FTF, a Dutch truck maker of yore, used Detroit Diesel two-stroke V6 and V8 engines in their heavy trucks and tractors. Until 1979, when a new Motor Panels cab was introduced, the 12V-71 was also available for heavy haulage and military use (battle tank tractors).
I found some onboard footage of loud V6 and V8 house concerts. Starting with a 6V-71 engine (that’s 71 cubic inches displacement per cylinder) in a 1978 FTF F-7.20S 6×2 tractor with a liftable tag axle.
The numbers 7 and 20 refer to the factory rated, maximum axle load in metric tons of the front axle and the rear tandem. The tractor’s transmission is a Fuller RTO 9513. Back then, Fuller transmissions were also used by other European truck manufacturers, like Berliet, MAN and DAF.
Upgrading to an 8V-71 now, here’s a magnificent 1976 FTF F-8.20D 6×4 flatbed truck. The pacer in the video is a 1987 FTF FS-8.13A 4×2 (race) tractor, powered by a 6V-92TA engine (Turbocharged Aftercooled).
The same truck, complete with a matching full trailer. The combination is a faithful copy of a big rig that originally transported 20ft shipping containers, yet was also used to haul sugar beets during the so called “beet campaigns”, in which case tall sideboards were put on the cargo bed of the truck and the trailer.
…and bonus points for the Prévost Le Mirage XL motorhome conversion at the end of the video. Powered by a turbocharged, Detroit Diesel Series 92 V8. Appropriate, as these engines were also frequently used in FTFs during the eighties and first half of the nineties.
Full FTF story:
Truckstop Classics: FTF Trucks – Screaming Jimmies Going Dutch
Music!!
When I was a design engineer at Peterbilt, the Jimmies (or Dee-Dads, as we called them, DDAD, Detroit Diesel Allison Division) we’re kind of a pain to design around. By then, late seventies, they were pretty much all Turbo, often TT’s, often TTA’s, and required large diameter intake and exhaust plumbing plus large air filters and radiators, all of which were hard to package and squeeze in between 34” frame rail spacing, especially on cabovers. I think in my first few years we may have built a few export trucks with 12V-71’s, and they seemed cool, but those had their own packaging issues with length AND width, and drive line angles. But I do agree they sounded nice!
No lie! After spending the day hearing the screamin’ demon, you look forward to bed time and in the serenity of your own bedroom in your own bed, feeling the warmth of your wife next to you, all seems well. Dreamland can’t be far off. But as you fade you still hear that f%*@ing Detroit until sleep takes you.
And how about the guy who has a screaming wife too?
…who also happens to be a huge fan of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
I guess I was fortunate to just have to listen to that f%*@ing Detroit. At the time I didn’t realize how good I had it.
2stroke diesels dont miss them at all thde noise is cool untill its with you all day I’m driving Detroit diesel powered Frieght shakers at the moment quieter smoother and much more powerfull 550 and 600 hp depending on which truck you get stuck in they haul permit HPMV loads of rubbish max weight 58 tonnes you are restricted on which roads you can use loaded lately Ive been in a 8×4 tractor unit pulliing a quad 4 axle semi trailer but most of the rigs are 8 wheel trucks pulling 5 axle trailers, cruisy as job mo work involved just Auckland motorway traffic.
Amen, to the narrow power band Jimmy. All that “rowing” and he wasn’t even out of the lot yet. I tried to count the shifts and splits in the movie, like shots fired in a western, but lost track.
Yes! Listen to that screaming Jimmy! One thing you rarely ran into on a DEtroit was a rusty bolt. Oil leaks would show up eventually. You also had the air box drains to leave you a puddle to just remind you who was under the hood toting the load. The cool thing was some properly spec’d units would have almost all accessories direct driven without fan belts. A/C and fan were the only belt drives needed.
Thank you for some wonderful sounds sir.
In England I grew up with the sound of two-stroke Fodens and Commers and have always liked the noise they make.
I did stumble around on the internet, thanks to this article Johannes, and did discover a clip of a 16V-71 in a Hot-Rod vehicle. Remarkable.
you want a screamer, nothing screams like a 6V-53.