Wanted: IH V8 Parts

Basil,
Didn't realise they were an option for the Transtar, and didn't know that the '4070's' dated back to the '60's. I knew they were an early '70's design (much like me!) but they obviously go back a bit further than I thought. There was one around around here at Maffra for a while - '74 4070A, 8V71, 15 spd R/R, 38's on Hendrickson - had the sweetest sounding GM I've ever heard. Painted black and yellow, black steel bullbar, black fuel tanks, "Fuelscoop" wind deflector with "Kunara" (Aboriginal for Tiger Shark) on it. Last I knew it ended up in Melbourne somewhere.

Gidday Adrian,

The Transtar 4070 came out from what I can gather from the sales sheet and pricing info for dealers in late 67.
They were a pretty well optioned truck with a pile of different engines available and 23 different gearboxs.
There was even aluminium case 16 speed spicers in the line up.
Its interesting that the 4x2 and 6x4 both had the same GCM of 80,000lb.
The 549ci petrol thumpers were built from 56 - 78 and used in many models Including the V-190 like the old banger I have at home.
The average joe blogs model were single dizzy, single plug per cylinder. The fire pumper version of the 549 had twin dizzy's and two plugs per cylinder.
They made big power for the day....if you could keep the juice up to them. I talked to a fella in Canada about these engines and he reckoned in the 60's these things ran rings around the Cummins 220's in the mountains.
As per normal with the big petrol Inter donks they dont like getting hot and dont over rev them.
They had a smaller 478ci brother.

Basil

There were even plans by IH for an ACCO 4070A, using a high mounted ACCO A cab on the Transtar 4070 chassis. More about it in my ACCO book.

Hello Pete,

Yes it wouldve made sense as the Transtar mechanically was good its just the cabs that let them down.
Just about all the Tranny under carriage is the same part numbers as a T line so they half did it. Except the two piece chassis rails which by the way I reckon is a brilliant idea. Change wheelbase in a few days with no cutting or welding.

Basil

The ACCO 4070 probably would have gone ahead except that they had to build the T line and they inherited the Atkinson 3800 as well. I don't understand the reason for those Transtar two piece chassis rails, why are they better than a straight rail ??

Pete,

I have no idea what the real reason for the two piece rails was but it would be interesting to find out.
The big step in the front piece certainly makes it easy with V engines for access.

Basil

Must have been an expensive thing to produce, I reckon Atkinson had the best setup for a heavy truck, wide chassis but straight rails all the way through.