Turbine Trucks: The Gas Powered Big-Rigs of the 1960's

[@Sideprojects]

Video Sponsored by Ridge Wallet. Check them out here: ridge.com/sideprojects and use code "SIDEPROJECTS" to get 10% OFF on your order.

[@jjunture]

What sort of mythical, time-traveling wizard are you? The video was posted 45 minutes ago and this comment is 4 hours old! RIDGE WALLET MAKES TIME TRAVEL POSSIBLE!* *allegedly

[@engineeringvision9507]

@@jjunture Some strange currency on the wallet too. Simon probably uses Euros (doesn't live in GB)

[@brianwnc8168]

Simon, Do you have a cold?

[@latenighter1965]

Ridge would never work for me, I have not only a lot of cards, but license, medical cards, cash, photos and more. Ridge would suck for my needs.

[@fredred8371]

Video starts at 1:10

[@swampfox984]

You should do a video on the story of rediscovering the Big Red truck. It's super interesting. The Drive, did a long investigation and managed to find the owner who has completely restored it to working order, even though he hides it and doesn't use it.

[@iontheprotogen]

It’s a shame it’s not being used, it would be such a cool museum/show piece.

[@davidshakespeare9767]

Simon admits he cares about the lines of his butt but not his head 😅😅😅

[@Enzo187]

its a shame hes so secretive about the truck. it would be so fun to see at random car events.

[@WilliRacing]

That story is absoluetly amazing! I really really thought it was gone for ever,glad to see it's been kept. Hope it will get out soon

[@Fetidaf]

@@Enzo187 while it would absolutely be awesome to see it, I understand the owner not wanting to do that. It’s essentially his baby now, and he doesn’t want to damage it by parading it around (and it not be fixable since it’s 60 year old ‘lost’ tech) nor just give it up to be in a museum where he can’t appreciate it as easily. It’s clear that he’s taking care of it and is preserving it and that’s enough of a consolation in my eyes.

[@theloverlyladylo9158]

I was only half listening and heard “satisfying whine” as “satisfying wine” and was immediately baffled as to how a truck that makes wine didn’t catch on.

[@ModernProspector]

ATF

[@Tinhead426]

@@ModernProspector You mean AFT* 😆 (if you know, you know)

[@lilacdoe7945]

My company trucking has a driver health and fitness department. We can't drink on the road, it is DOT legal with a long enough break, but the company bans it. So naturally this genius employee begins talking about the health benefits of having a glass of wine everyday 🤣 The safety guy looked at him and he just kept going. Finally the safety guy cleared his throat very loudly and the genius remembered where he worked. Best part of training

[@Tinhead426]

@Shawn 🏴‍☠️ Stafford Biden mispoke in several speaches and called the ATF the AFT its a running joke amongst the 2A community. Thats why i said if you know you know

[@bradbrandon2506]

@Shawn 🏴‍☠️ Stafford What about me?

[@rayceeya8659]

Ultimately, gas turbines are great at base loading, but you try to use one in typical stop ang go city traffic and all that advantage goes straight to hell. An idling turbine burns almost as much fuel as a loaded turbine. With high capacity Li-ion batteries today this could work. The turbine only fires up on the freeway, but electric drive is used for slower small street travel. It could work. Nobody willing to chance it these days though.

[@engineeringvision9507]

Excellent for tanks, ships and fighter jets

[@pmgn8444]

The railroad gas turbines of the 50s/60s had the same problem. Railroad locos spend a lot of time idling. So turbines lose out in the long run to diesels.

[@Sgt_SealCluber]

@@pmgn8444 Yup, until we have batteries with energy density probably at least 10x greater than Li-ion, diesel and diesel-electric hauling vehicles are the best option.

[@flexinclouds]

They could even have it solely EV powered, loads of torque, large battery weight wouldnt matter.. and then have a very efficient turbine as a generator for charging the batts on-the-go. Just like the "Ariel Hypercar", but obviously tuned for torque, efficiency & range. Apparently the Ariel's small turbine can keep it charged infinitely even with agressive driving. Only if you try doing a full track day nonstop, will it eventually run the batteries down. And the turbine can run on several types of fuel including e85👍

[@rayceeya8659]

@@flexinclouds Exactly, I've been saying this for almost 20 years. I was on this before Tesla was a glimmer in Elon's eye. Another way to think of it is an electric car with a gas turbine range extender. A conventional piston engine has to be optimized for two purposes. High torque to start off and accelerate and low fuel consumption at speed. At highway speed, you are only using a fraction of the power that the engine is capable of. Like 10%-20%. So you have this big metal engine that spends most of its time at low power output. So optimize the engine for cruise, and supplement with electric drive for acceleration. Now swap out the piston engine for a turbine that has a much higher specific power and a lower specific fuel consumption. They've made some amazing advances in micro-turbines. The whole unit can be the size of a mini-fridge, but the turbine itself could almost fit into a shoe box.

[@jeramyh9344]

We had Giant Natural Gas turbine Generators on a Gas Drilling rig I worked on. It was pretty awesome hearing them spin up to full speed.

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

Did you drive your turbine powered Vauxhall Potty around on the the rig? I did all the time when I worked on the ol' drillin' riggeroos.

[@makegaminggreatagain3907]

The more I watch Side and Megaprojects videos. it seems more and more that ingenuity, innovation and imagination was more prevalent in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, and products from any industry since 90's to now or days are just designed to keep the consumer coming back and spending money.

[@Home_Run_Kid72]

Planned obsolescence, the story of the downfall of the human race..

[@lilkris3008]

He’s talking about massive projects that were impressive back then as well. They had wind tunnels in the 50s there’s only so much you can learn. Back then it was discovering how it could even work now it’s finding ways to simulate it digitally for much cheaper. If you only look at the cool factor you miss how 80 years of technology development has cumulated to the raspberry pi. A device that can do what a room computer could do 50 years ago. The room computer was a lot more complex and impressive but it wasn’t better. Consumer products then and now are a completely different ballpark in terms of quality over commercial trucking

[@JoshuaTootell]

We have engines that can produce more power, with less fuel, less emissions, and smaller displacement then ever before. A guy buying a Dodge in 1970 could only dream of having a Hellcat motor from today. Things become obsolete because we want the next greatest thing.

[@Aquatarkus96]

@@JoshuaTootell You don't even have to get into beefy engines. My outback's power:weight ratio would likely make a WW2 era truck jealous.

[@kdrapertrucker]

Last I heard Big Red is still in existence and is owned by a rich collector who is restoring it after years of neglect in storage. It's story after Ford finished using it was strange. Several years ago Peterbilt and Wal-Mart cooperated on an Diesel/electric concept truck that used a micro turbine utilizing air bearings to charge a battery pack which was supposed to be much more efficient then a regular diesel.

[@matsv201]

Volvo did a fairly serous attempt in 1995 with the ECT truck with a heat recycle gas-turbine electric AC motor. The truck was pretty much the opposite of big read. IT was suppose to be a in city delivery truck with 4 wheel stearing and super low entrance. Its low like a car in the front. The engine was between the front and rear wheel. The truck did have a few problems. It used NiCd batteries, that was.. well not optimal. It uses a rotating motor feed that didn´t last to long. And the turbine proved to be short lived as well. SO it didn´t work. But the a lot of the features was really quite intresting

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

I'm Truck Donaldson. Nice to meet you. I do drive the lorry on the road thank you for asking and I am TRUCK DONALDSON.

[@markrowland1366]

Now, we have from New Zealand, a jet powered electric garbage collection truck. The jet looks like a large turbo charger, running all day at it's most efficient speed. That quietly charges as does regenerative charging from the continuously applied brakes. Being confirmed in trials now.

[@charleskyler1928]

In worked at an engineering co while in college in the mid 80s. They had a prototype gas turbine engine installed in a big rig that carried a loaded trailer 5 nights a week on a delivery run between LA and Phx. When the army put out a RFP for a gas turbine to propel a tank, we were able to respond that we already had one. A tank, sans turret and motor was delivered to us for installation of an engine. The commander who was put in charge of testing the concept did not like the idea and figured it would be a quick failure by starting his testing near Yuma AZ where sand, dust and heat would make short work of the ‘delicate’ turbine. After having to replace multiple sets of tracks during the test, he finally admitted defeat as the motor never failed. One of the key benefits to the engine was that it could run on multiple fuels. All that said, gas mileage was never a criteria I heard discussed.

[@raydunakin]

You should do a video on the various attempts at making a successful steam turbine locomotive.

[@WatchmakerErik]

Pennsylvania Whoosh 👍

[@christinak1053]

My Dad retired last year, after 45 years as a truck driver. This was a fascinating video. Truckers are criminally underappreciated for what they give up to get everything we live with from point A to B. Thank you, Simon and production fam! ❤️

[@arfarms5711]

You are so right ab that. I’m a trucker and it’s downright unbelievable how ppl on the roads treat truckers today. Actually it’s nothing new bc I’ve been dealing with very disrespectful “4 wheelers” for decades now, but I will say it’s only gotten worse over the years. Everything we consume and use comes via trucks and ppl still don’t care ab dumb slow trucks. Anyways, I appreciate your comment and want to say thanks to your dad!

[@backroadbeetle4781]

I just hate how it's not only underappreciated but there's laws that allow them to be constantly harassed by law enforcement and regulations. Most of my friends have given up trucking because the headache to profit ratio just isn't worth it anymore.

[@Neojhun]

The bigger problem is Highway Trucking industry is way too big and should not be primary option for long haul cargo. It's one of the more resource intensive and costlier method of moving car. 1 Person per 80,000lbs is simply not good enough.

[@dreamcyberium]

I'm a trucker myself and I absolutely love these. I really want to drive them.

[@TheUnfulfilledOne]

This Big Red truck has a Tasty Design

[@TheUnfulfilledOne]

I have some Awesome Truck movies for you: Duel - 1971 ( The best Truck movie Ever made in my mind ) Trucks - 1997

[@TheUnfulfilledOne]

I have some Awesome Truck movies for you: Duel - 1971 ( The best Truck movie Ever made in my mind ) Trucks - 1997

[@patreilly1458]

International Harvester purchased Solar Turbines in the 1960's. They did this with the design to compete with the big three if the Gas Turbine highway hauler was ever put into production. The company built 4 prototype units based on the standard designed CO3080 cab over highway truck instead of the diesel they install a 450 HP Solar turbine coupled to an Allison Automatic transmission. These units were driven around the US and Canada towing loaded triple trailer configurations to show the power at highway speeds of 70 MPH. One of these units ended up at the Auto show at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto where I saw it as a young man. My father worked for International Harvester as a fleet sales man at the time in Toronto. Later I went on to work for Solar Turbines for 27 years in Canada and the over seas market in a number of different positions. International Harvester sold Solar Turbines to Caterpillar in the early 1980's ending their relationship with Solar.

[@ginjasteve4435]

It feels really good to be the first person to skip a ridge wallet advert!

[@MannsWoodlandPerspective]

Right. Blocking rfid would be awful to have as well.

[@joelcrossland1392]

Pro status

[@swampfox984]

I love my ridge wallet.

[@ztechrepairs]

Don’t know about you, but I love my ridge wallet. Bad ass bro.

[@MannsWoodlandPerspective]

@@ztechrepairs can't use rfid chips with it

[@Acquireboy]

There is a large photo on a hallway wall in a Solar Turbines office that shows a developmental turbine power plant in a cabover truck chassis. I'm sure it was when International Harvester owned them. I don't know any details, but it's a pretty good looking install. I could not identify the turbine family, but there were several recuperated models that might have been chosen for such an experiment in the sixties. Much larger stationary applications are Solar's turbine market now. The smallest current production model makes about 1300 horsepower, and burns about 2 gallons a minute on diesel fuel. The little ones will run for years without any major service, sometimes a decade or more, even with some benign neglect.

[@joshm3875]

The Turbostar was Internationals Solar turbine truck. I'm not real familiar with the turbines, but the old literature on the truck says it was a Solar "B series" that made about 300hp. It was in my opinion a far more serious experiment in turbine power for class 8 trucks the ones discussed in this video.

[@krissfemmpaws1029]

As a kid I remember seeing the turbine powered Kenworth that was running from Portland Oregon and Vancouver B.C. It was odd looking through clear panels in the tilt hood where an engine should be seen.

[@vintagetractorsaustralia]

Gotta love how when he refers to an Allison automatic transmission. They show a picture of an Allison V12 engine.

[@ScottRipley]

Had to stop and come look at the comments when I saw that @7:41.

[@vintagetractorsaustralia]

@@ScottRipley there was a couple of other similar mistakes with images that I noticed, but my knowledge on them wasn’t enough to comment.

[@scottberry5266]

A v12 Detroit is called a buzzing dozen.

[@vintagetractorsaustralia]

@@scottberry5266 what does that have to do with an Allison v12. But yes the nickname for a Detroit v12 was a buzzen dozen

[@stevegird7706]

7:42 Not a transmission. That's a stock photo of the Allison V-1710 aircraft engine lifted right off Google.

[@chitlitlah]

Engine, transmission... It's all the same, man.

[@johnnsteele2886]

I immediately paused and went to the comments to see who else saw this. Maybe Simon is using the same video editors as 'Dark Docs'

[@sparky6086]

I noticed that too. Pretty glaring mistake. Simon said on his DC-3 video, that it originally had turboprop engines. Wish he had a technical person to do a quick look at his videos, before they are posted. Maybe he could do a live chat premiere, then he could look at the comments to catch and correct the obvious mistakes, before he posts the video permanently. The guitar channel, 5 Watt World, does that, and it's very effective.

[@stevegird7706]

@@johnnsteele2886 At least Simon rarely if ever has any cringeworthy mispronunciations like Robert Beltran is known for.

[@SergeyPRKL]

Well, technically that photo shows a transmission made by Allison. Also, their V-1710 engine ;) But yeah, i came here just for your observation, and mine.

[@rtyrsson]

Simon... love most all your videos. However, when describing the statistics on the turbine engine a picture comes up of what looks to be a V-12 piston engine (unless I miss my guess). Possibly it was a reference to the Allison transmission and not the engine it is attached to. Just had me confused for a moment. Nonetheless, great work and keep them coming. All your videos are my go-to for relaxation each day after work.

[@jedsudweeks6676]

I saw that, too. I think somebody typed in "Allison" and used the first stock photo that came up. Too bad it was an Allison V-12 tank engine and not an automatic transmission.

[@magnificentfailure2390]

He also compared 2.15 mpg to 9 Km per liter. 9 kpl is more like 21.5 mpg

[@MrPhil1969]

Cool, I'm not the only one that caught that. I feel like a troll pointing some of that stuff out. The picture was of an Allison V-1710. That engine deserves a video all on it's own.

[@skylined5534]

@@magnificentfailure2390 3.8 litres in a US gallon. I think your maths is a little off.

[@magnificentfailure2390]

@@skylined5534 9 kilometers per liter works out to 21.17 miles per gallon. Thanks for the correction.

[@matthewcraver9917]

Whichever editor is inserting your B-roll shots really needs to pay better attention. For just three examples, when you mention an Allison vehicle transmission, the image is of a complete Allison V-1710 aero engine out of a P-38 fighter; when you are talking about the post-war potential for long-haul trucking, the image is of a mining dump truck, a type of vehicle that stays in one location through its working life; and when you are talking about a tractor unit hauling a tandem trailer, the screen shows a farm tractor hauling harrow over a farm field. That last might be the most egregious but also the most understandable. I have noticed a similar decline in the quality of the editing in this manner in your other recent videos. No doubt the sheer quantity of video production across your various channels produces such errors but it hurts the credibility of each video.

[@brianb-p6586]

Yes, the video is complete garbage, and the talking head has no idea what he is saying.

[@sped6954]

The GM Bison looks very similar to a Hot Wheels tractor trailer from the late 60s and early 70s from their Heavy Weights line. They were still 1:64 scale trucks, and in addition to the tractor trailer, there were a few other variations like a tow truck, I think a box van and a couple others.

[@philherb3843]

I first heard 9 km/L, but it is .9 km/L. In Europe, we calculate in L/100km. So about 110 L/100km. 45 ton trucks nowadays need 32-37 L/100km. In the 70ies it was about 50 L/100km. But with 85 km/h and not about 140 km/h.

[@srice8959]

That Chevy Turbo Titan 3 seems like it would have been a REALLY Great Truck for all of General Motors Car Haulers. Because of the way that the Cab Forward design would have made it Perfect for the vehicle on those trailers that’s in those spots right behind and above the Cab of the Trucks Rig

[@garysprandel1817]

The Bison looks like it would have been quite at home rolling out of one of Thunderbird 2's cargo pods on a mission for International Rescue.

[@thespacedpirate]

That gauge panel in the Titan III looks like it inspired the panel for the 73-87 chevy/gmc truck. The 4 guages on the left and the 2 next to it are damn near identically placed.

[@jasonwomack4064]

Cover the turbine car. They worked, and a couple still exist. Jay Leno has a video about his, if anyone is interested.

[@TheInvisibleGiant6313]

This was great. I would have loved to see these in person, I can imagine how stunning these were when standing near them.

[@NotOnDrugs]

Would love to see the ford. That thing is worth millions today

[@kylarstern7627]

The Bison is how I picture a real world Rodimus Prime would look.

[@waverod9275]

It seems to be the inspiration behind the original Rodimus Prime design,

[@kylarstern7627]

@@waverod9275 agreed

[@paulvandamme4201]

At 8.12 minutes, 2.15 MPG is 0.9 litres per km or 110 litres per 100km. Not 9 litres per km which is actually amazing for a 77 ton truck. Modern 77 ton road trains consume between 40-60 litres per 100km.

[@atodaso1668]

Yeah I was like wait a sec that's not right! My short bed 4x4 hemi gets 10l per 100km lol

[@oneknowwhatsup]

It is is well known that dude just come and read sh*t given to him

[@sayujraphael]

Yep that makes much more sense,i was quite surprised when i heard 9kmpl

[@skylined5534]

@@oneknowwhatsup It is well known that you know engrish.

[@WatchmakerErik]

The photo you showed for big reds Allison transmission was a V12 airplane engine. At least it was an Allison though!

[@barnmaddo]

I wonder if turbine hybrids would work. Use the electric motor for the power needed for acceleration, and the turbine provides a steady supply of power at a low weight.

[@filanfyretracker]

I think that was tried on some locomotives with a turbine spinning the genset instead of a diesel.

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

Lovely Space-/Jet-Age "Raygun Gothic" designs, would have loved to see all of what we was thinking about in those years. Maybe not everything was feasible, but why do I have to stop dreaming?

[@DEVILTAZ35]

I loved the look of these 60's Gas powered trucks.

[@walterw8310]

BEST HOST ON THE INTERNET.

[@eddiewood6239]

Big Reds Cab sat at Wood Brothers Racing in Charlotte North Carolina for quite some time during my youth. It was a huge vehicle. Eddie Wood of Hendersonville North Carolina.

[@mekaerwin7187]

I think it's hilarious seeing the stock footage of a camera on some reporter at a fencing match.

[@johnbee7729]

Way way cool. Not sure what I find more impressive - the turbine or the design / tech of the amenities and styling of these wonderful test beds. Too bad this osn't really happening that often these days

[@arfarms5711]

This was an awesome video!!! I’ve loved trucks all my life and still drive a semi today. I NEVER KNEW ANYTHING AB THESE TRUCKS! Really enjoyed this and new sub. Thanks

[@cg9952]

What's up w the pic of the Allison V12 when taking about an Allison truck transmission?

[@KKEM641]

In 1960, the fire apparatus manufacturer American LaFrance built at least two Turbine powered apparatus. An Engine that went to San Francisco, and a tractor drawn aerial that went to Seattle.

[@keith_5584]

Could you cover the GM Multi-rotor rotary engine prototype? (the one with a small and big rotor)

[@excellenceinanimation960]

Weird! About 2 days ago I was wondering why there were not turbine powered cars or trucks!

[@brantleyhester6641]

What about nuclear powered cars and trucks? That could never go wrong...

[@excellenceinanimation960]

@@brantleyhester6641 omg yesss! Dude! your brilliance cannot be expressed with mere words!!! I worship you thy brilliance! 😂

[@brantleyhester6641]

@@excellenceinanimation960 Yeah, that's what I thought. I am brilliant, aren't I?

[@brantleyhester6641]

@@excellenceinanimation960 Bow before me mere mortal

[@excellenceinanimation960]

@@brantleyhester6641 OH holy one forgive me for not recognizing your infinite brilliance before!!! I will devote my every action in the advance of your noble excellence!!!!!!!!

[@alanjohnson2613]

The gas turbine at ford was my fathers project, he told about everyone lining up in dearborn to drive the turbine truck.

[@BlairAir]

Love the shot of the Alison "transmission " -looking for all the world exactly like an Alison V-1710 12 cylinder, liquid-cooled AIRCRAFT ENGINE. That's some stealth transmission yo.

[@brantleyhester6641]

Two cycle diesel engines, please make a video on these. My dad was a truck driver for all the years of his life pretty much. He talks about them but I've never seen one. They were used in the 1970's but not much after that

[@rjgaynor8]

One of my customers has one. I love working on it. I had to pull the engine and have it rebuilt. It was awesome to get her rumbling again.

[@Lemmon714_]

I drove an old dump truck in 1989 with a two stroke Detroit and a 13 speed. The best sounding truck I have ever driven and being 18yo, I thought I was so cool with that loud exhaust.

[@Lemmon714_]

Look up two stroke diesel runaway on KZbin.

[@brantleyhester6641]

@@Lemmon714_ I sure will, thank you. I really don't know why I didn't think of that. Guess watching the Whistlerverse so much I don't think to look up other videos

[@pohldriver]

Yeah, those screamin Detroits set the mark for highway trucks back in the day until the development of the Series 60 when it became a specialized engine. The Series 60 was also a great engine, if you knew how to drive it. Too many tried to run them like a Cat or Cummins and would complain they couldn't pull. But, peak horsepower was at like 2100 rpm. You needed to wind up the 60.

[@kevincrosby1760]

Turbines are most efficient when you can spool them up and leave them there. Better to couple them with a generator designed and wound for the higher shaft speed and look towards using them for local power generation.

[@ezviro]

Standard trailer length is now 53' Axle weights of 12,000 / 34,000 / 34,000 lbs respective (drive to tandem)

[@nasanerd8931]

Episode proposal: Oroville Dam crisis Keep it up fact boy👍🍻🌮

[@backroadbeetle4781]

It's amazing that new regular diesel pickups, like an F450, can tow 40,000lbs and still get nearly 20mpgs 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫. Everyone thinks diesel is the devil but they're massively efficient. Especially when you talk about diesel locomotives.

[@russelldaumer969]

The Mack Turbine test truck from the late 70s I believe is still running and can be seen at the Mack Trucks Historical Museum in Allentown, PA

[@stagergamer4172]

"people and freight were moving more efficiently than ever" trains: *"am i a joke to you?"*

[@Lcngopher]

Turbine engines even competed in the indy 500 but never actually won. They had one pole position for the race however. They lasted only a few years

[@clasicradiolover]

A toilet and a shower would be very welcome in my sleeper. You'd be amazed at companies that make us use portable toilets esp. during Covid

[@Krullmatic]

Damn! They were way ahead of their time!

[@twocvbloke]

The Bison looks more like something from a Gerry Anderson production... :P

[@TheOtherNeutrino]

The GM Bison looks like Rodimus Prime's vehicle mode.

[@arbigdog73]

Simon, as a Retired Truck Driver, thank you for getting all the terms correct.

[@barabolak]

Notice how those 1960s trucks were more aerodynamic than modern trucks

[@mwhitelaw8569]

There's a whole bunch of stuff in that truck Crazy

[@Kaltagstar96]

The General Motors Bison legit looks like something out of Captain Scarlet or a rejected vehicle from Thunderbirds!

[@soggycracker5934]

Watching this is like watching the track of electric vehicles. Several times, they have been hailed as the future. And yet, they fail every time and the humble piston keeps chugging along.

[@Aquatarkus96]

About 100 years ago or so, electric cars were not only seen as a futuristic curiosity, but the logical way forward. Well there were a good number of personal electric cars, This is also the year where electric public transportation really became prevalent in the form of street cars and electrified railroad. If Lithium ion batteries existed in the 1900-1920s, there's a good chance we wouldn't even have gas powered cars today. Electric cars in that era failed in large part because old batteries had terrible energy density. Street cars and other electric public transit options failed for other reasons, but the basic technology is sound and still used in modern electric transit. Since then every attempt to bring electric cars to the market was thwarted not by technological concerns but by culture and shady dealings between the car companies and oil companies and governments. Seems things are changing now, and definitely for the better. Electric cars are way quieter than gas, have absolutely insane low-end torque, and don't make noxious fumes when running. If charging infrastructure ever seriously blows up I think most regular people would have no reason not to get an electric car for their daily commuting. Even with current technology, Most people wouldn't have to worry about draining even half of a car battery on their commute unless they drive hundreds of miles a day to get to work.

[@pugslt1]

You say Allison transmission and then show a picture of an Allison V12 engine....

[@marcraygun6290]

Nice to see the bison way ahead of the twin stick shooter craze

[@AtheistOrphan]

The Ford Big Red reminds me of the film ‘The Big Bus’.

[@stevegird7706]

I saw that film at the theater.

[@mikebender717]

Walmart and Paccar (manufacturer of Kenworth and Peterbuilt ) collaborated on an advanced experimental Truck called the WAVE A mulifuel micro turbine turning a generator which then powered electric motors at the drive axles could pull off all the tricks Tesla electric semi could but with coast to coast range . One even completed a cross country trip loaded averaging if I remember correctly 13.5 mpg

[@moose2577]

7:41 talks about a transmission, shows a V16 engine. 🤦🏻‍♂️🤣

[@ROMAQHICKS]

The non-conventional steering wheel of the Chevy Titan III may seem odd to those who have only driven passenger cars. I haven't driven long-haul trucks but agriculture equipment and sometimes you have to spin the steering wheel 4-5 times to get the wheel where you want them, and having a spinner on the steering wheel is great. Having a full-sized steering wheel is great if you lose power steering but generally having a smaller wheel with a spinner would be ideal.

[@patsweeney4220]

Okay, I've got a sideproject I dont know if you see them from here, but maybe some people will give me a like so this gets noticed. 1978 GMC RV Home, it was designed by freakin NASA and I wanna know why it failed because looking at them now, they should have taken off imo.

[@Lemmon714_]

I have driven a truck for 35 years and have listened to Simon's Casual Criminalist podcast for the past few months. I would love to drive one of those.

[@maxvannieuwpoort9687]

Sounds like with modern technology that there may be options for a hybrid kind of system? Where an e-motor can drive in cities and acceleration/uphill and a range-extender/cruise motor may be a small-ish turbine. Instead of making a truck twice as big

[@barrydysert2974]

The one and only Chevy Turbo Titan III would be greatest barn find of the twenty-first century! (or any other century for that matter !:-)

[@utah133]

I was around from 1950 on and never realized turbine semi tractors existed!

[@TruckingToPlease]

We're 75 feet long with a 53' trailer. Stretched Peterbilt with a 26.5' chassis and average 5.5 mpg. At this lenght, we often find limited space for parking. 2 lane roads in the northeastern states can be a nightmare especially when flanked by parked cars on both sides. No doubt if engineers can't equal the dimensions of existing truck/ trailers, bridge heights and axle weights, rlthese concept trucks will never work. PS - Love my Edge wallets. Ive got 2. One for my daily ID cards and one for my fuel cards (x6) for worrk

[@ejd1984]

Anyone ever notice that Ford's Big Red and Speed Racer's Mammoth Car look really similar. Just a question of - Who influenced who?

[@evanrhildreth]

Tesla's Semi seems to borrow it's cab layout from Ford's Big Red - steering pod, wrap-around windshield, entrance door behind the driver's seat. Big Red is essentually the Tesla Semi of the 1960s! But it raises a concern - if that cabin was practical, you would think someone would have adopted it for a diesel semi. The door behind the driver's seat seems particularly inconvenient.

[@safetymikeengland]

I am looking forward to seeing the big red ford turbine truck - I think I've read somewhere that it will be in a museum someday. this is the first time I've ever seen a picture of a GM turbine truck. the only thing I've ever seen that resembles the bison is a custom truck built on the Toronado frame and used to transport a mock up of a rocket-powered car

[@tuzonthume]

02:14 Operation paperclip my islander friend. It's the American Autobahn!

[@bobkonradi1027]

Once upon a time long ago, I had a chance to talk to the sales manager of the Ford heavy truck dealership in St. Louis. He said he'd driven the Ford experimental, prototype gas turbine truck. He was not impressed by it at all. He said the engine took way too long to "spool up," to rev up, and so it accelerated very, very, very slowly. And once it got up to speed it drank fuel like crazy. He saw no market for the truck at all, which turned out to be Ford's conclusion as well. Still, you never know unless you try the idea out.

[@johnsnow1355]

A diesel electric tractor makes the most sense but the reality of trucking is it has to be built cheap as possible to make company a profit. The conventional diesel tractor will never be replaced with anything else.

[@rubensandstrom6824]

The gas turbine useful when you don’t have risk of rocks getting into the turbine and getting turbine salad

[@jray5363]

Just when I think you’re out of ideas, you pull this one right out of your a$$! BRAVO!

[@siml710]

Small mistake: 2.15 mpg is about 0.9 kpl. For the European people, that is about 110 liters per 100 km.

[@EAcapuccino]

09:25 Looks like it belongs in a Coca Cola advert 😅 All these lorries look sweet though 🚛🚛🚛

[@HyBr1dRaNg3r]

The GM one looks like the basis for the Oscar Meyer Weiner car🤔

[@RobertLeather]

Why on earth didn't they just use the turbine to generate electricity and use powerful electric motors to drive the wheels? It's not like that design hadn't been thought of before. I mean the Antarctic Snow Cruiser was designed in 1937 and it had diesel engines driving generators that then drove the wheels by electric motors. More than 20 years later those generators and motors were considerably more efficient, reliable and efficient.

[@brianb-p6586]

The Antarctic Snow Cruiser was a worthless pile of junk.50 years ago, electric drives were still not nearly as effective as they are now, because of the controls rather than the motors and generators themselves.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

I can't wait to see the episode on electric trucks!

[@Juan-oy3fo]

Shared route From Los Angeles, California to Washington, District of Columbia via I-80 E. 2 d 6 hr (3,591 mi)

[@JanTonovski]

9:26 The General Motors Bison looks like it is a truck from The Thunderbirds

[@maltesephil]

British Leyland did one. I think its still going too

[@Stukov961]

Comparing these performance numbers to the 2023 Volvo FH I drive is pretty funny.

[@phillipnigro4384]

The trailer having a trailer is called "piggy backing" so Ford predicted that on the nose now it's just small single axle trailers and you see him on like Long haul UPS trucks and stuff like that here in the states I don't know about England and other countries but here in America we still piggyback trucks from time to time I drive one

[@StefanMedici]

The Bison looks like something out of Thunderbirds.

[@joekuncl3443]

Just a quick note, your picture of an Allison transmission is actually a WW2 V-1710 aircraft engine.

[@eddieweigel9490]

That ford COE was probably powerful it’s got a very short driveshaft not gonna loose power through that shorty

[@danielgoetz7821]

Now we have the prospect of electric big rigs that are autonomous

[@stephencampbell9384]

Dunno who does your conversions, but they're hilarious. 2.1mpg is less than one km/l

[@brianb-p6586]

Is some defective bot selecting the clips to be inserted? Off-highway dump truck, farm tractor, aircraft piston engine...

[@Ruiluth]

"Superhighways" "More efficient than before" Something doesn't add up there.

[@captaindaddy8645]

big red is a spicy cinnamon chewing gum. a massive turbine powered truck, equipped for homoeroticism, will not freshen your breath.

[@androidemulator6952]

Ridge Wallet ??- everytime i now hear that i think of "Trevor Jacob's "I Crashed My Plane" controversy.. LOL