Re-engine to keep it moving vs more speed
Hi All
Interesting topic with many variations to the reasons to change and engine.
Of my three CMPs only the HUP is what I would call stock, in that I made a very conscious effort to keep it as original as possible. I was lucky in that it as my first CMP was the most complete with virtually every part installed on the truck when it was built still there when I got the truck.
The C60S and C60L were not what you would call complete both have what you would call "locally supplied bodies" both now have bigger and more powerful versions of the Stovebolt Six Chevy engines a 261 and 235. Neither of these engines have really change the inherent top speed of the truck. The more power just changes how fast you get up to speed and how much of it you can keep on anything other than flat ground.
Drove the Pattern 13 C60S with the orginal 216 engine for many years and it was perfectly happy and stable at registered 50 MPH which with the 11:00x20 is closer to 60 MPH. But any grade was pulling the truck down in speed. This is where the necessity to me of up engineing to the 261. It is the difference of taking the mountain road near me 9% grade in third gear at 30 MPH with hazards flashing vs 20 MPH or less in second gear with the 216 engine.
In the years that I have been driving these trucks the road traffic in out area has increased very markedly as has the number of heavy over the road trucks that now take the mountain grades at 50 MPH with out slowing down. The younger drivers on the road today also don't have any under standing of what to do or not do around trucks.
I will echo the concern about not over running the brakes more power even if you don't really drive faster than original top speed. Keeping your safe following space for you brakes in heavy traffic can be hard. On the topic of brakes while my C60S doesn't notice the generator trailer when I'm towing in terms of power or speed. The brakes surely know that there is something back there.
More speed for some MVs it a futile effort, they just are not happy above a certain speed and they do everything to let you know it. Of my three CMPs only one is happy above 40 MPH and I don't thing that there is much that could be done short of balancing every part in the drive train basically re-engineering everything. As I say one is happy at speed and has always been so.
One last comment re-engining an old vehicle to keep it moving when an appropriate vintage engine is not available is of course preferable to letting the scrapies catching it is of course preferable.
Cheers Phil
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