Chev C60

[RoadwayR]

Speaking of diesels, they built a few with Toroflows in '73 and '74.  I have NEVER seen one, but I have seen a few with the GMC gas V-6.  Around 1986 they built a few with Deere diesels and even some with 6 cylinder air cooled Duetz diesels.

[mrsmackpaul]

 

From Facelessbook, so it's gotta be real

 

Paul

[mechohaulic]

before the save the eco of the world got started; it's interesting and enjoyable to see the old pictures of trucks and compare the many differences. flat fronts/ heavy steel bumpers and heck of a lot more. take  a C50/60 (random pick to stay on topic ) . completely disassemble into two piles = one of steel other pile of the plastic:: now take a compatible/ similar truck of today and do the same = one pile steel other pile plastic,, think there will be a noticeable difference?? LOL. plastic hood , engine parts/ enough computer wiring to build 3 or more C50/60's. wiring harnesses. 

[RoadwayR]

6 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

 

From Facelessbook, so it's gotta be real

 

Paul

There was a point in time during the mid-80's that Detroit Diesel was talking to Deere about forming a joint venture.  Deere was involved with the development of the 60 Series and Detroit was looking to market the mid-range Deere diesels as highway engines.  From what I understood at the time things were going well between Detroit and Deere until Roger Penske made GM an offer for Detroit Diesel that GM couldn't refuse.  And that was that.

BTW, Paul, were Chevy medium duties common in Australia in the 70's and 80's?

 

[mrsmackpaul]

1 hour ago, RoadwayR said:

There was a point in time during the mid-80's that Detroit Diesel was talking to Deere about forming a joint venture.  Deere was involved with the development of the 60 Series and Detroit was looking to market the mid-range Deere diesels as highway engines.  From what I understood at the time things were going well between Detroit and Deere until Roger Penske made GM an offer for Detroit Diesel that GM couldn't refuse.  And that was that.

BTW, Paul, were Chevy medium duties common in Australia in the 70's and 80's?

 

no mate, they sold well to begin with but the Japanese Isuzu was the beginning of the end 

I know of people that bought them new in the 70's and had and used them up until their death in the early 2000's

They were okay for what they were 

 

Paul

[RoadwayR]

I like Isuzu's.  A lot of them here are Chevy gasoline V-8 powered.  Now the FTR's and FVR's are available with Cummins diesels.

[mrsmackpaul]

All the Chev's in Australia came from Canada as far as I know

Came in CKD and were assembled at GMH Dandenong Melbourne 

A C60 carting CKD kits into Dandenong GMH 

 

 

Paul 

[mowerman]

Thanks for that… kind of like F model Mack…. They were everywhere all of a sudden, they all disappeared… bob

[mowerman]

i completely forgot i was driving one of these back in the  back in the 70s part time hauling crushed cars from beverly auto wrecking to some iron yard,,too long ago to remember,,but i do remember i thought it was a pretty cool ride,,,straight flat bed...bob

[tenfive0]

New to me 1990 GMC 7000 with a plastic Chevy tilt nose. Allison AT545 and 366 Big Block, 49,650 original miles.

Was looking at a Mack but I couldn't come to terms with the seller. I bought the Jimmy instead hauling stone and fill. Trailer included to move a Bobcat S205 Skid Steer and a Bobcat E35 Mini Excavator between my son and I's properties.

[70mackMB]

2 hours ago, tenfive0 said:

New to me 1990 GMC 7000 with a plastic Chevy tilt nose. Allison AT545 and 366 Big Block, 49,650 original miles.

Perfect, Perfect, Just put the skid steer on the trailer. And then lll have just the spot to park it here in NH for the next week or so! Operators' complimentary room and board is available. lol   Nice size truck to tow and load with the two machines you have.    .....Hippy

[mrsmackpaul]

Very good, nice and short so it's easy to manouver about when the trailer is off

 

Paul

[mowerman]

Wow man, that thing is tits ….thanks for that and good luck bob… 

[mowerman]

Truck doesn’t even look anywhere near that old both very handy drop decks their magical…. Bob

[RoadwayR]

Speaking of GM trucks in Australia, I just found out that GMH built some Bedford TK's with Holden V-8's in the late 70's-early 80's.  How did that work out?  Wonder if that was the inspiration for the Chevy Small-Block V-8 powered Isuzu NPR's that have been so popular for the last 30 years.

 

  

[mrsmackpaul]

They worked fine, Holden even sold a kit to put the 308 V8 in the Bedfords at your own place

Can't imagine manufacturers doing that today

Leyland sold their smallest trucks with the Australian Leyland V8 

International Harvester little trucks had the 345 V8

Dodge COE sold their trucks with the 318 Hemi

We were hoons back then, back when fuel was cheap 

 

Paul

 

[RoadwayR]

Thanks for the reply.  I've always been intrigued by the Holden V-8.  Naturally never saw one here in the U.S., but from pictures it looks like a cross between a Chevy Small Block and a Buick 350.  Looked like a very nice design.  

[mrsmackpaul]

As similar I guess to a Chev small block but the off set is reversed 

On a Chev the LHS head is further forward than the RHS to fit steering boxes and clutch and brake pedals in 

The Holden V8 is opposite as we drive on the other side of the road

Holden V8's sound really tough, they sound tougher than a small block Chev but  don't go as good as they sound lol

They do go pretty hard for a small motor and when hotted up will punch well above their weight

 

Paul

[RoadwayR]

Here are a couple of other interesting examples of GM cross-breeding.  First up is a '67-'72 Chevrolet C/50 powered by the Bedford 300 6 cylinder diesel for Argentina.  By best guess as to a reason for this truck was the D478 Toroflow diesel was too large and the Detroit 4-53 was too expensive for the market.

[RoadwayR]

Australian Bedford TK's and TJ's received the familiar Chevrolet 250 and 292 in-line 6's in the mid-70's, replacing the reliable but somewhat dated Bedford 214 and 300.

 

 

[mrsmackpaul]

I wonder if the Argentine Chev's were Canadian based like the rest of British Empire as Argentine was like claytons member of the Empire, they were never 100% with the Empire but traded with the Empire as if they were

I feel the Bedford motors, although dated were a better motor than the Mexican 6 

Great stuff

 

Paul

[RoadwayR]

You may have a valid point about Argentina, perhaps supporting it is that they did things quite a bit differently than Brazil.  As far as Chevy trucks are concerned, Brazil manufactured their own engines (keeping the old 261 around until 1981 or so) and had their own distinct sheetmetal.  Bedfords were sold in Argentina, and some of their 'Chevys' looked a lot like Bedford J series trucks. 

I'll defer to your opinion on the Bedford 6's vs. the Chevy 6's, I was just going by the copy in the flyer!  I did like the old 'Mexican' 292, my employer had a lot of them and they gave good service.  And 'Mexico' was cast right in the side of block above the starter.  Only Bedford engines here in the U.S. were some 220 and 330 diesels marketed by Detroit Diesel for industrial use.  They had a good reputation. 

 

[mrsmackpaul]

I can honestly say I never noticed Mexico cast into the block, but on the crank I'm pretty sure and the big end caps

The 292 went okay for what they are, they are no power house

We only had the 292 in the C50 and C60

The C20 and C30 could be got with a 350 but standard was the 292

This of course is in Australia only

 

Paul

[cruiseliner64]

On 2/4/2025 at 6:51 AM, RoadwayR said:

You may have a valid point about Argentina, perhaps supporting it is that they did things quite a bit differently than Brazil.  As far as Chevy trucks are concerned, Brazil manufactured their own engines (keeping the old 261 around until 1981 or so) and had their own distinct sheetmetal.  Bedfords were sold in Argentina, and some of their 'Chevys' looked a lot like Bedford J series trucks. 

I'll defer to your opinion on the Bedford 6's vs. the Chevy 6's, I was just going by the copy in the flyer!  I did like the old 'Mexican' 292, my employer had a lot of them and they gave good service.  And 'Mexico' was cast right in the side of block above the starter.  Only Bedford engines here in the U.S. were some 220 and 330 diesels marketed by Detroit Diesel for industrial use.  They had a good reputation. 

 

I did a fair bit of work on Bedford 220 330 and 500 diesels.Great engines.Many years ago I restored a 1936 Bedford WHG 3 ton truck it really was a chevy which came in kits from the US.It had a 3.5 litre 6 cyl petrol.

Paul

[Mark T]

On 2/3/2025 at 11:20 PM, RoadwayR said:

Australian Bedford TK's and TJ's received the familiar Chevrolet 250 and 292 in-line 6's in the mid-70's, replacing the reliable but somewhat dated Bedford 214 and 300.

 

 

That's some raw Chevrolet power right there.  Simple really was better in so many ways.