Gasoline's Last Stand

Dean

Well-known Member
I once saw a new GMC road tractor with a 702 V12 gasoline engine. It probably would have been 1965 or 1966.

This was (so far, at least) the last hurrah for gasoline heavy OTR trucks.

Dean
GMC V12 Gasoline
 
Saw one sell (the whole truck) in a consignment auction back in the '70's. Somebody asked why they fell out of favor, and some wag in the crowd said they could never get the daily miles they needed because they spent so much time in gas stations.
 
(quoted from post at 13:10:53 10/14/18) I once saw a new GMC road tractor with a 702 V12 gasoline engine. It probably would have been 1965 or 1966.

This was (so far, at least) the last hurrah for gasoline heavy OTR trucks.

Dean
GMC V12 Gasoline

In the late 80's there was one advertised for sale in the local paper.
I went down and had a look at it, my thoughts were it would have been real cool to put it into a car.

The size and weight of it made me decide otherwise at the time.

Looking back I wish I had bought it, would be a fun project to play with now.
 

Those same engines were used in some military applications as well as stationary irrigation pumps. I've even seen a Farmall M with one of those 702 cubic inch V12 engines. It was a work of art.
 
A couple of years ago, the local machine shop had one setting there...for months. Turns out the machine shop did some work on it and the customer couldn't afford to pay for all the work that was done. It's an eye-opener, I'll give it credit for that. I just wouldn't have a place to use it.
 
Ih and ford both had 549 or somewhere in that class big v8s late 50s and early 60s. We had a fleet of the 549s then the Mack B61 diesel came out and just stole the show. Maxidine with straight 5 speeds and you really had to learn to pull them down to low rpms to shift. I only remember seeing the v 12 GMC in one truck and guy was not to proud of it. Seems back then we were all looking for power as opposed to speed, right before good roads so speed was not near a factor as something to get over a steep hill.
 
I have a couple of IH trucks that are gas burners. There in the early 70s and have if I remember right 660 V-8s and are twin sticks. There tandem axle trucks and where at one time dump trucks. I also have a 196? Ford truck that was also a dump truck twin stick with a big V-8
 
I worked 2 different jobs as a young man before joining the army. When I spent a season with a harvesting crew we were running new JD 7700 combines. Had 3 GMC tandem axle trucks with grain boxes. All were less than 4 years old. All were gas. Then I worked for a small construction company. Had 4 dump trucks, 2 5 yard and 2 7 yard. All were gas. Back in them days lot of day cabs were gas too. Diesel really didn't take over until the fuel embargo.

Rick
 
Old best I can come up with is the 549 cu in there was a 660 cu in IH industrial engine but never used in the trucks. I would be interested model and year maybe more information on the engines.
 
Been a while since I was last over to them. They sit on the edge of a creek line. Both where 4 barrel and if I remember right one is a 1974. My e-mail is open so remind me and I'll go look and see what I can find on them
 
They were quite common as irrigation pumping engines. They would run for days-weeks, 24 hours per day at full load.

GMC probably sold more industrial units than were installed in trucks.

Dean
 
When I was in elementary and high school, we had a large GMC "pusher" school bus that was powered by a 702. And as you said, they were quite popular as natural gas-powered irrigation units.

The GMC V-6 and V-12 engines had gobs of torque, but not much horsepower. They were heavy and expensive to produce, partly because of their 60 degree cylinder bank angle.

Here's an outfit that sells souped-up 702s:
Thunder V 12
 
Thanks, Mark.

I'd love to have one but I have no idea what I'd do with it.

Dean
 
Not many gas engines in 1966 if any would have had 680 ft/lbs of torque like the V-12 GMC. Good for pulling hills.
 
Dean -If you look around that website you will see a couple pictures of a short box teal or blue-green GMC pickup, with the front frame fenders and hood extended so the V-12 would fit. I saw the owner just starting out hauling it to a big car show in Kentucky this weekend. He also has a steel tilt cab GMC semi-tractor with a V-12 in it. It looks brand new!

I spent quite a bit of time riding shot-gun in big V-6 powered semi-tractors as a kid. Dad hauled livestock for 3-4 different guys in the 60's and early '70's. IH trucks were most popular but GMC's were a close 2nd. The one guy even had a Toro-Flow diesel in a '64 or '65 Chevy. The IH Red Diamond 450-6 was the most popular engine in IH trucks in the 1960's, but the 478 cid V-6's in the GMC's ran away from them with ease. But the 477 and 534 Ford's were the real fast trucks.

I drove a '70's vintage IH FleetStar with a 478 V-8 for almost a year, not exceptionally fast, but amazingly reliable. It had sat for quite a long time before I started driving it. It took a couple thousand miles to get loosened up but would run 60-65 mph loaded or empty and get 3 mpg. Took a quart of oil every day running about 400-420 miles.
 
To big to be a 366. Next time I get down to them I will try to have a look see and see if I can find any numbers.
 
We had about 3 Chevy tractors with toro- flow and were gut less. The company I drove for had its own shop and they put a 427 Chevy in place of toro- flow and made a big difference. One of the first tractors drove was a 210 IH tractor with 450 RD that did 50 MPH loaded or empty. Our fleet during through the 70's was gas and mainly Chevy & GMC with several IH. Our boss did't believe in big blocks. The Gms were 283,327,350,366,396 and 427. Several 9,500 GMC's with Detroits .
 
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If we ever end up with Tier V and Tier IV emissions regulations . Engines will have to burn lighter fuels than #2 diesel . Kerosene , gasoline, alcohol , propane, natural gas or hydrogen .
My daughters 2019 Equinox has the little 1.5 litre turbo with 170HP and 203 lb ft of torque. It perks right along but I wish that she had bought the. 2.0L
 

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