@@kwhp1507 I stand Corrected. I just still refer to it that way because it's more commonly known by those less familiar with the plane and its history. Media branded it the Spruce Goose and you know how we're a media driven society these days lol 🤷
10 years ago I brought the Gas Turbine Laboratory at Ford back to life to do research again. Thank you for this great video on the history of Ford's turbine development and Big Red!
So what's the hold up there has to be a reason turbines aren't in more use, spill the beans bro I want a turbine ford super car, turbine work truck etc etc etc
I'd love to see you keep a bespoke turbine engine going, with no knowledge of how it was engineered and no maintenance documentation! Ford was literally learning how to do turbine engines in road vehicles with this...the only people who have a shot in hell at keeping it running are the engineers who designed it.
@@brentboswell1294 It was Ford's engineers not Rocketdyne's engineer's...What makes you think that this turbine is so impossible to maintain or build today? Like i said it was ford who designed and built it, its not a rocket engine made with exotic materials and highly specific building techniques...And Chrysler put a turbine in a car a few years earlier so its not like they were even they first ones to "learn" how to do it like you claim....
I drive road trains in Australia man this is absolutely amazing piece of history that, the design is so light years ahead of time that if it was launched today it would’ve been a total success , I’ve never heard off thank you
Why no one tried to build a retro though... It is a perfect museum show unit... The design of exterior and interior and all those features with steps central steering wheel, resting seat are breath taking for truck designers.
Wow you took me back I remember what you're talking about the mammoth car almost took speed racer down good thing his long lost brother racer x came to his rescue
@@lcfanyc like most race car drivers he was on top of his game tricksey was a hot piece of ass but spridel and chim chim were always cock blocking hiding in the trunk of that car just me but I think I would have gotten a better lock for that
I was JUST gonna say, I wonder if the animators saw this thing and made the Mammoth Car from it, they're both red, giant, long, and have pretty much the same shape front
I worked on the building of the last section of interstate 90 in 1971, and Kenworth had one that would make the trip from Seattle to Spokane twice a week. But only in the middle of the night.
@@nothing9271 Beats me, it was screaming down the highway past the job site. It was on old highway 90,and we were building the new 4 lane interstate next to it. Usually I just heard it but occasionally I got to see it.
The Peterson museum needs to find and get a hold of the individual that has big red and give him a nice check so it can be brought out into the light again, albeit inside museum lighting. The world needs to see this beast.
In the article where the journalist actually found the restorer there was a suggestion that it might end up at the Henry Ford Museum. The article is from The Drive.
Lol i misread your sub count thinking it was 415k instead of 4,15k and was surprised you talked about youtube algorythims. The quality of your video is outstanding. Liked and subbed. Thank you for the video
I remember reading an article about Big Red and the GM truck in HOT Rod Magazine in the late 60's They were described as "The Future Of Trucking" good to know it still exists
I read an article about this about a week ago. It was by The Drive but it wasn't the one you showed. It was the follow up one saying they found Big Red. Never heard of the truck before but it was a really good read.
Thank you for a educating me on a project that I had never heard of before. I can appreciate Ford's venture into turbine power. You see, in 1964 I was eight years old and attended the World's Fair in New York. While I don't recall ever seeing "Big Red", I do recall Chrysler's presentation of their turbine car. I remember sitting in the bleachers with my family as we viewed the turbine car on stage. A Chrysler spokesman then discussed the features of the turbine car and I was captivated by the fact that it used a jet engine. Another thing that the spokesman talked about were the numerous options for fuel....including his comment that an alcohol beverage could be poured into the tank should you run out of fuel. In 1964 the comment drew laughs while today the mere mention would have subjected the spokesman to the wrath of the "Selective Cancel Culture." When I was in my fifties my older brother told me that while he was a teenager, he had traveled to distant Michigan to stay with my cousin for the summer. While there, he saw one of the turbine cars at my uncles house. My uncle was an executive with Chrysler during the 1960s and was tasked with evaluating the vehicle. God Bless.
I seem to recall they they eventually refitted the U.S. versions of the Abrams with an auxiliary power unit, something that first came out with the Centurion tank in the 1940s, so that they could run the vehicle systems without generating a huge heat signature and wasting fuel.
@@michaelguerin56 yeah it wasn't there originally because they didn't have the time to make one for it. But yes like most mbts it has an auxiliary power generator.
The future replacement in development is going back to a diesel engine. The turbine produces lots of power, but as stated -- drinks copious amounts of fuel! The Abrams doesn't have much range, a fleet of fuel trucks have to keep up with it and top it off daily.
The owner that paid out good money for it, and wants to keep it, is probably afraid someone will come around and say it belongs in a museum, then the court battles over and over until they find a judge that says yes it belongs in a museum and then Big Red is taken away from him
Ford continued with the turbines through the late 60s. I grew up in SE Michigan, and used to see a blue and white cab-over turbine powered semi that was used to shuttle parts from the component plants to the assembly plants. You could always spot them as they had huge white stacks on the back of the cab, not to mention the sound! It was impressive!
@@motorheadscom It was. I used to ride the school bus and I would see that turbine truck at the stop light from time to time. He was picking up parts at the Ypsilanti Strter plant, then head to the Rawsonville plant to pick up their products.
Thanks for the upload, If i owned the vehicle i don't think any part of me wouldn't want to show the world its a piece of history like the future-liner then again most of history turns to dust in old barns and buildings lol
Back in the earl 70’s when I was a young apprentice working at Cummins Ontario in Toronto KW ran a Cabover VIT parts truck that operated out of Vancouver. It had previously been equipped with a gas turbine. When i first saw it, they had Re powered it with the new KT Diesel engine ( 450 - 600 hp, 1150 cid displacement). Some time later they sold it to a owner operator who ran for Tippet and Rippit ( Tippet Richards Moving and Storage ) the early engine blocks where prone to cracking in the cylinder liner counter bores. Due to the high cost the engine was replaced with a 855 cid 350-400 hp engine typical of the day. The truck was resold to a buyer who bought trucks and shipped them to Australia. I heard of one other turbine powered truck that was owed for snow ploughing for the British Columbia Highways Dept, operated out of Revelstoke B.C. I believe it was gone by the time I made my first trip out their in 74. Wasn’t there a couple of movies that featured turbine cars ? I recall a Dean Martin / Mat Helm movie in which it was his daily driver, and some other teen movie that had the main character go to UCLA where. He engineered an exhaust silencer. Then there was the most unsuccessful waist of money in the top 10 of CDN government boondoggles , the Turbo Train ! Don’t get me started.
On outside it loos like normal European truck...cant believe it has soo much living space on the inside...thats mental... Edit: Only when you see how the driver is close to front window, you realise where they get all that space....
First video I've seen by you. My bug question is how in the hell you only have 3 thousand subscribers for this quality of content, especially upon its research. Keep going man you WILL make it
It's inaccurate to suggest that only the "Clean Air" regs were responsible for the truck not being mass-produced. The full rig was also too tall, too long, and too heavy for the off-Interstate infrastructure of the time; and remember, there were a lot fewer "bypass" highways back then.
Man, just making trucks that never come by in the future is just heartbreaking. People right now just make vehicles with blue lights mostly futurism with just holograms. I mean these trucks come with a flaw but it's still beyond our imagination and it's still beautiful to see trucks attempting to advance through the future of transportation. This is probably the coolest gas turbine other than Turbo Titan. Big Red has the tech that no one will make in the future. Really miss Big Red as it was my grandpa's childhood back then and was mine too when he told me about trucks. World really did change.
I recall a part of a story in Readers Digest, some time in the 1960's, I assume. Whether it was about this Big Red or some other truck, I don't know. But the piece of the story I recall goes something like this: The driver of the turbine powered truck parks at a truck stop. Soon he is surrounded by other truck drivers who claim that his brake lights have failed, as they did not turn on during the long downhill stretch. He replied that he did not brake on the downhill, so no brake lights. The other drivers warned him that everybody uses brakes on this hill, because braking with the engine will destroy it in no time. So he told that "Not this engine" and showed his turbine power unit to the amazed truckers.
Jay, that Mack was tested by pulling a full load up I-17 to Flagstaff. It could maintain a speed of 70mph + going uphill. I think it had a 731 or 831 industrial turbine. The exhaust was an oval stainless stack with a "bologna cut" end.
Didn’t think anyone knew about it the engine was based off the TPE331 engine. The trailer was loaded with concrete and lowered to clear the exhaust. I worked on just about everything thing else at the Phoenix plant except that it mostly sat parked next to the altitude test building. They would take it out every now and then for an endurance run. The driver always got a kick out of the other rigs comments when he would blow by them. Garret was part of Mack truck never understood why it never went into production must of been a cost factor involved the bean counters didn’t like. Later on the engine was pulled for testing in a tank that unfortunately never came into production. Both the truck and tank got scrapped never to be seen again.
@@jayfoster8120 , I used to work on the 85's, 331-200 thru the 331-500/600's & the 131 series. Worked on the Sundstrand apu's also. The APS 500, 2000, 2300 & 3200. Fun stuff.
@@jayfoster8120 i remember seeing that truck and hearing it run from working at Garrett and the cabover Cruiseliner is now in the Mack Truck Museum in Allentown PA., not sure what happened to the other conventional models. Never made it to production because no one was going to buy a truck with a $300,000 engine that needed A&P rated technicians to work on it when a conventional diesel sold for a fraction of the cost. (Yup, bean counter stuff) The trailer had a thick steel plate installed on the floor to simulate a load and was later bought by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and was converted into a Mobile Incident Command Post according to my brother who was a captain at the time. Shortly after Garrett/Allied-Signal/Honeywell bought out Lycoming, who held the tank engine contract, an M-1 tank test bed, surrounded by a chain link fence, appeared behind the 404 bldg. Never actually saw them working on it, but you knew they had because the turret would be rotated periodically. Being next to the airport's north runway and across from the Executive Terminal, this caused the Secret Service great stress whenever Air Force One arrived in town and parked at that terminal. It was still there when I left in 2010 after they closed all Phoenix manufacturing.
Just art on wheels with tech and comfort which took 'till the end of the 80's to trickle in to give more comfort to drivers. So, yeah, way, way, way ahead of its time.
Well Big Red is a one of a kind truck so I wouldn’t blame the owner for keeping it hidden as you could probably imagine people coming to look at it on their property or even worse try to steal Big Red
Not to mention modernday environmentallies, they might even try to destroy it just to prevent it from polluting the air. It doesn't matter that it might be runnin on cleanest engine on market.
It’s interesting how Ford and GM didn’t care much about keeping the trucks. They probably saw it as a huge failure and didn’t really wanted to keep it around. Thanks for these 2 videos, I didn’t know these prototypes were made till I watched your videos! :-)
That truck is a technological innovation that at that time showed what was possible, and yes it definitely should be in a museum with all the information and history as just mentioned. As a ex trucker its MAGNIFICENT, and it looks like a European fifty ton truck today with the high cab, and air conditioning, and the electric steps can't see that as a feature on these high capacity cab it would be a extra cost and maintenance problem that would add too the cost of the truck and it would be a unnecessary complexity for me it's, brilliant if only it had worked US trucks would have been completely different if not better than the European trucks.
Have you ever heard of the 68 Intermeccanica Omega aka Ford Omega Holman Moody built 33 of them. one of my x bosses up here in Maine has one I saw it myself storied in a unassuming garage behind a shopping plaza in Bangor Maine in the early 2000's the plaza has been sold and the car moved last i heard he had started restoring it.
Dude, i think this truck should be brought back into production... it'll be something that could revitalize the Ford truck and force companies to think again about something new
This truck doesn’t really have any practical use, especially in today’s world. It consumes too much fuel, is too dirty, all of the tech is too heavy and not really needed and it’s just not what companies want. Manufacturers are constantly thinking of new ways and tech, but there are limitations to what is really useful and what just sounds cool. The market and government regulations have shaped commercial trucks into the ideal form for today’s use
@@starstencahl8985 you don't think Ford could retrofit this truck to current epa standards? Come on man... I'm no Ford fan, but even I know any car, truck, semi, etc can be made into a modern standardized vehicle
@@stevennihipali3607 it would be more economical to refit an existing platform than trying to bring the Big Red to today’s standards. It not just safety equipment that would need to be updated, it’s the frame also.
I was near I 75 and 12 mile In Madison heights mi gigantic Isaw a big tow truck pulling a bigger truck no trailers. It was red and absolutely resembled this truck
again a really nice video with nice video sequences and pictures from an really exciting technical development ära. your english is very good to understand for non native speakers. the big red is awesome. imagine the faces when driving with this throught a city in germany! with this truck you are the best friend of petrol deliveres. 1050l for 950km (at 110km/h ) is not a little bit! thts what modern heavy haulage trucks consume withmore than 150t load
As the recent article state’s. It is too big to move, and if the owner opens it to the public, his nice house becomes a busy landmark. Wait till they find a suitable place to display it. It’s in good hands now.
Its not that it's too big it's the 707 gas turbine engine. Its literal unobtainiam, one of a kind with possibly zero parts and very few alive that know how to fix them. It's the risk of it breaking if you drive it. I can understand that too bad these didnt take off.
@@jailbird1133 yes but not Ford turbines this is something that has to be remember these engines are rare. Extremely rare with no replacement parts in production because Ford canned the turbine project.
@@commanderwhite12 there are Chrysler turbines still running. Chrysler canned the turbine as well. It is possible to make parts. And a turbine is a turbine. There isnt a great amount of difference
Ford had a number of gas turbine semi tractors (cabovers) in their corporate fleet. I remember seeing them back in 1981 hauling parts. I don't know when they retired all of them.
They found big red seen an article how a farmer had it for 15 years in a sealed barn he had bought it from an auction but it was missing the famous trailers when he bought it
Drive found it. Private owner bought it from Holman moody (Ford racing). It's been completely restored and is being hidden away for noone but the current owner to enjoy
I had the privilege of spending a day with the truck just a few years ago.
Sat in drivers seat, a real piece of art
Way ahead of it's time.
Exactly how I felt the day I sat in the pilot seat of the Spruce Goose. What an honor 👌
@@scottskinner577 get it right, you flew the HERCULES! My dad always hated it when everyone called his greatest aircraft spruce goose.......
A few years ago? So you know the owner and location then?
@@kwhp1507 I stand Corrected. I just still refer to it that way because it's more commonly known by those less familiar with the plane and its history.
Media branded it the Spruce Goose and you know how we're a media driven society these days lol 🤷
@@ViolentMLG He must’ve made a pact with the owner to never give away location details for a ride in it or somethin.
Jay leno must have it ,,, he has everything else ,
I've met Jay and with his love of motor vehicles of all sorts he would drive Big Red too if he owned it.
Wish he did own it, then we would be able to see it again when he drives it around
@Thomas Pelley he would also pay to restore it to better than factory
Hahaha facts
Hope he dose n it’s hidden cuz of restoration n modifications for the og motor lol
10 years ago I brought the Gas Turbine Laboratory at Ford back to life to do research again. Thank you for this great video on the history of Ford's turbine development and Big Red!
Glad you enjoyed it!
So what's the hold up there has to be a reason turbines aren't in more use, spill the beans bro I want a turbine ford super car, turbine work truck etc etc etc
I recall photos of the Ford LTL turbine truck.
Memory is of the massive exhaust pipe .
@@nevillebroadbent1601 You should have seen the exhaust for the dynos! A massive exhaust fan and a 6' diameter pipe outside 30' tall.
@@rbnhd1976 I think you can thank the EPA.
Anytime something goes in a museum, it stops running. Best way to keep this unit intact is to keep it in operating condition
That is not necessarily true, I know of museums where the cars are still privately owned and are driven regularly.
I'd love to see you keep a bespoke turbine engine going, with no knowledge of how it was engineered and no maintenance documentation! Ford was literally learning how to do turbine engines in road vehicles with this...the only people who have a shot in hell at keeping it running are the engineers who designed it.
@@brentboswell1294 It was Ford's engineers not Rocketdyne's engineer's...What makes you think that this turbine is so impossible to maintain or build today? Like i said it was ford who designed and built it, its not a rocket engine made with exotic materials and highly specific building techniques...And Chrysler put a turbine in a car a few years earlier so its not like they were even they first ones to "learn" how to do it like you claim....
@@brentboswell1294 Leno has several turbine powered vehicles that he drives regularly.
The Peterson museum drives all of its cars
I drive road trains in Australia man this is absolutely amazing piece of history that, the design is so light years ahead of time that if it was launched today it would’ve been a total success , I’ve never heard off thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Why no one tried to build a retro though... It is a perfect museum show unit... The design of exterior and interior and all those features with steps central steering wheel, resting seat are breath taking for truck designers.
Sure reminds me of an episode of Speed Racer when the Mammoth Car was racing against them...
Wow you took me back I remember what you're talking about the mammoth car almost took speed racer down good thing his long lost brother racer x came to his rescue
I was about to write that...right on!
@@lcfanyc like most race car drivers he was on top of his game tricksey was a hot piece of ass but spridel and chim chim were always cock blocking hiding in the trunk of that car just me but I think I would have gotten a better lock for that
I was JUST gonna say, I wonder if the animators saw this thing and made the Mammoth Car from it, they're both red, giant, long, and have pretty much the same shape front
You KNOW you're an epic car when you get your own theme song.
I worked on the building of the last section of interstate 90 in 1971, and Kenworth had one that would make the trip from Seattle to Spokane twice a week. But only in the middle of the night.
Did it had a c????
@@nothing9271 have a c?
@@cbmech2563 the truck had ac???
@@nothing9271
Beats me, it was screaming down the highway past the job site. It was on old highway 90,and we were building the new 4 lane interstate next to it. Usually I just heard it but occasionally I got to see it.
Nice ..lucky
just saw the drive's video and got instantly obsessed with this beauty
The Peterson museum needs to find and get a hold of the individual that has big red and give him a nice check so it can be brought out into the light again, albeit inside museum lighting. The world needs to see this beast.
They refused my offer donate the ed roth Honda cvcc sitting at galapin ford now... They are not in buissness of cutting checks...
In the article where the journalist actually found the restorer there was a suggestion that it might end up at the Henry Ford Museum. The article is from The Drive.
It will eventually go to the Ford museum. It's hidden away because Ford still owns it.
@@TheBandit7613 if Ford still owned it why would they keep it so hidden
Lol i misread your sub count thinking it was 415k instead of 4,15k and was surprised you talked about youtube algorythims. The quality of your video is outstanding. Liked and subbed. Thank you for the video
I remember reading an article about Big Red and the GM truck in HOT Rod Magazine in the late 60's They were described as "The Future Of Trucking" good to know it still exists
A friend took the replacement motor from Oklahoma to be installed...it still has a turbine engine, but not the original. It does run & operate
I read an article about this about a week ago. It was by The Drive but it wasn't the one you showed. It was the follow up one saying they found Big Red. Never heard of the truck before but it was a really good read.
Thank you for a educating me on a project that I had never heard of before. I can appreciate Ford's venture into turbine power. You see, in 1964 I was eight years old and attended the World's Fair in New York. While I don't recall ever seeing "Big Red", I do recall Chrysler's presentation of their turbine car. I remember sitting in the bleachers with my family as we viewed the turbine car on stage. A Chrysler spokesman then discussed the features of the turbine car and I was captivated by the fact that it used a jet engine. Another thing that the spokesman talked about were the numerous options for fuel....including his comment that an alcohol beverage could be poured into the tank should you run out of fuel. In 1964 the comment drew laughs while today the mere mention would have subjected the spokesman to the wrath of the "Selective Cancel Culture." When I was in my fifties my older brother told me that while he was a teenager, he had traveled to distant Michigan to stay with my cousin for the summer. While there, he saw one of the turbine cars at my uncles house. My uncle was an executive with Chrysler during the 1960s and was tasked with evaluating the vehicle. God Bless.
I love hearing stories like this from people who experienced those times. Wish I could’ve grown up in such a cool era for automobiles!
The modern M1 Abrams tank uses a multi-fuel turbine engine.
I seem to recall they they eventually refitted the U.S. versions of the Abrams with an auxiliary power unit, something that first came out with the Centurion tank in the 1940s, so that they could run the vehicle systems without generating a huge heat signature and wasting fuel.
@@michaelguerin56 Correct
@@michaelguerin56 yeah it wasn't there originally because they didn't have the time to make one for it. But yes like most mbts it has an auxiliary power generator.
The future replacement in development is going back to a diesel engine. The turbine produces lots of power, but as stated -- drinks copious amounts of fuel! The Abrams doesn't have much range, a fleet of fuel trucks have to keep up with it and top it off daily.
@@AMCMag thing is the turbine has higher fuel efficiency at high rpm but lower efficiency at low rpm
The owner that paid out good money for it, and wants to keep it, is probably afraid someone will come around and say it belongs in a museum, then the court battles over and over until they find a judge that says yes it belongs in a museum and then Big Red is taken away from him
That’s the thing I HATE about museums. Steak history from its original owner to put it on display...
@@N-Collective I don't think it works like that. Most exhibits are donated or on lease from the owner.
Depending on how moody received it, Ford might be the one taking you to court, even though the didn't care anything about it for 30 years... 😄
Court can't make you give up your personal belongings to put them in a museum.
Yeah, this just isn't how it works at all.
Ford continued with the turbines through the late 60s. I grew up in SE Michigan, and used to see a blue and white cab-over turbine powered semi that was used to shuttle parts from the component plants to the assembly plants. You could always spot them as they had huge white stacks on the back of the cab, not to mention the sound! It was impressive!
That sounds like an amazing experience!
@@motorheadscom It was. I used to ride the school bus and I would see that turbine truck at the stop light from time to time. He was picking up parts at the Ypsilanti Strter plant, then head to the Rawsonville plant to pick up their products.
I'd pay to see that in a museum.
That's how you usually see things in a museum, yes.
Any museum that has this will get a lot of money for themselves, even if it were in a museum that it doesn't belong in.
This was great. I enjoyed watching this, very much. It really is sad that it didn't take hold and go into production.
2:40 : gas turbines for US military - actually it did as the A1 Abrams MTB is powered and still is powered by a gas turbine.
Thanks for the upload, If i owned the vehicle i don't think any part of me wouldn't want to show the world its a piece of history like the future-liner then again most of history turns to dust in old barns and buildings lol
This truck looks just like the Mammoth Car from Speed Racer. Bet this was the inspiration of it.
It’s in Alabama. I saw it there at a truck stop a few years ago while driving through. Driver said he’s just putting some miles on it
Towards Birmingham, Huntsville, or gulf shores?
According to the newest details from the secretive owner, the truck hasn't driven since the year 2000.
It was probably early 2000s. I can’t remember where, I was young
i LOVE all things Ford! this is amazing - wish I could see it in person!
Back in the earl 70’s when I was a young apprentice working at Cummins Ontario in Toronto KW ran a Cabover VIT parts truck that operated out of Vancouver.
It had previously been equipped with a gas turbine. When i first saw it, they had Re powered it with the new KT Diesel engine ( 450 - 600 hp, 1150 cid displacement). Some time later they sold it to a owner operator who ran for Tippet and Rippit ( Tippet Richards Moving and Storage ) the early engine
blocks where prone to cracking in the cylinder liner counter bores. Due to the high cost the engine was replaced with a 855 cid 350-400 hp engine typical
of the day. The truck was resold to a buyer who bought trucks and shipped them to Australia. I heard of one other turbine powered truck that was owed
for snow ploughing for the British Columbia Highways Dept, operated out of Revelstoke B.C. I believe it was gone by the time I made my first trip out
their in 74. Wasn’t there a couple of movies that featured turbine cars ? I recall a Dean Martin / Mat Helm movie in which it was his daily driver, and some
other teen movie that had the main character go to UCLA where. He engineered an exhaust silencer. Then there was the most unsuccessful waist of money
in the top 10 of CDN government boondoggles , the Turbo Train ! Don’t get me started.
A great story well told. Thanks.
On outside it loos like normal European truck...cant believe it has soo much living space on the inside...thats mental...
Edit: Only when you see how the driver is close to front window, you realise where they get all that space....
Wow, this is news to me. Never heard of this. Interesting.
Same here
First video I've seen by you. My bug question is how in the hell you only have 3 thousand subscribers for this quality of content, especially upon its research. Keep going man you WILL make it
He only started this channel 3 months ago. This will blow up in a couple of years
1:15 Only 34 wheels 🙂
Have been passed by a West Australian road train fuel tanker with 88 wheels....
A tyre shop's dream 👍
No one gives a shit.
@@tkitchens91 you cared enough to comment
@@jwr2904
Bah ha ha Gold 👌
@@tkitchens91
Apparently Motor Heads did.
@@tkitchens91 I found it quite interesting to learn that Australians can't afford rails.
It's inaccurate to suggest that only the "Clean Air" regs were responsible for the truck not being mass-produced. The full rig was also too tall, too long, and too heavy for the off-Interstate infrastructure of the time; and remember, there were a lot fewer "bypass" highways back then.
And too expensive
Man, just making trucks that never come by in the future is just heartbreaking. People right now just make vehicles with blue lights mostly futurism with just holograms. I mean these trucks come with a flaw but it's still beyond our imagination and it's still beautiful to see trucks attempting to advance through the future of transportation. This is probably the coolest gas turbine other than Turbo Titan. Big Red has the tech that no one will make in the future. Really miss Big Red as it was my grandpa's childhood back then and was mine too when he told me about trucks. World really did change.
I live in the rural south I will be on the lookout for big red. If I run across Lee Holman I'll ask him about the truck.
High quality content
Just found this channel via this video and i’m HOOKED! keep making these videos
Welcome aboard!
I recall a part of a story in Readers Digest, some time in the 1960's, I assume. Whether it was about this Big Red or some other truck, I don't know. But the piece of the story I recall goes something like this:
The driver of the turbine powered truck parks at a truck stop. Soon he is surrounded by other truck drivers who claim that his brake lights have failed, as they did not turn on during the long downhill stretch. He replied that he did not brake on the downhill, so no brake lights. The other drivers warned him that everybody uses brakes on this hill, because braking with the engine will destroy it in no time. So he told that "Not this engine" and showed his turbine power unit to the amazed truckers.
Coolest truck I’ve seen omg blown my brains out ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Well I hope it's restored...great history.
Awesome, thanks for sharing!!
Don’t forget about Garrett’s gas turbine truck that was installed in a Mack truck in the 1980’s.
Jay, that Mack was tested by pulling a full load up I-17 to Flagstaff. It could maintain a speed of 70mph + going uphill.
I think it had a 731 or 831 industrial turbine.
The exhaust was an oval stainless stack with a "bologna cut" end.
Didn’t think anyone knew about it the engine was based off the TPE331 engine. The trailer was loaded with concrete and lowered to clear the exhaust. I worked on just about everything thing else at the Phoenix plant except that it mostly sat parked next to the altitude test building. They would take it out every now and then for an endurance run. The driver always got a kick out of the other rigs comments when he would blow by them. Garret was part of Mack truck never understood why it never went into production must of been a cost factor involved the bean counters didn’t like. Later on the engine was pulled for testing in a tank that unfortunately never came into production. Both the truck and tank got scrapped never to be seen again.
@@jayfoster8120 , I used to work on the 85's, 331-200 thru the 331-500/600's & the 131 series.
Worked on the Sundstrand apu's also. The APS 500, 2000, 2300 & 3200. Fun stuff.
I saw that turbine truck while at Garrett engine school in the 80's....
@@jayfoster8120 i remember seeing that truck and hearing it run from working at Garrett and the cabover Cruiseliner is now in the Mack Truck Museum in Allentown PA., not sure what happened to the other conventional models. Never made it to production because no one was going to buy a truck with a $300,000 engine that needed A&P rated technicians to work on it when a conventional diesel sold for a fraction of the cost. (Yup, bean counter stuff)
The trailer had a thick steel plate installed on the floor to simulate a load and was later bought by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and was converted into a Mobile Incident Command Post according to my brother who was a captain at the time.
Shortly after Garrett/Allied-Signal/Honeywell bought out Lycoming, who held the tank engine contract, an M-1 tank test bed, surrounded by a chain link fence, appeared behind the 404 bldg. Never actually saw them working on it, but you knew they had because the turret would be rotated periodically. Being next to the airport's north runway and across from the Executive Terminal, this caused the Secret Service great stress whenever Air Force One arrived in town and parked at that terminal. It was still there when I left in 2010 after they closed all Phoenix manufacturing.
Reminds me of Speed Racer “Mammoth Car”
Have you seen the film "The Big Bus"?
Same thing i thought when i seen it .
Wonder if it's made of gold like the mammoth car ... 😁
That is the best desription so far.
Same here, that was the first thing that came to mind
It needs to be reunited with its turbine engine and trailers !!
I'm a Ford guy I'm a trucker I love my cabovers that is the coolest rig I've ever seen
Cab over but the front axle is behind the driver, would take some getting used to.
Was a beautiful Truck! I remember it when I was little! We had Trains PLANES so many other things with that Futuristic design!
I agree!
Just art on wheels with tech and comfort which took 'till the end of the 80's to trickle in to give more comfort to drivers. So, yeah, way, way, way ahead of its time.
this old stuff was way more futuristic than todays offerings
wish i could have this truck
Great video,,I'm a trucker so I dream of this stuff beautiful truck
I agree! Safe travels!
Well Big Red is a one of a kind truck so I wouldn’t blame the owner for keeping it hidden as you could probably imagine people coming to look at it on their property or even worse try to steal Big Red
Not to mention modernday environmentallies, they might even try to destroy it just to prevent it from polluting the air.
It doesn't matter that it might be runnin on cleanest engine on market.
It’s interesting how Ford and GM didn’t care much about keeping the trucks. They probably saw it as a huge failure and didn’t really wanted to keep it around. Thanks for these 2 videos, I didn’t know these prototypes were made till I watched your videos! :-)
Excellent video!! Well done!!
Thank you! Cheers!
Subscribed. Great channel 👍 Tasmania, Australia 🦘
would LOVE to see that truck
You and me both, pal
I love ❤️ Ford!
Ford was ahead of its time with this aero design
Vehicles like this should be in a Ford museum.
That truck is a technological innovation that at that time showed what was possible, and yes it definitely should be in a museum with all the information and history as just mentioned. As a ex trucker its MAGNIFICENT, and it looks like a European fifty ton truck today with the high cab, and air conditioning, and the electric steps can't see that as a feature on these high capacity cab it would be a extra cost and maintenance problem that would add too the cost of the truck and it would be a unnecessary complexity for me it's, brilliant if only it had worked US trucks would have been completely different if not better than the European trucks.
Very well researched
Great video and information! Keep up the good work.
Thanks!
Have you ever heard of the 68 Intermeccanica Omega aka Ford Omega Holman Moody built 33 of them. one of my x bosses up here in Maine has one I saw it myself storied in a unassuming garage behind a shopping plaza in Bangor Maine in the early 2000's the plaza has been sold and the car moved last i heard he had started restoring it.
Dude, i think this truck should be brought back into production... it'll be something that could revitalize the Ford truck and force companies to think again about something new
This truck doesn’t really have any practical use, especially in today’s world.
It consumes too much fuel, is too dirty, all of the tech is too heavy and not really needed and it’s just not what companies want.
Manufacturers are constantly thinking of new ways and tech, but there are limitations to what is really useful and what just sounds cool. The market and government regulations have shaped commercial trucks into the ideal form for today’s use
@@starstencahl8985 you don't think Ford could retrofit this truck to current epa standards? Come on man... I'm no Ford fan, but even I know any car, truck, semi, etc can be made into a modern standardized vehicle
@@stevennihipali3607 it would be more economical to refit an existing platform than trying to bring the Big Red to today’s standards. It not just safety equipment that would need to be updated, it’s the frame also.
@@drink15 now that's a reasonable answer... agree
Love this story!
It's amazing that such a cool thing ever existed
I was near I 75 and 12 mile In Madison heights mi gigantic Isaw a big tow truck pulling a bigger truck no trailers. It was red and absolutely resembled this truck
Very kool I think its needs to shared I think they may be take another look at bringing back turbines they much cleaner running then diesel engines
It belongs in a museum!
I literally read an article on this and the fact that it popped out in my UA-cam recommendations is amazing.
I like the video keep them coming bro
Good vid I just liked n subed n I want more people to see this it will be seen one time in the future I hope
again a really nice video with nice video sequences and pictures from an really exciting technical development ära. your english is very good to understand for non native speakers. the big red is awesome. imagine the faces when driving with this throught a city in germany! with this truck you are the best friend of petrol deliveres. 1050l for 950km (at 110km/h ) is not a little bit! thts what modern heavy haulage trucks consume withmore than 150t load
This big rig should be in production
HOW DID THIS FAIL?! It sounds so good
As a American truck driver I love it
Reminds me of the ‘Mammoth Car’ from Speed Racer.
Factssss
I'm the 1,000th subscriber! Yay me! Haha. Now you can livestream or whatever...
Hurray!
It reminds me of the mammoth car and speed racer maybe that's where they got their idea for for it from
Subscribed ✅
As the recent article state’s. It is too big to move, and if the owner opens it to the public, his nice house becomes a busy landmark.
Wait till they find a suitable place to display it. It’s in good hands now.
Its not that it's too big it's the 707 gas turbine engine. Its literal unobtainiam, one of a kind with possibly zero parts and very few alive that know how to fix them. It's the risk of it breaking if you drive it. I can understand that too bad these didnt take off.
@@commanderwhite12 turbknes are easy to fix. Literally thousands of folks know how to maintain and fix them.
@@jailbird1133 yes but not Ford turbines this is something that has to be remember these engines are rare. Extremely rare with no replacement parts in production because Ford canned the turbine project.
@@commanderwhite12 there are Chrysler turbines still running. Chrysler canned the turbine as well. It is possible to make parts. And a turbine is a turbine. There isnt a great amount of difference
@@commanderwhite12 In the video it was explained that the turbine engine was removed and replaced with an unknown V8. Problem solved.
that Ford truck is really cool machine.
I saw Elvis driving it down route 66,I swear on your life I did.
The military DID adapt turbine engines for tanks. The M1A1 Abrams. It's nicknamed Whispering Death.
That's sick asf.
I find it incredibly funny how they were touting 2.15MPG / 46GP100M as ”efficient”
"who am i to judge about". these Wise words are showing size and character!
I would love to see it you would think that something like that would be in Henry Fords museum in dearborn Michigan
600 hp makes a strong truck today, having 600 hp in 1964 would’ve been amazing
This was cool
I won’t lie this is interesting to watch
Thanks!
Ford had a number of gas turbine semi tractors (cabovers) in their corporate fleet. I remember seeing them back in 1981 hauling parts. I don't know when they retired all of them.
YES I REMEMBER WHEN I WORKED FOR FORD IN THE 70S THEY HAD A COUPLE AT THE PLANT, THEY COULD HAUL ANYTHING. I THINK THEY GOT LIKE 3 MILES TO THE GALLON
This thing had a better range and speed than modern trucks.
Imagine that fuel milage🤣 with today's fuel prices an owner operator would have to panhandle on the side to eat.
Cool truck, plz ad metric units in next videos
IT BELONGS TO A MUSEUM! :D what a quote
Interesting story. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
280 gallon tanks for 600 miles?? Just over 2mpg. Holy moly. Looked way too high for windy days and wipers looked like they’d snap off very easily.
They found big red seen an article how a farmer had it for 15 years in a sealed barn he had bought it from an auction but it was missing the famous trailers when he bought it
Very interesting you do a great job bro good show
Much appreciated!
dang..at 13 feet tall..it wouldnt go under most highway bridges..the 11"8 bridge would kill the driver..
Great channel, well researched.
Glad you think so!
Drive found it. Private owner bought it from Holman moody (Ford racing). It's been completely restored and is being hidden away for noone but the current owner to enjoy
So nobody at Ford suggested this beast should be called "Big Blue"? !!