Has anyone here ever owned one of these big 5-toners circa 1960-1972? I'm going to go look at one about a 63-64 for use as a transporter. Says it has 318 poly 10 speed trans and 2 speed rear. I'm not familiar with this driveline.
If you are getting a truck that size, at least make sure it has air brakes. That is a lot of weight to stop with a fruit jar and a hydrovac. I speak from experience.-MIKE
The L-600 was hydraulic, The L-700 was Air. I would imagine the 800 was air brakes. How would you like a deal on a 5.9 liter Cummins 24 Valve Diesel to power that little toy? You can back it up with a 727, 518 or an Allison. For that matter, probably the ten speed that's in it. We need pics. http://www.swampfoxcustoms.com/a-100_l-700.htm http://www.swampfoxcustoms.com/isb_up-rate.htm
I thought seeing these quotations right next to one another was ironic. Anywho, I've never owned a big truck, but they certainly seem to be inexpensive enough and some of the cabs and front clips are really cool. Part of me would like to buy the sheetmetal from an early big truck (preferably in fleet orange with faded Road Commission markings) and mount it on a late-model 4WD chassis for a serious pickup truck. It would be nice to go terrorize SUV's for a change instead of vice-versa.
The 10 speeds is probably due to the rear axle being a two speed. Most of those old ones had a five speed floor shift with a two speed rear axle. With no or light load just use the five gears, but with a heavy load you split shift. Just my experience from old 2.5 - 5 ton farm and military trucks.
Yes, and I agree with all of the above. It's probably too old and primitive to do what I want and doubtlessly a more modern rig with a more efficient powerplant will provide more troublefree operation at lower operating cost and less cash investment when refurbishment is done. Plus I really dislike split rims and I'm pretty sure that this thing has them. On the positive side it's an old truck. And being a Dodge it can likely be coaxed into running forever with minimum fuss.
How does that work exactly? 1st - shift the rear up shift the rear down - 2nd shift the rear up - shift the rear down 3rd - shift the rear up...? ...or is it... low range: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th shift the rear up: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th...?
Yeah, that's what I was figuring. It's doubtlessly a monstrous New Process 5 speed and a Dana rear of somew kind. I've got factory manuals for my 57 d-100 which also cover the larger trucks. I am not familiar with Dodge 2 speeds. I drove a 63 ford bus with a 2 speed one time. All I remember is the red knob attached to the gearshift and the loud Ka-Bam from the rear when I shifted it on the fly at about 25 mph.
A newer Bus chassis is the ticket to get rid of the split rims. They sit pretty low on low profile 19.5's
Rear axle would probably be a Rockwell or Eaton. The shift pattern depends on the transmission. A New Process would be 2 lo, 2hi, 3 lo, 3 hi, 4 lo, 4 hi, 5 lo, 5 hi. Yo normally woundn't use first, unless the load was extremely heavy, the ground was soft, or you were starting uphill. If it has a Clark short fourth, the pattern is 2 lo, 2 hi, 3 lo, 3 hi, 4 lo, 5 lo, 4 hi, 5 hi. It will run the engine up against the governor and you into the steering wheel if you hit 4 hi, then 5 lo. ]
Here's a D500 that's for sale in Indiana. 1969 with a 318 and a 4-speed. It's a lot of vehicle for $750. I like it. That's what a truck ought to look like.
It's a C-series called an LCF, low cab forward. It uses the 56-60 cab replacing the old cab-over design but allowing for a short rig with more driver room and with the shortened nose use on a conventioonal truck allows for a longer body hence the idea of using it as a race car transporter. The front sheet metal is designed to all fold out of the way to allow wide open service acess without having to use a tilt cab. Particularly useful for drivers who practice sand painting during layovers. These are plug-ugly but entirely functional. The seller described it as a 5 ton. I assumed it to be an 800 but it could be a mere 500. I remember Dick Landy and Mr. Norm had stylish Dodge Transporters. Also worth considering is that it's one thing to have a vintage racecar, or hot rod. It's another to fully outfit yourself with and depend upon vintage transport equipment. Reality is malleable but pavement is hard.
Our old deicing truck (military Surplus) at work is one of those Dodges You cannot beat the accessability of the engine with those swing out fenders. It has a 413 Allison and Air brakes. Butt ugly tho. Dawg
413 and Allison. Pretty fancy for mil. spec. Is yours a tank body with plumbing and fixed nozzes like a weird piece of fire apparatus that you bring up to the wings for application?
There is a big tank with a large combustion heater and a large boom with a basket on it's end like a cherry picker. The guy deicing gets into the basket and hoses off the snow and ice with heated fluid through a fire nozzle. I am on Day off but I will try and get to it and post a picture. The Damn thing runs and drives pretty good I will bet it doesnt have 30,000 miles on the chassis. Dawg
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