world. If anyone knows what year it came out I would love to know.
yeah. i learned how to drive on a 83 freightliner cabover 350 cummins 15spds manual steering was very rough ride but it had a/c 👍 i drove many models over the years but my all time favorite to this day remains a w900l kw with a cat and 18spds cadillac of trucks!
first truck I drove was a 1984 GMC 5 ton flatdeck with a 350 gas and a 5 and 2. I thought I was really trucking. Put any more than 100 lbs on the deck and the top speed was 25km/h. It had a hi ab crane on it, so got to learn how to run that. It worked, so it gave me the first taste of trucking.
I have never been a truck driver, but I have been fascinated by trucks since I was a kid. I found it interesting what you said about the White Freightliner cabover. I distinctly remember in the 1970s and early 1980s in the USA, I would estimate that something like 60% of the trucks I saw on the road were White Freightliner cabovers. They were extremely common. Hearing what you said, I wonder how many of the drivers were cursing about having to drive them. Now, cabovers are all but extinct, except for the occasional 25+ year old relic.
My ol man had 74 f model mack, if the cab wouldn’t have rotted out that son of a gun would still be rolling. Super reliable and would start right up in the winter
Put today's "supertruckers" in one of these old trucks-- say a cabover with twin sticks and Cummins and they wouldn't know whether to shit or go blind...
My father drove an '81 KW W900. Said it was the best truck he ever drove. Lord, you should have seen the smile on his face when he found that truck sitting in a fire station (it had been sold and converted into a water truck). He told me when I expressed interest in becoming a truck driver, "I will buy you that old '81 i drove if its on the market. I'd rather have you in some old rig where you could fix it yourself rather than some foreign piece of plastic where everything is a fucking computer. Plus, I don't want you becoming one of those pantywaist drivers who don't know how to shift a manual. I use an automatic because thats what the company has for its trucks." My father is one of a dying breed of truckers. I hope I can be half the trucker he is.
You sir have drove some badass trucks in your day. I’m stuck here driving a Freightliner Columbia 06’ model. Very reliable truck, nothing fancy just gets the job though.
Part of what I liked best about driving were the cool rides. I still look forward to the annual Shell Calendar and my issues of Large Car magazine. Dave
True. They had the lo-lo and direct + reverse. Had the same setup with air shift. Drove them both. 12 speed was different but either had the lo-lo on the dash or a separate lever and just worked in 1st. Never drove a triplex but duplex and quads in 673's and 711's in DM's and B-models.
Seems like an older Mack wrench man said they'd only go 80% of rated. I know you could turn them up to specs and they'd scoot. I drove an old steel hooded DM with a 237 and if it would've had a 12 speed it would run with a 290. EASY. It'd do it anyway except for the last gear. It needed a half step.
I started doing this almost as early as you. My first job I drove a 1974 Ford WT 9000 cabover. Not a very good truck. That truck would give you whiplash it was horrible to drive.
My first paying truck was a 85 Freightshaker with a 300 Cummins and a 9 speed. Spring suspension, No Jake and running the lower 48, ya wanna have stained drawers, take something like that down a 9% grade for 9 miles with 78700 gross. Snow at the top and Summer below.
Your first truck with the 8V71 Detroit. Do you recall the MPG you got with that? I know that wasn't real important back then. I only ask because I'm looking at a Clean 79 GMC cabover with an 8V92T and 13 speed. I pull 53ft van with only 8-9000 lbs cargo weight. Trying to figure out there's any way of getting 6 mpg @ 65 mph from OKC to Amarillo and back. Current owner swears 7 mpg. But I can't see that being possible. Any help would be appreciated. Excellent video. Thanks
I'd love to drive and own my own gmc general one of these days even with the stress of ownership and business they are such an awesome and rare truck these days I know I wouldn't be able to help but smile driving one. Tho I'd rather a 12v71ta detroit and eaton super 18 vs a silver 8v92 just for pure awesomeness and bragging rights. might be crazy but ya only live once and if that makes ya happy at work even making average money it's better then making big money at a job you hate cause your happy to go to work and happy to be home
The new trucks may be more comfortable & drive easier, but I’m a 47yr. Ol’gal who is getting her friends ‘49 International LF log truck I get to tear-apart & restore, but when I’m done, I’m gonna enjoy drivin’ this Rig with a Cat 550, a Banks power-pack & fuel-injection performance kit, then after getting an intercooler & hybrid turbo, I want to run twin exhaust side-pipes instead of smoke-stacks, re-do all the electrical, the gauges, stereo, windows, interior & rebuild the 2-spd. rear-end(370), lengthen the wheelbase to 300” and reinforce-it, move the fuel tanks out from under the cab & put them along the frame behind the cab, then add battery boxes under the cab & add some utility boxes in-front of the rear fenders before fixing the dent in the L. Front fender and adding a new International truck yellow paint and red, black & white for pin-striping.... theres several more things the truck will still need too, but it will be nice to breathe new life back in-to this poor truck I’ve had to watch rusting in the grass sense 1990.
So far the oldest rig I've driven is a 1994 Kenworth T600 "Anteater" with a big cam Cummins and an Eaton Super 10. It had 1.3 million miles, and boy did it show!
I used to work for a concrete company 19 years ago every truck was a an R model Mack we must have owned just under 200 trucks mostly cement mixers and a handful of dump trucks. They did have a few B model Macks kicking around but they were mostly yard trucks used to move trailers around the precast yard and dump trucks that were used to move sand and stone from the quarry to the wash or batch house most of the new hires working on getting a CDL started in the B Macks then moved to the R's once they got their Class B or A. Today all the B Macks are gone most of the R Macks are gone with exception of dump trucks retired to yard jobs. The cement mixers all replaced with Oshkosh fount end discharge mixers.
I used to drive an R Model Mack with a 5 speed and a splitter that you could use all the way up= 10 speed. It also had a deep reduction lever on the dash that I would use if starting in mud with a full load. It would always grind when shifting up or down. I never did figure out how to shift that lever smoothly. Is there anybody out there who knows the secret of using that deep reduction shifter lever?
My 1978 Pete 2 axl co with KT600 you could set a cup of coffee on the dash never spill a drop but it was a 2 axl I found you couldn't get a 3 axl semi to even compare on ride because you didn't have to run around with 12 k on the steering to be legal with 20 k per axle overweight wasn't a issue in over 41 yrs trucking I got 1 over axle ticket on a walmart semi in Tehachapi California and I had a cat scale ticket showing me legal and I rechecked the weight in the yard to see if it shifted and my weights we're no more than 30 lb different so they will write you no matter legal or not so watch out its all about revenue
Tough call. I drove a 1979 W900 A I really liked, except for the turning radius. I drove a 1980 Western Star for a couple years I also really liked. Had a beautiful interior, and the 379 I've got now has been a great truck. Dave
Oh god freightshaker sorry what a pile of junk I know I drove a few White Freightliners in my day my Dad had one the last "White" Freightliner the only good thing was the power train 3406A Cat 380hp RTO12513 13spd my bro old White Freightliner was cut down single by a idiot not my but the former owner of that truck so it was rough a little 270 Cummins and standard steering smh best thing my bro Bill and dad did was sold same here when I sold my Freightliner to
Yep the trick was to keep it rolling. Only thing you had to watch out for with manual steering was if you had a tight back in. You could be moving so slow that you could sometimes have the steering wheel kick back and hopefully it wouldn't catch your fingers, cause if it did it could damn near break your fingers.
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Hey Dave, At 80, off the main road but still safely driving dump trucks locally, I read everything you write and show. What a business partner you'd a made with your knowledge, common sense and willingness to share good solid useful information. When you said, " Jack the bear" it brought back some great memories of some good guys I've worked with over the years. Thanks Dave, I hope your health is better than good. Jim
Hey, thank you Jim! doing well, hope you are the same! Dave
I miss old trucks since they were loud sexy and one of a kind
Yup, that's what I like about them. Big, powerful and cool to look at! Dave
I was talking with a retired trucker (I live in Europe) - and here cabovers have been the standard in trucking pretty much. So he was telling me about stories that when he had to climb a steep hill with a heavy load, based on the sound of the engine he was somehow leaning towards the door, so that if a piston blew out, he would not get killed. Usually the engines were 6 cyls straight, and the engine was not mounted straight up, but oriented with the cylinders towards the driver somewhat. He had heard stories of pistons blowing through the cabin, so he was taking this precaution.
That's a new one for me, hadn't ever heard that about european cabovers. Thanks! Dave
Bet it wasn't a Scania V-8!
My grandfather owned a 1974 KW cabover, it had the classic paint stripe. Hauled steel, covered wagon trailer. He made a good living and retired in 1980 when deregulation came about.
+Phil C. Your grandfather had good timing. Dave
The guy that taught me in 64 was 74 years old at the time and the way he told it we were well off with the fleet of old R model International Harvesters with an inline 6 gas engine and a five speed with a two speed differential. I was surprised at how much they could pull when one day I pulled a pole trailer stretched out to 90 feet with 98,000 pounds of structural steel on it. Good thing I only had to go a few miles with that load. In the late 60s I worked for a different company hauling steel with an Autocar that had a 250 Cummins and two four speeds, thirteen speed the hard way. The last truck I drove was a blue Pete with a 350 Cat and a 13 speed.
Doug Fever you earned every dollar you got they don't make drivers like you anymore I commend you
My FAVORITE was my '45 Mack EH;got it as a "toy" to restore but ended up workin' it pretty hard at local jobs,pulling a '74 Fruehauf 40 foot flatbed. Wasn't too fast,with the gas 354,but it never failed me and was a blast to drive-5speed Direct with a 3 speed Brownie with .74 Over top gear.Actually drove pretty nice on the road,if you don't mind a 55-60 mph cruise speed,maybe 70 down the longer Summits. Got LOTSA thumbs ups and honks in it.
NICE truck! Dave
Personally I don't think you can get any better than a Kenworth W900A with some nice air ride suspension, I don't like new trucks, they're not as well built as the old trucks.
I have to say I totally agree with you....also one of my fav trucks.... love the lines of the W9A... old school!:)
+Smart-Trucking.com
we still have grand pas old 49 needle nose with the cofin sleeper.
its been in an old barn since he passed away in 64 needs a lot of work but its a project for when I retire.
The W9 was a dream machine. Kenworth just really paid attention to detail with those trucks from roominess to the little things like storage pockets on the doors. They catered to the customer. Western loggers could order trucks with raised exhaust systems. Just an all around gem of a truck.
i think trucks went to hell after 2007 i just don't like the new ones and i really hate freightliner
Jacob Dean I drive a 1996 KW T800 wheeler dump love that old girl she runs like a champ
im 39 and i've been driving for 16 years my oldest trucks i've driven were from 78 the year i was born i've driven cab overs and my favorites are the 90s era international cab overs i dont like the feel of the newer trucks i think some of them are too soft and floaty going down the road and the ergonomics inside the cab seem weird i like the instrument and gauge cluster to wrap around me when i'm behind the wheel and everything to be reachable easy my three favorite trucks are international kenworth and volvo mostly in volvo the globetrotters that you cannot get in north america i had one in the middle east and love it when i was contracting over there it was fast and had great pickup
My grandfather drove a 70'S U model mack (1977 I think) when he was youger in his thirties and hauled steel beams then he bought it when the company went out of business and now hes 64 and still drives it and hauls carnival rides. Hes been driving the same u modle mack all them years
Cab over Pete with a reefer on in a Jimmy hauling hogs... now where have I heard that before!!
chickey333 10-4
started in transtar 2. 13 speed,350 cumapart,pulling bullwagon.19years old.this brought back good memories.
Love the old cabovers. Learned to drive in a transtar Cabover with a 6V92 Detroit and a 10spd. Spring suspension. Air seat, power steering. No Jake. Not much torque but a lot of fun for a newbie 20yr old driver! If it saw a hill in the distance it would slow down. An older mentor told me the best way to drive the Detroit was to drive it like you're made at it. He also suggested slamming your left hand in the door before getting in it just to set the mood. Didn't want to slam right hand because you needed that hand to rip through the gears. Brings back good memories thinking about those old rigs. And those times in my life! It was a lot of fun
Gotta love the rubber blocks. Drove a W900B with a manure spreader box. Bouncing through the fields getting passed by the western star with air ride
Thats all my dad drove were the old freightliner cabovers...they did have alot of mechinal issues my dad told me...yes they were noisy in the cab and it did shake the crap outta ya when you were on rough roads but he loved them
My dad started in the mid to late 50's
I think it would be cool to own a classic cab over. Even if its just decoration in my front yard.
Would be cool! Dave
R model Mack's still running to this day
#MackPower
#MackTrucks
#MacksAreTheBestOffRoad
Nice to start up. I have started 10600 kg two axle nose Bedford, truck was older than me. No pover steering, 8,5 turns side to side on wheel, 4 gears no more synchrony left and two speed rear axle. There was written to dash that lover speed was pover gear and higher speed gear, with all that 106 hp I was not finding out there speed or pover. parking brake mechanic, driving brakes normal fluid with vacuum servo. On that 10600 kg total weight could take 7 m3 gravel, it was little over, but every time gone with that too, sometimes slover and many times even more slow. Clutch must adjust every day, because it was loosing adjust, could not lock it and when was old had adjust so many times, that was done self. Air was often in fuel and must make screws open and un air it, bad primary pump was making that air. It was not warm, not cold, was not reliable, only adjustment on seat was that you have seat or not. Some earlier driver had welded 5 cm high box under right foot so could have foot little better position to gas. Way to drive with that was not long, about 2 to 4 km one way. Was good school to young guy.
One of my first trucks was the Int Transstar 2 318 Detroit 13 speed . Really likes it except f or sweating your butt off in the summer and hearing loss lol. Keep up the good work Dave I really enjoy your channel. Take care
You too Greg, thanks! Did that truck leak oil like a bastard? The one I drove did. Dave
in 1973 my buddy and I bought brand new 4070a transtars man compared to what I had been driving 335 Cummins 13 speed power steering that almost killed till I got used to
the fact that it did not return to center on its own you had to turn it back butt dam it was nice
not killing yourself getting into a tight dock . the bus that I am converting to a motor him has
318 and 4 speed spice crash box had to remember how to drive the dam thing slam your hand in the get good and mad lay foot flat on floor and leave it there
grumpy old man with a bus
I love these videos I never owned a truck except for on my game, but great information for me I dream to own a truck and I learnt alot from this channel.
My first brand new truck 4070a transtar had all the things in that I had never had before 335 Cummins with a Jake brake 13 speed power steering and Ac the only freightliner I ever had that made me money i spent as much time under it with a wrench my hand as I did drivingit
Freightliner with electrical issues!? Surely you jest! LOL! ...They're horrible!
ive got an 89 379 Pete 3406b motor with an Eaton 13 speed and i love that truck! except it don't have air ride on the cab
Kenworth W900A Can't beat that
The Kenworth T980 is such a good looking truck. I hope to own one eventually
Twin stick shifting. I can't believe they put that in a 81 model instead of a 13 speed. The 13 speed was a god send of the trucking world. If anyone knows what year it came out I would love to know.
We had a RTO95-13 in a 67 freightliner cabover.... so quite a while ago
yeah. i learned how to drive on a 83 freightliner cabover 350 cummins 15spds manual steering was very rough ride but it had a/c 👍
i drove many models over the years but my all time favorite to this day remains a w900l kw with a cat and 18spds cadillac of trucks!
I like how they saw you had seniority snd gave you a better truck from the Mack.
first truck I drove was a 1984 GMC 5 ton flatdeck with a 350 gas and a 5 and 2. I thought I was really trucking. Put any more than 100 lbs on the deck and the top speed was 25km/h. It had a hi ab crane on it, so got to learn how to run that. It worked, so it gave me the first taste of trucking.
I have never been a truck driver, but I have been fascinated by trucks since I was a kid. I found it interesting what you said about the White Freightliner cabover. I distinctly remember in the 1970s and early 1980s in the USA, I would estimate that something like 60% of the trucks I saw on the road were White Freightliner cabovers. They were extremely common. Hearing what you said, I wonder how many of the drivers were cursing about having to drive them.
Now, cabovers are all but extinct, except for the occasional 25+ year old relic.
My ol man had 74 f model mack, if the cab wouldn’t have rotted out that son of a gun would still be rolling. Super reliable and would start right up in the winter
Yeah, they built good solid trucks!
1973 Dodge tri axle dump truck. 318 Detroit and a 13 speed. No air conditioning but it did have power steering
Thanks for this video, Ive been always partial to the cabover look on trucks.
I loved the kenworth ,!
Put today's "supertruckers" in one of these old trucks-- say a cabover with twin sticks and Cummins and they wouldn't know whether to shit or go blind...
No doubt! Dave
My father drove an '81 KW W900. Said it was the best truck he ever drove. Lord, you should have seen the smile on his face when he found that truck sitting in a fire station (it had been sold and converted into a water truck). He told me when I expressed interest in becoming a truck driver, "I will buy you that old '81 i drove if its on the market. I'd rather have you in some old rig where you could fix it yourself rather than some foreign piece of plastic where everything is a fucking computer. Plus, I don't want you becoming one of those pantywaist drivers who don't know how to shift a manual. I use an automatic because thats what the company has for its trucks." My father is one of a dying breed of truckers. I hope I can be half the trucker he is.
You sir have drove some badass trucks in your day. I’m stuck here driving a Freightliner Columbia 06’ model. Very reliable truck, nothing fancy just gets the job though.
Part of what I liked best about driving were the cool rides. I still look forward to the annual Shell Calendar and my issues of Large Car magazine. Dave
drove a lot of macks never seen one with a 3 speed axillary behind a five speed with maxadyne
True. They had the lo-lo and direct + reverse. Had the same setup with air shift. Drove them both. 12 speed was different but either had the lo-lo on the dash or a separate lever and just worked in 1st. Never drove a triplex but duplex and quads in 673's and 711's in DM's and B-models.
Seems like an older Mack wrench man said they'd only go 80% of rated. I know you could turn them up to specs and they'd scoot. I drove an old steel hooded DM with a 237 and if it would've had a 12 speed it would run with a 290. EASY. It'd do it anyway except for the last gear. It needed a half step.
I started doing this almost as early as you. My first job I drove a 1974 Ford WT 9000 cabover. Not a very good truck. That truck would give you whiplash it was horrible to drive.
My first paying truck was a 85 Freightshaker with a 300 Cummins and a 9 speed.
Spring suspension, No Jake and running the lower 48, ya wanna have stained drawers, take something like that down a 9% grade for 9 miles with 78700 gross.
Snow at the top and Summer below.
I agree with Dave. New ones are so nice and so much more quiet. Oldest one I drove was a 1960 KW 4 and 3. Drove lots of cabover Freightshakers.
Yes, thank you for the memories because I wasn't even born in 1983.. :)
Wow ! I cut my teeth on a 79 R model dam i miss that truck
Your first truck with the 8V71 Detroit. Do you recall the MPG you got with that? I know that wasn't real important back then. I only ask because I'm looking at a Clean 79 GMC cabover with an 8V92T and 13 speed. I pull 53ft van with only 8-9000 lbs cargo weight. Trying to figure out there's any way of getting 6 mpg @ 65 mph from OKC to Amarillo and back. Current owner swears 7 mpg. But I can't see that being possible. Any help would be appreciated. Excellent video. Thanks
Would you rather have rubber block or leaf spring rear suspension on a truck?
Why no picture of the narrow cab truck?
I'd love to drive and own my own gmc general one of these days even with the stress of ownership and business they are such an awesome and rare truck these days I know I wouldn't be able to help but smile driving one. Tho I'd rather a 12v71ta detroit and eaton super 18 vs a silver 8v92 just for pure awesomeness and bragging rights. might be crazy but ya only live once and if that makes ya happy at work even making average money it's better then making big money at a job you hate cause your happy to go to work and happy to be home
Knew a guy that had a General with an 8V-92 that'd scorch the ground. Also run the 12-V's in equipment. MERCY what a power plant!
Exactly so you combine the general with the 12v71ta you got yourself an epic machine ;)
A 12-V is a class act by itself. If you ever get it put together it'd be WORTH something. To see AND hear!
Yes it would be, hopefully maybe some day that dream will come true :)
IF it ever happens do NOT forget ME, PL E A S E!!!
Cab overs suck your the first to the scene of the accident. Death traps!
Awesome video.
Thanks! Dave
Freightshakers have electrical issues......you don't say? 😂😂
Did you ever get to drive a GMC Astro? Loved the sound of the Detroits that powered them.
+Torsee No, never did drive an Astro. I do recall a friend of mine who did and he said they had glass down to your knees. [ Big windshields] Dave
+Torsee 2 story corvair
telephone booth
OLd trucking buddy called them All glass/no class.
What's he talking about!
A decked out one hand the finest couch looking interior the 70's could dream up! Ha Ha
Thanks for the comment.
Nice video! Thank you. Why did they continue to buy the Macks with the 5x3 transmissions?
Got me. Dave
You didn't show a pic of the 1980 western star 😢😢😢
You know, I've got picks of that thing and do you think I can find them? Dave
"It pulled like Jack the Bear."
Canadian fairy tale?
Canadian expression!
the first truck i ever drove was a cab over Mack 700 with a 5&3 and dang near broke my arm trying to shift those to sticks ehhh
Don't like cab-overs! If there's a wreck you're the first one there.
The new trucks may be more comfortable & drive easier, but I’m a 47yr. Ol’gal who is getting her friends ‘49 International LF log truck I get to tear-apart & restore, but when I’m done, I’m gonna enjoy drivin’ this Rig with a Cat 550, a Banks power-pack & fuel-injection performance kit, then after getting an intercooler & hybrid turbo, I want to run twin exhaust side-pipes instead of smoke-stacks, re-do all the electrical, the gauges, stereo, windows, interior & rebuild the 2-spd. rear-end(370), lengthen the wheelbase to 300” and reinforce-it, move the fuel tanks out from under the cab & put them along the frame behind the cab, then add battery boxes under the cab & add some utility boxes in-front of the rear fenders before fixing the dent in the L. Front fender and adding a new International truck yellow paint and red, black & white for pin-striping.... theres several more things the truck will still need too, but it will be nice to breathe new life back in-to this poor truck I’ve had to watch rusting in the grass sense 1990.
So far the oldest rig I've driven is a 1994 Kenworth T600 "Anteater" with a big cam Cummins and an Eaton Super 10. It had 1.3 million miles, and boy did it show!
old,good big rigs
Can you still use these trucks for work? If I ever become a trucker I want a older truck. Well I would one
Sure you can, anywhere but California. Dave
You can use them, but they get less fuel milage than the newer trucks. Today that's a hard financial hit to take .
Was it a good screamer lol
I used to work for a concrete company 19 years ago every truck was a an R model Mack we must have owned just under 200 trucks mostly cement mixers and a handful of dump trucks. They did have a few B model Macks kicking around but they were mostly yard trucks used to move trailers around the precast yard and dump trucks that were used to move sand and stone from the quarry to the wash or batch house most of the new hires working on getting a CDL started in the B Macks then moved to the R's once they got their Class B or A. Today all the B Macks are gone most of the R Macks are gone with exception of dump trucks retired to yard jobs. The cement mixers all replaced with Oshkosh fount end discharge mixers.
1983--- no pic of the western star?
I used to drive an R Model Mack with a 5 speed and a splitter that you could use all the way up= 10 speed. It also had a deep reduction lever on the dash that I would use if starting in mud with a full load. It would always grind when shifting up or down. I never did figure out how to shift that lever smoothly. Is there anybody out there who knows the secret of using that deep reduction shifter lever?
Good Question! I never figured it out. I just left it in the gear I selected until I got out of the mud, then stopped and shifted out of deep. Dave
Just what I thought. Nobody knows. Too bad. I hate grinding....
My 1978 Pete 2 axl co with KT600 you could set a cup of coffee on the dash never spill a drop but it was a 2 axl I found you couldn't get a 3 axl semi to even compare on ride because you didn't have to run around with 12 k on the steering to be legal with 20 k per axle overweight wasn't a issue in over 41 yrs trucking I got 1 over axle ticket on a walmart semi in Tehachapi California and I had a cat scale ticket showing me legal and I rechecked the weight in the yard to see if it shifted and my weights we're no more than 30 lb different so they will write you no matter legal or not so watch out its all about revenue
Yup, safety's got nothing to do with it. It is all about revenue! Dave
What is you favorite truck you drove in you career.
Tough call. I drove a 1979 W900 A I really liked, except for the turning radius. I drove a 1980 Western Star for a couple years I also really liked. Had a beautiful interior, and the 379 I've got now has been a great truck. Dave
not any worse than a 74 auto car. that old detroit took it anywhere
Yes Astros this 318s HD a bad time theyed run away.and blow up
Oh god freightshaker sorry what a pile of junk I know I drove a few White Freightliners in my day my Dad had one the last "White" Freightliner the only good thing was the power train 3406A Cat 380hp RTO12513 13spd my bro old White Freightliner was cut down single by a idiot not my but the former owner of that truck so it was rough a little 270 Cummins and standard steering smh best thing my bro Bill and dad did was sold same here when I sold my Freightliner to
Why are cabovers cold?
Cause they cheaped out on insulation back then and the heaters sucked. Dave
Moto Rad poor design of the blower motor and fan not large enough to force enough hot air where is needed
"Awesome."
a-c was requried in that time
How would drive a huge truck like that without power steering
The secret was to always be rolling when you were turning. Made it easier. Dave
Yep the trick was to keep it rolling. Only thing you had to watch out for with manual steering was if you had a tight back in. You could be moving so slow that you could sometimes have the steering wheel kick back and hopefully it wouldn't catch your fingers, cause if it did it could damn near break your fingers.
No picture of the western star? Maybe a little over exaggeration on how "small" it is? 🤔🤥
Nope, it was narrow as hell but I liked it. Got a picture of it somewhere.
make mine a "B" Mack, please
or
anything without a screamin' Detroit
The newer trucks are better, wish I could say the same about the drivers.
Those kenworths an peterbilts only last 10 years or less.