Today we are bringing you our brand new Big ?'s About Big Rigs series, featuring the first episode of "Where did the Cabovers Go?" In this series we will answer some of the biggest, most burning questions about all types of trucks as well as the industry in general. Hope you all enjoy!
VIDEO HERE (9 minutes)
I've seen this before but never noticed the fleet of log trucks, including a four log load leaving the yard, at 1:15 and the Safeway truck at 1:40. Cool!
ReplyDeleteMy late brother had a 70's model Ford cabover semi tractor with a Detroit motor. Truckers affectionately called it a "Drip Troit." One of my brother's friends said if you hung a picture of the truck on the wall, you'd have to put a five gallon bucket under it to catch the oil.
ReplyDeleteI drove it one from WNC down and back, to Augusta Georgia with a load of Christmas trees. Thankfully, it had a stake body dump bed on it.
I drove an old Cornbinder water truck that had an 8V-71 Detroit in it. It leaked like that. I used to pack a big piece of cardboard with me that I'd put under the engine while I'd be loading the truck at the water hole. If I hadn't done that there'd be a pint of oil on the ground every load right next to a water source, which was no bueno. I'd take the cardboard home every week and burn it, and take a fresh piece with me on Sunday for the next week.
DeleteFunny story about that truck. When it was running at 1700 rpm while it was drafting a load it smoked like a freight train. One of my water holes was about 1/4 mile down the hill from the main haul road and one day when one of the log haulers, who was not exactly the sharpest tools in the shed, looked down the hill at the smoke cloud he got on the CB and started screaming "FIRE! FIRE!"
After a little bit when I had quit laughing enough to say something I got on the radio and said "It's okay Bob. It's just me down here with my Detroit powered water truck."
Everybody got a hearty chuckle out of that one. Except Bob.
My brother's truck also had a stake body trailer with it that had a set of turning wheels on the front too. It was a cast iron bitch to back up. Had to forget everything you thought you knew about backing a trailer.
DeleteIt used to be a cattle truck and trailer.
I learned long distance trucking in a '68 cabover with a 327 Detroit and 13 speed transmission in back the '70s. Breaker 19.
DeleteWe had a four wheel trailer on the farm. Mostly they got used for hauling hay. I've heard rumors of people who were able to back these up. The trick was never to pull into some place that you couldn't pull out of. If you have to back it up, you're screwed. I think there were a couple of times we ended up unhitching it and pushing it by hand. Makes you think ahead.
DeleteNice video.
ReplyDeleteCabovers are nice to navigate around, but the ride.
Murder.
Where have the double trailer rigs gone? Why?
ReplyDeleteWanna hear my latest theory? There's some kind of big military project going on on the far side of the world, something that requires a thousand trucks hauling a thousand loads a thousand miles. Every day. For a month. Anyway, that's where all the truck drivers went. They got called away into emergency government service. Proof? You want proof? Ah, wait just a minutes, oh! I hear my momma calling, I gotta go.
Delete> Where have the double trailer rigs gone?
DeleteUPS operates plenty of doubles and triples (mostly triples, with short trailers), at least out west.
I believe a grocer in New York called Wegmans operates double 53 footers, but only on the thruway (i90 toll road).
DeleteIn the late 70's till about 1990 Dad had a 53 Mack Thermodine Cab-over with 4-3 transmission and hi/lo shifter on the farm. It had the diesel V-8 that needed a rebuild when we got it. Dad basically got the truck for free and spent about $2500 on parts and machine work to rebuild the engine. I had a farm driver's license at 15 that restricted me from driving farm vehicles at night or on interstate roads. It turned into a Class A CDL when I turned 18. I lost count on how many time I got pulled over in the Mack where a cop spent a half hour to confirm a teenager could drive a tractor trailer legally.
ReplyDeleteI had a 1970 KW cabover that was the most comfortable truck I ever drove.
ReplyDeleteThe ride, however..........
Mattie's voice makes me want to tear my ears off.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who felt that way.
DeleteWhat Blackdog said...I could put the IH9700 bus and a 53' trailer in some...interesting...places...
ReplyDeleteRide in that one wasn't bad - but laying down to change clothes gets old after the first 30,000 miles or so.....
Did you notice the gas pump at $2.70 for 7 gallons, or 36¢ per gallon.
ReplyDeleteGeek
Huh, Had no idea cabovers were the result of fed regulations. But then, why am I not surprised?
ReplyDeleteAs with everything it always comes down to regulations, good or bad. Because we allowed it to happen every aspect of our lives are regulated anymore, and they keep wanting yet more. I've driven all sorts, from needle nose Petercars to cabovers of all brands, racking up over 3.5 million before I quit counting, and then driving off and on for another half million . Not counting the cars, pickups (24) and 7 motorcycles I wore out. Can't say any of them actually rode any worse than any others, but when you're riding on a suspension of rubber biscuits, ain't nothing going to be comfy. Countless Conventional KW's and at least 10 years driving mixer sticks (5 & 4 gearboxes). By far though, the absolute worse riding truck I've ever been in was an old fifty something Diamond Reo with a snorting 220 cummins and a ten speed. Pulling everything from boxes, flats, tankers, to stretched flats all the way through 11 axle lowboys. Theres a reason I only go to town once a week anymore. It involves driving.
ReplyDelete