Is it true that the Ford LTL9000 was actually discontinued for the years 1979 to 1981?

I know regarding the first-generation LTL9000, introduced for 1976, for the 1978 model year the Detroit Diesel 8V71N, 8V71T and 8V71TT were all discontinued as per James K. Wagner's book (Ford Trucks Since 1903, covering the years 1903 to 1978).

I think this trio of Detroit Diesel engines were discontinued for this model, since for 1978, the CL(T)9000 COE was the next big thing in Ford's heavy-duty truck line (replacing the old W(T)9000 COE that was originally introduced in 1966-1/2 as the W(T)1000D), and thus I believe the three 8V71 variations were to be made available exclusively for this new, third-generation class 8 COE, along with the 6V92T and 6V92TT and the 8V92T and 8V92TT.

When the LTL9000 had been redesigned for 1982, the available Detroit Diesel engines included the 8V92TA and 8V92TTA, but I remain unsure of if any of the last of the first-generation LTL9000s ever had these, or any of the 6V92 variations.

~Ben

 

I'm sure I drove a few milk trucks (LTS9000?) in the early 80's with the 6V92. Personally I hated them, 3406 made them a whole different truck.

 

No LTL listed in the 1973/79 600/900 series Ford Truck Parts Catalog. All that's listed is: L/LN/LNT/LT/LTS

Here's the first page of the Detroit Diesel engine section. Where is any LTL? No see um.

It's not listed w/any other gas or diesel engine, either. LTL is listed in the 1980/89 Heavy Truck Parts Catalog, so I assume it was introduced in 1980.

 

My confusion, I drove LTS.

 

Some of the first LL-LTL's I remember seeing was in 79 and could have been a 80 model, early models looked similar to the other L series but with a longer hood and air intake vents on both sides of the hood instead of the standard right side intake.
The hoods and grill where completely redesigned in 82 along with using 4 head lights instead of 2.
The LTL's where built to compete with other brands of long haul trucks with the engines of choice for long haul being the Big Cam Cummins and 3406A Cat at that time.
The introduction of the more powerful 92 series Detroit pretty much decided the fate of the 71 series for long haul use, I drove some early 70's trucks with 8V71's but by the late 70's the 8v92 had pretty much taken over with the 6V92 silver series being used by a number of ltl fleet carriers. Although popular in buses and regional trucking the number of Detroit's being used in long haul kept getting smaller until the release of the Series 60 in 1987.
The Detroit engine was available in all models of Fords during their production run but were not as popular in some models and applications as in others.
When I switched from a 8V71 Detroit to my first Cummins I thought something was wrong with the Cummins because it wasn't loosing any oil.

 

Don't you mean it din't drool.

 

I've also found out that the first-generation LTL9000, from 1976-81, was in fact a special order model and not a regular production model. It would not be so until the 1982 model year... even so, that model would have its own separate sales brochure.

The LTL9000, in both its 1976 and 1982 forms, was Ford's answer to such super-long conventionals as the Peterbilt 359 and Kenworth W900A and the GMC General and Chevrolet Bison, among others.

~Ben

 

So,... is it true that the 71 series Detroit is a GM product???

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Diesel_Series_71

 

Yes, it was from 1938 until GM sold DD to Penske during 1987.

~Ben

 

That's kinda messed up, no? chebby motors in Ford trucks? Blasphemy!

Penske huh,..? guess that's why all the Penske tractors I rent have DD's in them.

 

Detroit Diesel sold their engines to almost every medium-to-heavy truck manufacturer out there from the 1950s to the '80s. It was International Harvester (Navistar after 1985) that was said to have coined the term "Detroit Diesel," because until the mid-1960s these engines, when installed in the Chevy and GMC medium-to-heavy trucks, were called "GM DIESEL" engines, and any truck maker not related to GM would frown at the presence of "GM DIESEL" on these engines.

Ford first used the DD engines in 1966, by which time GM already used "Detroit Diesel" instead of "GM Diesel" even for those engines installed in the Chevy and GMC mediums/heavies.

~Ben

 

Another DD link, with history time line. Seems the DD name came about in 1965.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Diesel

But why go there when you can go direct:

https://demanddetroit.com/our-company/history

Hours of video, including the ever popular "Creep Mode".

https://demanddetroit.com/brochures-and-videos