RoadwayR

Back in the early 60's the Los Angeles MTA bought a bunch of GM and Flxible transit buses. Naturally the GM's had sideways 6V-71's with V-drive automatics, but the Flxibles had 6V-71's mounted straight in with Spicer 2 speed automatics. I was told they were nothing but trouble!

I think the Loadstar cab has a different roof, firewall, and floor than the A series, but a lot of the rest of it is the same.

Kind of, the GMC V-6 was engineed from the start to be gasoline or diesel.

That is a strange Loadstar, seldom seen any that 'heavy'. Did see a few with 6V-53 Detroits, but most Loadstars were medium duty. Looks like that truck has an Allison MT-40, some of those transmissions did have a retard pedal.

Yes, that's the one. The bumper and grill were one piece of steel. The 1500 eventually evolved into the Expeditor, which is still with us as an Autocar. And still mostly used for refuse service....

I can't say I have ever seen a 5000 in person. I was told the fiberglass cab didn't hold up well. Saw a few 3000's though, the school district and MGM studios had them up until the late 70's. The 3000 was replaced by the 1500 'Compact', even though White built 3000's up until 1967 if someone wanted to order them. The biggest problem with the 3000 was that stylish cab was expensive to produce. That sure wasn't an issue with the 1500!

I would love to have that rusting away in my backyard! I might even try to fix it up, but where do you find Reo V-8 parts these days?

The later 3000's could be ordered with Reo Gold Comet 6's and V-8's. Pretty rare, this one was on jingletruck.com. No idea if it's still available, no connection to seller.

Well, maybe. I really don't think an 8.3L Duramax is slated for GM's heavy duty pickup line. It just does not make sense as if GM is looking to increase towing capacity the current Duramax is not the limiting factor. It's the chassis and brakes. That having been said, they are pushing a 35,000# GCW now, how much heavier would GM want to go? That having been said, the only 2 secenarios I can see are #1, GM needs to go to an 8.3L Duramax to maintain current 6.6L Duramax H.P./torque ratings while meeting 2025 CARB (and future EPA) diesel emissions regulations, or #2, an 8.3L Duramax would be for Navistar or Isuzu class 6-7 commercial trucks. Also keep in mind there was a rumored 8L+ GAS engine under development a few years ago for commercial trucks........

Those trucks were later versions of the old Construcktor II's. Remember the original White Construcktor? It was a 4000 with pit fenders, set back front axle, and some heavy duty components. Looked like an Autocar from a distance.

And now this: https://www.komatsu.com/en/newsroom/2023/gm-komatsu-collaborate-on-hydrogen-fuel-cell-mining-truck/ Hydrotec seems to be positioning themselves to be what Detroit Diesel once was.

That thing would make a nice vocational tractor.

Garbage trucks and roll-offs. Have not seen any mixers yet.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/general-motors/2023/12/07/gm-to-provide-hydrogen-power-cubes-to-vocational-truck-company/71827938007/

The wrecker in the picture actually could be anything. Possibly a Mexican-built Ram 6500 with a tag axle, or just a Ram cab on some other tandem diesel chassis. Frankenstein trucks are common down there, created from whatever parts are available by skilled and resourceful Mexican mechanics! I once saw an early 80's Mexican D-600 with a tilt fiberglass hood and a 6V-92. No idea if it was factory or home made. The dump truck is a common '94-'98 Ram 6500.

Following Isuzu it appears Ford will discontinue sales of the diesel F-650 and 750 in California for the 2025 model year. I would assume this will include other CARB states as well.

Well, and one point Feightliner had a problem with that, but now? I don't think Stellantis knows what a truck is.

Over on 'Curbsideclassic' the other day a fellow from the Netherlands posted about an F785ST with a set back front axle. Not that I am a big F series expert, but I have never seen one of those and was thinking it was a special export model. Evidentially they were a regular production model, but Mack couldn't have made many. What was the story with them? https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/wordless-outtake-1979-mack-f-785-st-my-truck-is-so-tall-i-need-a-ladder-to-get-into-the-bed/

https://www.isuzucv.com/en/news/headlines

I was following them. Looked good, they were going to make their own aluminum cab, offer medium and heavy duty, even have a gasoline engine in the lighter trucks. They shut down very suddenly, citing legal reasons.

Mack almost got bought by Chrysler in '65. Feds said no to the deal.

Mid-80's models for sure. Ford oval on grille didn't happen until 1982, it was a corporate thing. About the same time the 'L9000' block lettered hood emblem was used.

That mixer in the movie was a old Livingston-Graham unit, they had a lot of R model mixers. Bonanza and Conrock had them too. You are correct about the pump drive, there should be a shaft coming off the engine crank pully passing under the radiator driving the pump. The front frame crossmember had a U-shaped hole for the shaft to go through.

Volvo didn't do UD any favors in the States either. Never understood why Volvo didn't develop a medium duty range off UD for Volvo dealers here.

They are slated to be phased out over the next few years. Most Freightliner M2's sold these days are Cummins powered anyway. Only other medium duty I can think of other than Ford that isn't Cummins powered is the Chevy/International.