Vintage work crew photos

**Toolmaker51** · Feb 3, 2019, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Ralphxyz

Why are they in uniform?

Ralph

Incredible patriotism? Bigger question. Since when dropping an engine [sans transmission BTW] into an open chassis needs 5 men with 1, maybe 2 and a hoist are sufficient elsewhere. Typical government excess.
I was ignorant. Campaign hats, canvas field gaiters, and wearing rings were recommended safety gear, yet not steel-toed boots?

Cool details in pic though. Bolt on cylinders, flat head valve arrangement, external coolant plumbing, with shaft-driven pump and more. Notice lubricant pots on suspension spring posts? Now that's engineering for long term and severe use! Frank S, you recall any such and more recent enhancements?

**bruce.desertrat** · Feb 4, 2019, 04:28 PM

Probably it's a 'Support the troops' style publicity photo.

**Toolmaker51** · Feb 3, 2019, 12:21 PM

Ralphxyz's Wikipedia link brought me a laugh.
A quantity of Liberty Trucks went for use by a particular European Air Force. Wishing to skirt non politically correct stereotypes, that effort was not fully successful. Such configurations were found impossible generating enough speed and lift for take-off...

**hemmjo** · Feb 3, 2019, 02:56 PM

Yes, the pistons where larger than they are in today's engines, but those old engines also had very LONG stroke, which allowed them to make lots of torque at low RPM.

Also remember when you double the bore, keeping the same stroke, you quadruple the displacement. So a small increase in bore along with a longer stroke, gives the large displacement.

**Toolmaker51** · Feb 3, 2019, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by hemmjo

Yes, the pistons where larger than they are in today's engines, but those old engines also had very LONG stroke, which allowed them to make lots of torque at low RPM.

Also remember when you double the bore, keeping the same stroke, you quadruple the displacement. So a small increase in bore along with a longer stroke, gives the large displacement.

Yes, long stroke = loads of torque. And a hourglass instead of a tachometer.

**TSiArt** · Feb 5, 2019, 07:05 AM

So that truck had dual ignition?
Distributor and Magneto?
I'm 41 year old and I never held a magneto. But my dream is to own a turn of century vehicle, repair/re built and drive it.

**Toolmaker51** · Feb 5, 2019, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by TSiArt

So that truck had dual ignition?
Distributor and Magneto?
I'm 41 year old and I never held a magneto. But my dream is to own a turn of century vehicle, repair/re built and drive it.

Lol, nobody's held a magneto...
Not very long anyway!

**marksbug** · Feb 5, 2019, 07:12 PM

most people dont think of modern 4 cylinders being very big, and most are not. mecury marine(mercrusier) took a biog block ford 460 and turned it into a 4 cylinder for some of their boat motors. they made a aluminum block, and a forged steel crank shaft and the pistons and rods and cylinder head form a 460 engine, I domnt remember what stroke it had if it was 460's stroke or more, but those motors had lotsa power& torque for a 4cylinder in a boat.and light to with the all aluminum engine block.I think they made it up into the 90's possiably into the 2000's.Ive worked on quite a few. as I recall they called it the "470" possiably for 4 cylinder and 70 cu per cylinder...