Page 1 of 1

Greeting from wiz in Oz

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:17 am
by roKWiz
Hi everyone,
A big V8 fan from Australia. I've got a good handle on U.S and Aussie engines but want to learn more about the UK, EU V8 scene.
My love of big 8's goes beyond the usual Ford vs Holden which is the norm down under, I'm currently restoring an old V8 K100 Kenworth.
This old truck I acquired from a farmer who was the second owner to Eastcoast transport (Oz linehaul trucking company) who ordered her from Kenworth Aust. back in 1976.
The old cabover is powered by the (some say) infamous Cummins VT903 (14ltr turbo charged monster) weighting in at 1 ton. running through a 15 speed roadranger trans on torsion bar suspension with 44 000lb Rockwell diffs.

This is a part time working truck and use her to haul granite for my work. I'm squeezing 400hp out of the original Cummins diesel at the moment.

Gotta love the sound of any big old V8 Cummins, Detroit and Cat.

Here she is.
Image
Geoff

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:32 pm
by ChrisJC
Welcome.

That is an obscenely large engine! Low BHP mind, but I guess the torque is spectacular.

Chris.

Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 2:05 am
by roKWiz
Thanks for the welcome Chris,
i'm looking forward to learning from you guys.
yeh, Low HP for current day OTR but was considered rather high for the 70's. Down under we have B doubles, roadtrains and B triples which have gotten a lot bigger over the years.
The VT903 is still manufactured by Cummins for the U.S army for their tanks with 800hp stock. They were great engines to boost HP on if you looked after them.
Yet to detail the beast below.
Image

Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:43 pm
by ChrisJC
You can imagine with aerodynamics like that truck, you'd need most of the power to barge through the air!

Chris.

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:31 am
by roKWiz
Not to many truck manufacturers were big on wind tunnel testing in the 70's. Mind you looking at the old Landy's square looks they probably weren't much better.
Cheers

Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:39 am
by Jekyll
Great project and a lovely old truck, must be fun driving that 8)