Torque BS Filter ``

[Ken Mayer]

On Wed, 26 Feb 1997, Michael F. Sargent wrote:

> 
> Imagine driving a car which peaks at 1500 or 2000 revs or less? Might go
> flat out all day but it would be a pain to drive...And rebuilds every 25000
> to 50000 hrs would annoy the hell out of me. (I'm not sure of the rebuild
> hours for truck engines, but I know fixed Cats are in this range or near 
> it...)

The Haledon, NJ Fire Department used to have a 1957 Seagrave ladder truck. 
It was powered by a V-12 flathead gasoline engine and a huge 1-venturi
carb. It was a dog to start and to drive.  As I recall, the tach only went
to 2500rpm. On the slightest grade the tach needle would just sink.  The
truck was barely able to do 15 mph on a 20% grade.  It had a fitting on
the front end of the crankshaft where the hand crank attached.  When it
didn't start, we usually pushed it out of the bay and popped the clutch
halfway down the hill.  On drill night we would top off the fuel on all
the trucks.  On this one it was "fill the oil and check the gas".  I
couldn't believe how much oil it burned.  The truck was sold to Woodville,
NH in 1980, and as far as I know it's still in service. 

Ken
:-)