kscarbel Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Designed to run in Algiers and Chad (then French North Africa) to oil production sites in the Sahara desert, the massive Berliet T100 was the largest truck in the world when introduced in 1957. Paul Berliet had been on a business trip and heard people complaining they didn’t have trucks strong and large enough to run deep into the desert for oil exploration. Upon returning to France, Berliet had a design for the first T100 on paper in eight days, and produced it in just nine months.Cummins VT-12-BI 29.6-liter V-12 engines available in 600 and 700 horsepower ratings fed power to a Clark R1400 FS 4-speed semi-automatic transmission. Four units were built, in both 6x4 and 6x6 configurations. It rode on Michelin XR 37.5x33 tires. The T100 lost the oilfield market in North Africa when those countries began declaring their independence from France.Paul Berliet, son of company founder Marius Berliet, was a sharp heavy truck man that increased his company’s sales tenfold from 1950 to 1974 when he sold out to Renault. In 1978 Berliet and Saviem were merged under Renault, forming Renault Vehicle Industries (RVI). The Berliet and Saviem brands were phased out two years later in 1980. 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kscarbel Posted July 10, 2013 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 10, 2013 T100 number 1 (1957) was a 6x6 oilfield truck that is located today in Hassi Messaoud, Algeria.T100 number 2 (1958) was also a 6x6 oilfield truck and has been restored and put on display at the Berliet Museum in France. 4 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/#findComment-193497 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kscarbel Posted July 10, 2013 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 10, 2013 T100 number 3 (1958) was a 6x4 operated at a French uranium mine in western France (Bessines-sur-Gartempe), and later for road construction. It no longer exists. 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/#findComment-193499 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kscarbel Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 T100 number 4 (1959) was a 6x4 oilfield COE version called the “Tulsa” because it was shipped to the U.S. and exhibited at the 1959 Oil Industry Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It no longer exists. The Tulsa’s Cummins engine was removed in 1962, and a 1000 horsepower Turbomeca Turmo IIIC gas turbine helicopter engine was experimentally fitted. Always the case with turbines, fuel consumption proved excessive and the Cummins engine was refitted. 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/#findComment-193500 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kscarbel Posted July 10, 2013 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 10, 2013 The Berliet T100 shared the Saharan desert with the 60-ton Berliet GBO 6x6. 1 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/#findComment-193503 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack mhe9 Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Nice there like our military m800 but just a little bigger. Ha Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/#findComment-193504 Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFCDrum Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 A rare bird but awesome. I thought they were cool. You can buy a resin cast model of the T100. I think they are made in Romania. Cheers, Rob 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/#findComment-193533 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kscarbel2 Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/#findComment-414516 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kscarbel2 Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 That is just too cool. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/#findComment-414517 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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