637 V8 gas engine

[BobBray]

Originally Posted by LEWISMATKIN

bob, some of the DW & DL did have the 702 in them. At least that is what my parts books from that era state. It was also in some of the DB cabs.

Yes, those were the Steel Tilts, not the Crackerbox aluminum tilt cabs.

[BillT]

Interesting truck. Never heard of a 637 in a Cracker Box before. I just flashed through the replies real quick and didn't noticed, but what kind of Trans does it have?

[BillT]

Originally Posted by LEWISMATKIN

Only one weak point I know of on these engines is the crankshaft. The crankshaft on the 637 is not flame-hardened(called Tocco hardening or armasteel), instead, it is TUFF-RIDED, a chemical washed on hardener only penetrating .006" into the surface of the shaft.

The Crankshaft can't be that weak, lol.

The '71 9500 I used to drive had a 637 V-8 Gas with a 10-Speed Road Ranger behind it. I was the 2nd driver of the truck. The first driver was old school 5-Speed, 2-Speed and never learned to shift the RR properly. He did fine Up-Shifting, but never learned and probably never even wanted to learn how to Downshift a Non-Synchro Trans. I rode with him a few times and could not believe how he would lug the heck out of it, which we all know wreaks havoc on a Crankshaft. I would always joke saying that the Crankshaft is going to end up on the front seat someday.

Anyway, I left the company after about 3 years. Then one day saw the truck when it was about 15 years old, for sale as is by another owner. And guess where the Crankshaft was?

We would haul some heavy loads with it. Probably up to 48 or 50,000 on a 46,000 GVW truck. It's amazing how long that Crank actually lasted.

[65GMCKV4000]

It has a 10 speed transmission.

[BillT]

Originally Posted by 65GMCKV4000

It has a 10 speed transmission.

Just curious, is it actually a 10-Speed Fuller Road Ranger?

[65GMCKV4000]

Yes I think it is.

[BillT]

Looks like it is. Now what is interesting, if the Engine and Trans are both original to the truck, this means that you have only the 2nd Engine-Trans combo that I have ever seen, as well as ever heard of, since I first saw our truck that got delivered in April of '72.

All the 637's out there that I know of are either 5-Speeds, 5-Speed/2-Speed Rear or have 2 Sticks.

Would love to go for a ride in your truck sometime, but we are about 2500 Miles apart, lol.

[65GMCKV4000]

BillT
You are welcome anytime to come out here and go for a drive in the crackerbox. I also have a 62 GMC 7000 with the 702V12 you could take for a spin too!!

[POWERSTROKE]

I was never around any Crackerbox GMC's but the guy Dad drove for the longest hauling livestock had two L-series Steel cab GMC tilt cabs, one had a Working '5th, from high 3rd you went to low 4th, low 5th, shifted the axle to hi, and 4th, then 5th in high. The other one had a conventional 5+2. Both either had 401 or 478 engines. Later on he bought a Chevy C70 with a Toroflow diesel that had the cab of a GMC B series. Bet that's a pretty rare truck today! It was actually Dad's favorite truck once he disconnected the exhaust stacks from the top rear corner cab mounts, they set up a deafening vibration in the cab, but the truck had fair performance with the BIG V-8 Toro-Flow, 5+2, power steering. At that time his other two trucks were Emeryville's, climbing up and down into and out of them got old, Dad let the younger drivers run them.

But anyhow, Awesome fire truck. Bet you could make good money washing 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor windows, cleaning gutters, pruning trees, etc. I'm not a fan of ladders!

The Crackerbox was the epitome of a minimalist truck. Minimum cab, short wheelbase, big engine and transmission. I drove a couple TransStar's, a CL9000 Ford, never got into the Astro 95 or White Road Commanders my company had, all their tiltcabs had bunks. Put lots and lots of miles on a pair of RoadBoss 2's and an S2200 Binder.

[BillT]

Originally Posted by 65GMCKV4000

BillT
You are welcome anytime to come out here and go for a drive in the crackerbox. I also have a 62 GMC 7000 with the 702V12 you could take for a spin too!!

Appreciate the invite. Wish we were closer, lol. Nice collection of trucks there. Tell me more about the GMC in the middle. Looks like it has a Heavy Front Axle with the Wide Fenders on it.