Not Cat but very Cool, a 1927 Kenworth with a radial diesel engine

Did you happen to catch what was original and what was upgraded on that truck? The axles look fairly modern and possibly the engine too. The cab looks original with that flat, vertical windscreen.
Nice unit.
Cheers,
Neil

Hi Team,
these are a unique engine.
This one I believe would be a T-1020 from a M3 Stuart Tank.
Some came down under to Australia and I have owned a couple of these engines over the years. I also have assisted several others getting their T-1020's running.
They are tricky to set up the cam plate timing and fuel injection pumps.
They run on the smell of an oily rag compared to the usual Continental W670 Gas engines usually fitted to these tanks.
The A-1020 has a different crankshaft nose so that their propellers cannot be fitted to the tank engines.
The A-1020 is one of a very few diesels granted an airwothiness certificate.
They were built by Buda for Guiberson who was an oil mogul who had decided the USA should have a Diesel aircraft engine back in the early 1930's.
Just some ramblings of an old Diesel Mechanic who had/has an interest in odd design engines.
Cheers,
Eddie B.

Well, now I've seen at least a picture of one. There's an elderly gentleman (95 yrs) here still of sound mind that speaks fondly of those radials and GMC half tracks. He was in Europe with "The Spearhead", The Third Armored Division.

Interesting Eddie - did you have it powering something? I'm a big fan of the radial sound (used to listen to the Grumman Ag-cats and DHC Beavers topdressing locally) and it'd be great to hear this thing lugging. I see there's renewed interest in diesels for planes to the extent that Continental and others are considering production - using the standard opposed layout.
Cheers,
Neil.

You have to give these guys credit for inventiveness on the starter...😆
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGLVtA3LHlE

There was a guy that used to bring one to the Denton NC show and start it several times a day. I heard that one day somewhere it got a hyd lock in one of the cylinders and blew the top of the head/jug off. I haven't seen it in many years now.

Neil
Re the truck, I have little truck knowledge except it would look good towing one of my Cats. It had some nice air ride seats and a lot of brushed aluminum, the owner known as Diesel jack had a book of pictures from major repair and improvements he has done over the years. It did still have drum front brakes.


Stephen
The owner did pull it through a few turns before the first start of the day, I have seen radial engines that have had spark plugs removed from the bottom 3 cylinders and run for 30 seconds to clear out the bottom cylinders.

Jack told me he aquired a Cat 17000 gen set he plans to tow behind him to the next show.

Hi Steve,
alas, it got sold to a tank collector mate who has a Guiberson hull to put it into--will be great to get a drive of it once it is completed, they go extremely well compared to the slug Continental petrol/gas powered standard engined ones.
I'm told with the governor disconnected another mate was clocked at over 60 MPH in an M3 with a Guiberson fitted 😊
I know of at least two around here with a cyl. head blown off, was a common occurance.
I believe they fatigue fail at a sharp machining edge -not radiused- at the cylinder to head attachment line--the heads are aluminium and screw onto the steel barrel.
These engines have a de-compression set up and must be de-compressed and turned thru at least 3 revolutions before starting if they have sat for more than a day.
You will see most radials in aircraft turned at least two full revolutions by hand turning the prop before starting--sometimes if the engines cannot be hand turned then the starter motors turn the engines thru 2-3 revs before the mags are tuned on for the same reason.

Another member of this BB is restoring one at present, we have exchanged some PM's on the subject.

People I have spoken to who used these things as cheap dozers for scrub clearing back in the day used to tow start the Guibersons, but said on icy mornings the final drive pinions used to fail. They used to light a fire under the final drives to warm them before first tow for the day.
The standard starters for these are a Coffman cartridge fired unit so they used to try and conserve cartridges.
Better stop before I bore you all.
Cheers,
Eddie B.

Are the starting cartridges still available and at what sort of price? Just curious.