When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
What is the biggest production gasoline inline six ever made for light duty trucks? (the Ford 300 inch?) The biggest V6? (GM 305?) The biggest pancake (flat) six? Did Ford ever make a pancake six? How about this for a trick truck (though it probably wouldn't have a Ford engine): Put a big pancake six between the frame rails (probably have to raise the bed floor a bit) and turn the under hood area into a huge storage compartment. Great weight distribution and would get some suprised exclamations at the shows when you pop the hood.
I believe the 300 is / was the biggest ? Gm's biggest V6 is the 4.3L . That engine is basically a 5.7L minus 2 cylinders . Its too bad Ford stopped making the 300 . With updating ignition components , intake & exhaust it would be an even better power plant . Mine has 168K miles , I checked the mileage the other day & got 17.4 Mpg combined city & highway driving . It seems like the older it gets the better it runs
Yes, I just got 17.5 mpg on my '95 300 I6 supercab over a two tank period of city/highway. I bought this truck last year. I thought about the 351 V8 and even made some calls, but just couldn't bear the thought of life without a 300 I6. I do recall reading somewhere that GMC pickups back in the late 60s could be had with a 305 cubic inch V6 (Can anyone verify? Not that I want one, just curious).
GMC did have a 302 CI Straight six. AFAIK, it was the only engine in that line (ie: it didn't have a little brother, like the 300 Ford did)
I knew some guys that used them in a nostolgia racing class. The "302 Jimmy's" still could not beat the 300 Ford for brute torque. My brother even tried to build a 296 Chevy to compete w/ the Ford 300. If I remember right, the 300 Ford has the longest stroke of the big sixes.
Roger Lane
Test Analyst
Sr. Automated Test Engineer
IBP, Inc.
I never heard of a 302 inline six from GM, but the Ch**y trucks were produced with a 292 inline six. I understand that engine had siamesed intake ports and thus was somewhat hindered in its breathing ability/potential.
The 300 I-6 started as an industrial engine (generators, water pumps, concrete pumpers) and I think it's still available that way. Designed for near-100% duty cycle which is far tougher than any automotive engine will see.
According to Inliners International, as stated in their publication the "12 Port News," GMC produced a 302 inline six.
It would be interesting to see if there are any ads for industrial applications of the 300 I6 from before its 1965 introduction in Ford trucks. I know that currently you can find the 300 I6 for industrial applications on at least two websites, on being Pitt Electric.
Not sure if it was available in a pickup
but I worked with an Excavating equipment company in the 70's. They had a 1969 Chevy Tandem axle dump truck that had a V-6 slightly over 400CI. A 403 or 405 if I remember correctly, with 4Barrel carb. The original threw a rod out the side. We went with a short block replacement. Also had a 1974 GMC Tandem axle dump with a 427 V-8. The ol V-6 would pull up out of a gravel pit fully loaded and out run the V-8 on the open road anytime! I got to operate a FWD snowblower with a big straight 6 "LEROY" gas engine. Each cylinder displaced 350 cubic inches. What a powerhouse...
-Chris
Shotgun: A 2100 cubic inch I-6. I bet that thing had a power band in the 500 to 1500 rpm range. LEROY? Wonder who makes it. I saw a bigger engine in a tugboat up in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Can't remember exact size but seems it had about a 20" stroke and only ran a few hundred rpm. There was no gearbox and to go in reverse they stopped the engine, raised the lifters, slid the camshaft a few inches sideways, and starter her back up. With the different cam lobes it ran backward. Starting was by 1000 psi compressed air. Probably was a diesel, though. Seems I recall the engine was about 12, 16, or more feet long. Don't remember if a 6 or 8 cylinder.
Didn't I read something about a ford 330cid inline 6, Or am I just sadly mistaken?
-Andrew
f250_64(No Email Addresses In Posts!), same for yahoo messenger
Nothing, and I mean nothing, stirs the soul, saying I'm a bad **** like lettin'em rip with a window shaking, fuel gulpin, carbon monoxide belchin, attention gettin, V-oh my LORD!-8!
TALLPAUL: You are correct. The operating RPM was 1200. LEROY was the company that made the engine (I believe) It was mounted on the back of the truck and only ran the snow blower. Not sure what engine drove the truck. FWD was the company that made the truck. I think they made some of the first Four wheel drives of any kind. In low range it would creep forward at 1 MPH. The blower could throw snow out dual hydraulic chutes in any direction (360 degrees) fifty feet up and fifty feet away from the truck. When operated it reminded me of the fire boats shooting the water cannons in the air. Great for big drifts and blowing snow away from runway lights.
That boat sounds like a chore to put into reverse. Bet they learned to spin it around quite a bit instead of shutting down and restarting. If the rudder was big enough and could turn greater than 90 degrees they might be able to get it to crab sideways to get away from docks and ships. Boat engines are a whole nother story on block shapes, piston arrangements and designs. All very interesting...
Shotgun: I believe the tug had seen service in Korea or WWII or something. It now is a museum. I looked up the specs on the brochure: inline 8 cylinder diesel. 16" bore, 20" stroke, 1200 hp at 275 rpm (which should figure to about 23,000 ft lbs torque), 13,168 cubic inches. One thing I like about the 300 I6 is the big bore and stroke allows a lot of torque right off idle.
>Not sure if it was available
>in a pickup
> but I worked with an
>Excavating equipment company in the
>70's. They had a
>1969 Chevy Tandem axle dump
>truck that had a V-6
>slightly over 400CI. A 403
>or 405 if I remember
>correctly, with 4Barrel carb.
Those ARE awesome engines. I've never seen pistons so huge - they are GIANTS, It's amazing how many RPM's those engines would turn.