So its a miserable -20F tonight in MN and I am honestly looking forward to going back to work tomorrow ive been so cooped up.. Got me browsing tractors today. Just for fun. Someday I would like to buy an 80's Mack Superliner as a nonsense restoration project. Same way some guys have a muscle car or something. Just for fun, if you could build a drivetrain from the 80's/90s - all mechanical - no computers - what would you pick out? Engine/transmission/rear axle ratio. I know the Mack E9 has a following, but I read that parts are getting harder to come by. What other engines were popular for muscle in that era?
I just had the same conversation with a buddy of mine, he has an interest in an E9, but given the price of parts, I think we came around to a C15 in a superdog. One of My customers just put an Airliner cutoff in his Superliner, with a 12 speed, and a 350 mack engine. The 400 mack engines run pretty well also as I understand.
There's only one option here in my eyes a 3408 with a 18 speed never late with a 08
I’ve read about the 3408. Never driven anything with one that I can recall. I’ve seen some stuff about them breaking crankshafts. Probably would be less of a concern on a truck I would baby as opposed to beat the snot out of daily.
You're right on one thing. "Never late with a \8/", but I'd pick what's arguably the best truck engine ever built, the Scania V-8 as fitted to the 80s/90s 143M. And conicidentally still going strong 30 years later in the R-Series but now with up to 770HP.
A Scania that just wouldn't be right in a American truck tho expressly a super pup
There is only one right answer here.........Detroit 8V71TT
I too, am a fan of the Superliner. I don’t think you could make one any prettier than this. I’d want a KTA 1150 Cummins in it. I’ve been around a few ag tractors powered by them, and they are beasts.
That is a beautiful truck. I love the color too.
Hold on a mo'........... Based on the OP's criteria - "Just for fun, if you could build a drivetrain from the 80's/90s - all mechanical - no computers - what would you pick out? Engine/transmission/rear axle ratio." I must have missed the bit where it said the project had to be built on an American truck chassis.......
I thought we were basing it on a Superliner, Some eye candy, Turn the speakers up!
Already building it. 3406 PCTA (would have put a 1693 in if I could find one), 15 speed Eaton (horseshoe shift pattern) and a single 3.73 Rockwell on Freightliner air ride.
You forget to Americans the only trucks that exist have long noses and am have an american flag on the vin tag 86 w900 kw with a 3406 b set at 475 to 500 with a 5 and a 4 twin stick because air shifts are for wannabes tho a 3408 might be the ticket
The KTA/3408 power is way to expensive, $45,000 to rebuild. Plus too heavy-yeah those engines had power but the net load was a loss. If a air charge cooler can be installed the N14 manual STC engine is the one to build with two piece ceramic pistons. A guy who lived near by in Milton Freewater Ore. had a Pete 379 with one that pushed 755 on the dyno. Gayle the guy I work with in the shop had several 3408's, removed the last one some years back and installed a C15. Gayle said several times his 3408 couldn't run with Donny Luisi's N14 even on it's best day. Donny passed away two years ago.
Sorry I ASS umed
well, we have to remember that there is more to the world than north america
Allied to the small issue that in general terms pretty much no-one else in the rest of the world wants them........
Maybe Australia ?
I like the superliners, but not exclusively. Plenty of other cool old trucks out there. I started this to see what people who have maybe actually driven and owned some of these engines like. I certainly don't mind seeing some trucks from across the pond. I actually wouldn't mind driving something like that Scania for a day. Maybe on a closed course if its right hand drive and a manual
I'd never really looked at the 3406 much. I wonder if I could get one of those under the hood of my F-800. haha The looks easier to come by than the 08 But no V8 roar. Can you put a jake on an 06?
They do manufacture RHD trucks down there specifically for the Australian market, usually for road trains AFAIK. Out of curiosity I took a look at the most recent annual sales figures available that were for 2019. Couldn't find any figures for 2020, maybe they have not been released yet. Not looking good - Freightliner down 32%, Western Star down 22%, Kenworth down 20%, Mack down 8%. In contrast - Volvo up 5%, Scania up 28%. Hmmmmmmm.........
Cab overs are great for maneuverability but not so nice for getting in and out of.
One thing worth mentioning is that the Cat 3408 somewhat morphed into on-highway applications. It was always intended to be more of an earthmoving machine, marine, genset, or industrial engine. And yes it was very heavy. The Scania on the other hand was designed from the outset to be an on-hghway engine so it's nowhere near the weight of a 3408. It's not used for anything else. I know I have posted this video before, but the exhaust is music. Also you can see why conventionals would not be the favourite when the roads are as narrow as this. You'd never be able to get turned.
You've not tried the latest generation then.
I'm sure they're better than the old ones you had to climb up and contort your body to get in and out. Met a couple truck drivers that were almost crippled from driving older cab overs most of their career.
Andy1845c, if you have some time and bandwidth to spare have a look at deboss garage and adept ape on YouTube. That Scania v8 in a r model would be cool.
3406A I don't believe had a factory jake option, just hydraulic retarder. 3406B and up did though I believe.
12v71N running N-70’s or 75’s with a RTO12513. Or maybe a HT-740 Allison, even better.
OK that truck sounds sweet. The video is giving me flashbacks to driving around Ireland with those narrow roads! Way too used to my wide open American midwest.... I just briefly googled the opticruise gear box - does it make horrible noises when it shifts or does the video make them sound worse? Seriously thanks for sharing that.
I'm young(ish) (37). I never have got a chance to drive a cab over. I sat in one once and found the way the shifter kinda stuck out the side of the doghouse to be interesting. I've never driven OTR, only local/vocational and around here the only COEs I really see have been retired to farm use hauling grain in the fall.
. This bit of road takes me away back. I used to do a lot of work straightening corners and widening the road, looks like a good hiway now. I was operating a new Hitachi UH07 in them days. That road is the only route for oversize loads and hadazious chemicals to and from the port. Durhams Heavy Haulage from Christchurch would regularly come up there with their Superliner barking all the way. That truck is still in use today
Single axle RV toter?
Maybe in the future. For now just a pipe dream. Need to get the head and pump rebuilt and then replace the firewall in the cab before I can piece it back together.
It would be ultra cool if they had a Jacobs engine break. The Scania exhaust breaks are pitiful in both effect and sound. Mine can go up a hill 3 gears higher than coming down and that's with the same load.
Sounds like two different engines, Is the tranny being punished for something?
have heard the term slush box for years CRASH box not so much
Cat on highway engines never came from the factory with jakes which includes A and B models. Those were installed on order at the truck manufacture before the engine was on the assembly line for truck being built. It could come with Jacob's or Pac Brake.
if i was building an old truck just for nostalgia sake, and to be different, a silver 8V92 (SILVERTIP 475 if i recall correctly) might be fun. one guy i worked for had one retrofitted to replace a green double'O' 8V92 in a '79 pete and it ran nicely. then he put bigger injectors in it so he could burn more fuel and shift less
Alot of them had the shifter beside or behind the driver. I always liked this it seamed easyer to shift.
Cabovers are kinda the "in" thing right now in some of the custom/ restored/chromed rigs. Primarily because they are something different from all the pete 359/379 or kw w900's. I've driven old international and kw cabovers and you can take all of them and drive them in a river for all I care. Driving them down freeze/ thaw cycle rough concrete roads, when you're sitting on top of the front axle, is no way to enjoy life. I want a hood. That said, I've never been in one of the newer scania/ man/ volvo cabovers like you see all over in europe, I think those cabs may be roomier. As a aside- I'm a little bigger than some guys, and I think that's mostly my problem with old (USA) cabovers. I should clarify that I actually didn't drive the old kw cabover except around the yard, because I had to open the door to get my knee beside the 55gal drum sized steering wheel to put my foot on the clutch. The wheel wells on the internationals didn't leave much room for my boots, but I could actually drive them.
Inside the cab you can hardly hear it. In the video the mike was mounted on the back of the cab roof to capture the exhaust note, I think that made it worse. Obviously not equipped with the Scania hydraulic driveline retarder that we had on all ours then - all 700HP's worth. Three positions, and believe me in position 3 that thing will stop you in your tracks. I think you may well be right. Not to the extent of a US truck but certainly more than adequate for the even the largest driver not to feel cramped for space. Smaller (by US standards) European truck cabs also seem to have better ergonomics because designers have less space in which to work. And what has to be remembered is that European laws regarding overall truck/trailer length are what requires the use of cabovers. As I said before a conventional truck would never be able to manouevre in 99% of European urban delivery settings on roads that were orginally built probably 2000 years by the Romans and designed around a horse & cart.
I have a 6-71, a big cam cummins, a 3406b and e model, maxidyne mack, 6v92, and a late 90's 60 series detroit, and I think the 60 series is probably the best overall package. It doesn't have the down low grunt that my 3406's have, but its only 12.7 not 14.6 liter like the cat is. The 60 series gets better mileage and has way better engine brakes. The 6v92 is the one that everyone talks about though. Its in one of my truck cranes, and everyone is like "what's that engine", "it sounds like a beast" etc. Nothing quite sounds like a two stroke revving up. But in reality, it sounds pretty hot rod, but it doesn't make much power. My old 6-71 sounds pretty mean too, but you just have to think "hill" and it starts slowing down. Torque is not their strong suit. You said all mechanical, so that leaves out my 60 series. So I guess if I'm stuck mechanical, I'd go 3406b or big cam if I have to drive it all the time. If you want something that just makes noise that everyone asks about, 2 stroke detroit is the way to go. I did pull some 16v92's out of a boat some years back, and if you built a really long hood, that would be something no one else had.
I don't think Scania made those retarders when my truck was built in 85. Its got one of those flappy do dads on the exhaust manifold
I've never seen a Scania truck, but saw this and had to share
For a 16V92 this is how long the hood would be, But very heavy and very impracticable. The only cheap light engine that will make noise with straights and a jake is the 855 Cummins.
Build a BCIII using a CPL of 1193-It's 14:1 compression, uses the standard top stop injector, same cam with a HT3B turbo. It will produce 450 factory HP, if you use a charge air cooler it will bump it to 475 hp. Cheaper than most and reliable.
Forgot to add that 1193 CPL will use a piston/liner kit # FP3801823 for standard liner #3801824 for a .20x.40 over sized liner/counter bore plus the piston will be Dual Ni Resist so it will take some heat and boost. Use Holset Turbo #3529040
I'd go 8v92T for the sound alone. I do love the way the 3406 drives, but that two stick pumped Pete really impressed me.