GMC Crackerbox, a "fun" read.

[QRTRHRS]

Rather than to continue high jacking the Cummins Fine post, I am posting this link about GMC's so called Crackerbox cab over truck.

The article mentions GMC's 702ci twin six which as I understood it to be two V6 gas engines joined in line. Someone I worked for had two GMC 7000 series I think that they were which were more like the older high cab trucks that had the short hoods and did not tilt. One of those had the twin six.

I never had the "pleasure" of driving a Crackbox but I did drive an Astro 95, an "F" model Mack and a Mack Cruisliner.

 

[BravoXray]

A friend of mine back in the 70s had a couple of Cracker Boxes with 8V-71s, I drove one a few miles once, and wasn't impressed, but they were light and pretty cheap, mostly because few people wanted them.

 

[JESSE1]

This is a '63 GMC that the company my dad drove for bought. Had a 6-71 238hp Detroit Diesel and a ten speed Roadranger trans.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

The TOROFlow diesel engine mentioned in the article were a real dog, most needed rebuilt at low miles and many unhappy customers were made. Doesn't mention it in the article but there was a later try (late 1960's) at the TOROflow engine design in a V-6 cylinder, it was a manufacturers failure also.
It amazed me that when a product was so bad like this, that a manufacturer would continue to build it in order to realize a return on investment. Accountants-sometimes making the decisions that would have been better made by mechanics.

 

[Hay Dude]

This is a '63 GMC that the company my dad drove for bought. Had a 6-71 238hp Detroit Diesel and a ten speed Roadranger trans.

Check that out! Very cool!

 

[QRTRHRS]

Saw a COE with the cab up along the road in North Carolina. Couple of guys had a head off of an 8V71. Must have swallowed a valve? No service truck on scene. I guess that they carried spare parts?

I drove a tri-axle with a 238, 13spd double 00. Shift shift shift and shift some more. The F model Mack I drove had a 318, 13spd. Did a bit better on the hills.

Around that time there was driver running an Astro 95 with the 12V71, big injectors. Now that thing would run!

Don't know if the Macungie, PA antique truck show is still put on? That was a trip back memory lane.

 

[5030]

Interesting thread, brings back memories too. First tractor I owned was a '62 cabin over KW with a 318 double breasted Yamaha and a twin stick 4x4 that made so much power, you had to downshift to go over a cigarette butt. It was a 'dragon-fly' truck. It dragged up every hill and flew down the other side. I used to pull overseas containers out of Baltimore (Dundalk) and the trip over Town Hill loaded was always interesting. I got real good with the twin stick downshifting....lol After that one I moved up in the world with a Freightliner cabin over single bunk with a 350 Big Cam Cummins and a 13 speed. I was in tall cotton and I used to run from MBPXL in Friona, Texas to Gingold Foodum at the foot of Canal Street in the city on a contract run. Back then when your trailer was loaded and you left, you didn't stop except for fuel and maybe a bite to eat and that was it. You left Texas on a Sunday AM and got to the City on Wednesday, those were the days, no lie book, no scales, just balls to the wall... I'm surprised I survived it actually but looking back, it was fun. After that I became a company driver for Roadway of all things and quit there after about 6 months. Got tired of driving castrated trucks that were filthy inside so I went to work for a steel company hauling sheet and coiled steel and stayed there until I retired. Best thing about that job was I always drove long nosed Western Star's with big Cat engines and 13 or 18 speed Roadrangers and I was home every night and if by chance I got stuck out, they paid for my meals and lodging. least I also got to haul all their machinery too. They had a Talbert 50 ton detachable with a flip axle and I got to pull some really big permit loads, high, wide and overweight. Steel plant machinery, levellers, slit lines and coating lines are always big and heavy and always permit loads.

This thread brings back fond memories and back then Monfort was the fast lane trucking company.

Merry Christmas to everyone and thanks for the memories.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

One of the locals hauled cattle with a 36 foot trailer pulled by his GMC crackerbox. Always like the sound when going through the gears.

 

[Paystar]

Rather than to continue high jacking the Cummins Fine post, I am posting this link about GMC's so called Crackerbox cab over truck.

The article mentions GMC's 702ci twin six which as I understood it to be two V6 gas engines joined in line. Someone I worked for had two GMC 7000 series I think that they were which were more like the older high cab trucks that had the short hoods and did not tilt. One of those had the twin six.

I never had the "pleasure" of driving a Crackbox but I did drive an Astro 95, an "F" model Mack and a Mack Cruisliner.

I had never heard of that GMC twin six V12 gasser before until I saw one sell at a Mecum Gone Farming Auction. I would love to have heard one of those running.

 

[Paystar]

I've never drove a Cracker Box, but ran my share of 2 stroke Detroits.
6-71, 6V53, 6V92TTA, 8V53, 8V71, 8V92. Funny thing is most of those were in Ford's, LOL Except for a couple 6X6 Paystar's.

Two cycle Detroits were VERY popular in my area, right up into the 1990's.